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JumpStart Theatre Update 39: A Fourth Regional Site for 2019

By Ginny Butsch posted 10-01-2018 14:02

  
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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. 

 


Funding Secured for a Fourth Regional Site

The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) announced that Jeffrey Seller, producer of Hamilton, In the Heights, Avenue Q, and Rent, made a generous donation to ETF, allowing the program to expand to another city in 2019. Current regional expansion partners are located in St. Louis, San Diego, and Atlanta. Read more about this exciting news:

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Now Playing

The latest JumpStart Theatre video was just released, highlighting quotes from students, teachers, and research leaders about their experience in the program. 

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Training Begins

The first JumpStart Theatre bootcamps of the 2018-19 school year are underway in three cities:

  • St. Louis, Missouri, September 21

  • Cincinnati, Ohio, September 28

  • San Diego, California, October 6

All teachers serving as part of their school’s JumpStart Theatre team are required to attend; other local arts professionals are also invited. In Cincinnati, an invitation was also extended to the first class of program graduates (Gamble Montessori, Holmes, Finneytown) to give a “refresher” course or to orient new staff members interested in helping with the theatre program. The first bootcamp teaches the basics of musical theatre-choreography, staging, and vocal technique-in order to prepare the teams to hold auditions and cast their shows in the coming months.STAGES.jpg

The first bootcamp at STAGES St. Louis


Atlanta Middle Schools-Apply Now

Regional expansion partner Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia has just opened the application process to choose their first three JumpStart Theatre schools. Middle schools without a musical theatre program, located in the Atlanta metropolitan area, are encouraged to read the information and submit their applications online:

https://alliancetheatre.org/content/jumpstart-theatre

The deadline to apply is December 21; selected schools will be notified in early spring 2019.

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Motion Passed!

Finneytown Middle School completed their three years of the program in May and is now considered a JumpStart Theatre graduate. They recently proposed funding to the school board to cover stipends for four supplemental positions. The motion passed, allowing director, Janet Cain, and up to three additional staff members, to receive a small payment for leading the musical theatre program. The positions are identified as the JumpStart Theatre Director, Tech Director, Producer, and Choreographer. As mentioned in prior updates, JumpStart Theatre provides a modest teacher stipend for each school during their time in the program, but once they graduate, it is up to each school to secure continued funding through ticket sales, fundraising, or district support. This is an exciting sign that Finneytown’s theatre program is recognized as a valuable addition to their district’s offerings and they will be able to continue sustaining their performances!Finneytowncast.jpg

Backstage with Finneytown students

Save the Date

The third annual JumpStart Theatre Breakfast will be held at The Center in Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 from 8:00am-9:00am. The event benefits ETF's JumpStart Theatre program and features stories and updates about the impact of this unique program on underserved schools in cities across the nation, including Cincinnati. Attendance is complimentary, reservations are required. Please contact JumpStartTheatre@schooltheatre.org. bfastcollage.jpg
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Thanks to all of our partners and supporters on JumpStart Theatre:

All of the individual donors

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