Hello New Brunswick Theater Festival (NBTF) and Collaborative Arts Followers. It was a long and very cold winter but I am happy to say that because of the dedication to many individuals we emerged this spring even stronger. The success of last-years educational outreach and our inaugural main-stage show, Romeo and Juliet paved the way for us to kick off this year with even more resources. Along with my fellow Artistic Director Dan Swern and Collaborative Arts and NBTF company members, we have spent the winter months preparing curriculum and production concepts, writing major grants, planning fundraisers, and putting in place a permanent company of actors, designers, directors, and writers who are dedicated to teaching and pursuing professional artistic careers.
I’m happy to be returning with Jen Ring this year to both New Brunswick and Perth Amboy school districts. As the core-teaching faculty for NBTF, Jen and I have been busy working with both cities in scheduling and planning this springs theater residencies. Thanks once again to Mr. Jim DeWorken in the New Brunswick Superintendents Office; we are back, teaching in New Brunswick High School with the fantastic Steven Thornburg and his students in the Theater Department. We have been working with two different groups this year: an introductory theater class and a senior level performance ensemble class. Building on last years physical theater work we are once again cultivating students to become apprentices for this years summer production.
In addition to the New Brunswick program, Jen and I have returned to work with Liz Mery Ramirez in the Perth Amboy Recreation Department. Last winter we presented a 10-week Shakespeare workshop that culminated in a final production of an abridged version of A Midsummer Nights Dream presented to a theater full of parents, friends, and Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz in the beautiful new Perth Amboy YMCA Theater. This year we are trying something a little different, working with High School students on the writing and performance of their own original work.
In addition to all of the work on NBTF, Collaborative Arts has been very busy growing and re-organizing. Thanks to our board of directors and an expanded leadership we are in the process of using a Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage grant to completely re-vamp our website which will launch late spring.
Best,
John Keller
Collaborative Arts Leadership
Artistic Director New Brunswick Theater Festival
No comments:
Post a Comment