Blogs

A program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved middle schools that currently have none.

This is a series of monthly updates about the JumpStart Theatre pilot program launched in Cincinnati, Ohio. To view previous updates, click here. 

Making an Impact

Here's a snapshot of how many people were impacted by the program during the 2017-18 school year, thanks to donors and supporters like you!

National Expansion News

Our new regional partner, Alliance Theatre  (pictured above), will add the Atlanta metropolitan area to our national expansion beginning with the 2019-20 school year. Alliance Theatre is the third partner, selected for their vast education offerings and a shared mission to bring theatre to every student.

Read more about Alliance Theatre here.

Congratulations, Coolidge Junior High!

One of the schools selected by STAGES St. Louis, a regional partner within our national expansion, is Coolidge Junior High in Granite Springs, Illinois (located in the metro St. Louis area). A local news source published a story about the school and their goals for the program. Sarah Chapman-Wiser, an English teacher at Coolidge, shared her hopes, "Getting the kids involved in anything will help them stay out of trouble. It will also benefit their self-esteem and self-confidence. It would make them feel better about themselves and keep them active and imaginative." 

Click on the photo of the Coolidge JumpStart Theatre team below to read the article.

Announcing the 2018-19 JumpStart Theatre Season!

Across the nation (how incredible is that phrase to read?), all of the schools enrolled in JumpStart Theatre have selected their shows. Spring 2019, our FOURTH year, is going to bring musical theatre to more students than ever before and their schools have made some exciting choices:

Taking the First Step

Beginning in the fall, the first JumpStart Theatre program graduates will kick off the school year leading their own theatre programs. These schools completed three full years in JumpStart Theatre in May and are now using the tools and training learned through the process to build sustainability. Finneytown, Holmes, and Gamble Montessori are starting off on the right foot, getting a head start on their preparations (and sticking to the JumpStart Theatre recommended schedule) by selecting their 2018-19 shows and applying for the rights. This will ensure their MTI ShowKit is in hand before school starts and they can use the summer to brainstorm.

You're Invited!

Want to get a first-hand glimpse into the JumpStart Theatre program? Join us for the first Bootcamp of the year on Friday, September 28, 2018 from 9:00am-4:00pm. The Bootcamp will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio and will be led by Dee Anne Bryll and Becca Kloha Strand.

This unique professional development opportunity will cover the basics of teaching musical theatre in a fun and interactive manner. All of the current Cincinnati JumpStart Theatre teachers will attend, but it is also open to any interested educator, administrator, artist or professional. Attendance is complimentary, but space is limited. Guests must register in advance by emailing JumpStartTheatre@schooltheatre.org. You'll find a video from a previous bootcamp here.

 Teachers participate in a JumpStart Theatre Bootcamp.

Thanks to all of our partners and supporters on JumpStart Theatre:

• Allstate Foundation

• Eleanora C.U. Alms Trust, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee

• ArtsWave

• Barnes Dennig

• Benefits Network Insurance

• Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights Aids

• Cincinnati Arts Association

• Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music

• Community Arts Initiatives

• Duke Energy

• The Fine Schneider Charitable Fund

• The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

• Robert Greenblatt

• The Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation

• Hilton

• iTheatrics

• The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

• The Lehrer-Seller Family

• Lila Gallimore Trust

• The H.B., E.W., and F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, Fifth Third Bank and Narley L. Haley, co-trustees

• James and Lauren Miller

• Music Theatre International

• Ohio Arts Council

• The Daniel and Susan Pfau Foundation

• William O. Purdy, Jr.  Foundation Fund

• The Shubert Foundation

• Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

All of the individual donors