Apollinaire Theatre Company Announces the Dedication of the Riseman Family Theatre

After more than 10 years of planning and fundraising, Apollinaire Theatre Company will open the doors of a new youth theater at the Chelsea Theatre Works thanks to the generosity of the Riseman Family Foundation. The Riseman Family Theatre will be dedicated on Thursday, October 20, 2016 from 6:00-8:00, and the community is invited to join the celebration.

Benson "Alex" Riseman, chairman of the family foundation, will be on hand to officially open the theater. Alex, a former Chelsea resident and graduate of Chelsea High, class of 1974, wanted to support the city by providing arts education to the community. "You can take the boy out of Chelsea but you can't take Chelsea out of the boy," said Riseman. "I am proud of my Chelsea roots and thankful for the role it's played in establishing my values, resourcefulness, street smarts and appreciation of people from all backgrounds. The Riseman Family Theatre presented the perfect opportunity to give back to the community by providing cultural and educational opportunities to area youth."

Benson "Alex" Riseman grew up in Chelsea on Chester Avenue and lived there with his mother, Charlotte, until he went off to college. A graduate of Shurtleff Elementary School and Chelsea High School, Benson was extensively involved in a number of high school class activities; including, Co-Captain of the football team, 4 year letterman on the baseball team, student government and class yearbook. He went on to the University of Tampa where he continued building his leadership credentials as well as standout varsity baseball career until graduating in 1978 with a B.S. in Business Administration. Benson went on to enjoy a 20 year career in radio broadcasting working in Local, National and Network Managerial/Sales positions for companies including Metro Networks, CBS, Westinghouse, Greater Media, Paxson Broadcasting, Capitol Broadcasting and RKO General. In 2000, Benson Co-Founded Green Dot Corporation, the inventor and largest provider of the reloadable prepaid debit card in the United States. He continued his responsibilities until the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2010. Benson now lives in Las Vegas, Nevada and is Founder, President & CEO of BENSEA Enterprises; an entrepreneurial think tank and consultancy specializing is business strategy, branding, marketing and revenue generation. Benson also is actively involved in philanthropic projects nationwide and serves on three non-profit advisory boards.

According to Artistic Director Danielle Jacques, "Apollinaire is now able to fully realize our commitment to providing the community with a dedicated home for young artists to play, learn, and experiment. This vision was made possible through the generosity of the Riseman Family Foundation, and our principal early supporters: the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund and Mark A. DiGiovanni. The partnership with the Riseman Foundation allows us to open our doors to area children and involve them in the enrichment that the arts can bring into their lives, both educationally and socially. We look forward to partnering with the Riseman Family Foundation for many years to come."
There will also be an open house for young people and accompanying adults on Friday Oct. 21st from 4-6, and Apollinaire Play Lab classes in acting, dance, and filmmaking for ages 3-18 will begin the following day. Apollinaire Theatre is committed to making the programs available to all interested children and scholarships are available for all those who need them to attend. Once the space is open, they look forward to adding programming to include music and visual arts offerings, an expanded Spring schedule which will include the first public youth performances in the new theater, and enhancing the summer programming including the youth component of Apollinaire in the Park. Information about current class offerings can be found at www.aplaylab.com

The expansion of the facilities at the Chelsea Theatre Works will continue next month with the opening of the new co-working theater next to the Riseman on November 19th. Thanks to MassDevelopment and the City of Chelsea, these two new theaters will complement each other providing expanded opportunities for youth interacting with the professional companies in residence at the Chelsea Theatre Works.

Dedication of the Riseman Family Theatre
October 20, 2016 from 6:00pm-8:00pm
Chelsea Theatre Works, 187 Winnisimmet St., Chelsea, MA
(617) 887-2336 • www.apollinairetheatre.com

Open House at the Riseman Family Theatre
October 21, 2016 from 4:00pm-6:00pm
Chelsea Theatre Works, 187 Winnisimmet St., Chelsea, MA
(617) 887-2336 • www.apollinairetheatre.com