JumpStart Theatre Update 47: Three Showcases

By Ginny Butsch posted 05-30-2019 00:00

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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 .

Three JumpStart Theatre Showcases

This spring, three JumpStart Theatre Showcases took place across the nation, celebrating the accomplishments of 15 schools. These Showcases bring students together to perform selections from their musicals for the public, build a community of support, and celebrate their achievements.

The Cincinnati region, led by The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, kicked off the Showcase season on April 30 at Taft Theatre, with energetic performances from nine schools and an all-school finale to cap off the evening. Families and friends gathered afterwards to share a meal and play theatre games. After the evening had ended, a teacher remarked, "My proudest accomplishment is seeing the family that my kids and our program has created. Knowing that they have a safe place and are comfortable enough to truly be themselves is something I can never forget!" Thanks to the sponsors and patrons for making this event possible: Apple Spice Catering Company, Barnes Dennig, Benefits Network Insurance, the Lila Gallimore Trust, Gordon Food Service, James & Lauren Miller, and the Mayer/Langley Family.

The St. Louis region Showcase was held on May 1, led by STAGES St. Louis, and held at the St. Louis Community College-Meramec. This was the conclusion of the first year of the JumpStart Theatre program in this region and three schools treated the audience to musical numbers from their individual shows. JumpStart Theatre mentor, Amanda Earls, gave a heartfelt introduction for each school, sharing details about their performance spaces, the courage of the students, and the determination of the hard-working teachers. One St. Louis teacher commented, "The night of the Showcase the kids were already talking about plans for next year and how it was going to be so much fun!"

The San Diego region, led by La Jolla Playhouse, concluded the 2018-2019 school year with performances by their first three JumpStart Theatre schools in the beautiful La Jolla Playhouse. Speakers included the Superintendent and Visual And Performing Arts Director of San Diego Unified School District, who expressed their support for LJP and the JumpStart Theatre program, along with EdTA Board Members, Matt Conover, Krista Carson Elhai and Gai Laing Jones.

While it was incredible to bring this experience to three cities this year, next year will be even more exciting as Alliance Theatre in Atlanta and Mountain City Center for the Arts in Frostburg, Md. add their own JumpStart Theatre events.

Eight States Reached
As our regional partners select their schools for the 2019-2020 school year, JumpStart Theatre has spread to yet another state. Schools in eight states will be part of the JumpStart Theatre history, thanks to several partners who are able to cross state lines. Stay tuned for the announcement of those new schools in a future edition!

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

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