[SML] OT: Cultural Arts programming at your educational institution

[Dale Farmer]

On 1/6/2015 8:27 PM, Maia Robbins-Zust via Stagecraft wrote:
>
> John
>
> Out here in the Northeast, there's a touring company called Chamber 
> Theater.  They bring classic American short stories to high schools.  
> I did one season touring with them and learned that the venue matters 
> almost more then the quality of the production.
>
> If we were playing in the high school auditorium, there would always 
> be trouble in the house.  But, if the students were bused downtown to 
> the old historic, nicely maintained or recently renovated theater, 
> they behaved well and we had almost no troubles.
>
> Half the joy of live "arts" is in the 'going out' part of the 
> equation.  This is especially true today, when you can see something 
> any time you want on You Tube or wherever.  I would recommend that 
> your school thinks about making this program into something that 
> allows the students to GO see a show.
>
> Maia Robbins-Zust
> Technical Dir
> Williams College Theater
>
>
   Consider reaching out to other high schools in the vicinity that have 
a theater program and work out some swaps and trades and tours.    this 
also allows you to borrow (and loan out) various less common theater 
tools.   If you only need a hazer for one show a year, it makes sense 
that the other school in the next district could borrow it for their one 
show per year that needs it, and you can borrow from them the blacklight 
fixtures you need for that kid who wants to outdo blue man group.

   --Dale