Blogs

Curtain Up!

March is an exciting month for JumpStart Theatre, as it marks the beginning of the school performances. Thousands of people attended JumpStart Theatre performances this month and thousands more will have their chance in April. Here's a peak into a few of the March performances.

Aiken New Tech High School, Cincinnati, Hairspray JR.

Oyler School, Cincinnati, Aladdin JR.

Clark Montessori High School, Cincinnati, Annie JR.

Roberts Academy, Cincinnati, Aladdin JR.

Felicity-Franklin Middle School, Cincinnati, The Little Mermaid JR.

The Highlight of the Year

After the productions, the stories of the students at each school start to emerge and we are reminded of the many ways that theatre can change lives. Here are a few of these stories, submitted by JumpStart Theatre teachers:

"I had a student that suffered socially, trying to fit in with a group of students was difficult. We connected her with the Jumpstart Theatre students mid-season and it became the highlight of her week. She even said that she would join the play again next year!"

"Kyron had never performed in a show before. His friend convinced him to audition. He was hesitant but had a good voice. He had the first lyrics of the show, so it was a risk to trust him with the opening lines that the audience would hear. He stepped up and came out of his shell. His mother was amazed that her shy son was able to do it."

"A student was new to our school last year and had major attendance issues. He was cast in the show, and one of his teachers stated that after rehearsals started, he never missed a day of school because he didn’t want to miss practice. He has grown so much and to see him this year in one of the major roles was solid proof that JumpStart Theatre can have a lasting positive impact our on students. I knew that theatre could make a change in someone but to witness it first hand is breathtaking and honestly one of my strongest, cherished memories in my teaching career."

JumpStart Theatre Showcase Dates

Would you like to see a JumpStart Theatre performance? For the first time ever, there will be THREE JumpStart Theatre Showcases across the nation. These Showcases bring students together from their region's JumpStart Theatre schools in order to perform selections from their musicals for the public, build a community of support, and celebrate their achievements.

·     April 30, 6:00pm EST. Taft Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio.

·     May 18, 2:00pm PST. La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego, California.

·     May. Date TBA. STAGES St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.

If you'd like to attend one of these events, please contact JumpStartTheatre@schooltheatre.org.

Last chance to apply!

The JumpStart Theatre application is open through mid-April in San Diego, California, managed by the LaJolla Playhouse. If you know a middle school without a theatre program in that region, please encourage them to apply: 

JumpStart Theatre San Diego Application

ETF, in collaboration with New York City-based companies iTheatrics and Music Theatre International (MTI) has created JumpStart Theatre, a three-year scalable program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved schools that previously had none.

JumpStart Theatre aims to:

·     be sustainable and implemented in underserved middle schools nationwide, engaging as many students as possible in all aspects of theatre, 

·     prepare students for high school, college, and the workforce by instilling the 21st-century skills of collaboration, communication, problem-solving, and creativity.

Thanks to all the JumpStart Theatre Partners and Supporters