Paper Mill Expands Adopt-A-School Program

Paper Mill Playhouse has announced the expansion of the theater's Adopt-A-School program to include New Jersey middle schools. Recently the Millburn theater adopted Rahway 7th & 8th Grade Academy and Horizon School, part of Cerebral Palsy New Jersey in Livingston. The Adopt-A-School Project is part of Paper Mill Playhouse's core mission of education outreach for underserved New Jersey students who have little or no exposure to live theater or theater arts education. Throughout the multi-year sequence students have direct access to live performances, theater artists and professional teaching artists which are completely free to participating schools. Adopt-A-School impacts students' ability to think, explore and write with creativity and confidence -- reaching 7,500+ students over the past 25 years. The initiative that includes New Jersey middle schools is called MiddleStage.

The Adopt-A-School Project: MiddleStage aims to increase arts programming for middle school students in New Jersey with a fully funded two-year theater program. Since its inception, MiddleStage has provided arts programming for over 1,000 students in Essex and Hudson counties. Selected schools receive up to $5,000 in arts education support for each year of participation. MiddleStage supports the creation and exhibition of a middle school musical for each year of the partnership. This year MiddleStage is supporting Rahway Academy's production of Disney's The Lion King JR. and Horizon School's production of Seussical JR. Active involvement by the school administration, arts-education liaison and staff is critical to the program's success.

The goal of MiddleStage is to support middle schools in the development of sustainable quality arts education programs. The program engages students in the joyful process of creating musical theatre while fostering a strong educational community for students, teachers, staff, and families. MiddleStage also encourages the connection of arts programming to curriculum study in all content areas. Through the program schools may receive a funded professional teaching artist to advise and assist teachers and students throughout the process of producing their musical and physical resources including costumes, set pieces and props. In addition, schools receive show specific workshops for students involved. Rahway Academy will host a workshop with actor Jelani Remy, currently starring as Simba in Disney's The Lion King on Broadway this Friday, March 18 at 3:30pm.

"The Adopt-A-School Project cultivates students' creativity and confidence; building their critical thinking skills and ability to collaborate; and, raising the standard and availability of arts education in New Jersey public schools," stated Lisa Cooney, Paper Mill Playhouse's Director of Education. "Participating teachers, students and Paper Mill's professional teaching artists have shared with us that students are developing personal connections to theater and the artistic process, and becoming more confident and skilled at expressing themselves."

"Paper Mill Playhouse draws on all of its producing expertise to help New Jersey's young people stretch and develop," remarked Paper Mill's Managing Director Todd Schmidt. "Generous support from leading corporations and foundations removes challenged schools' basic financial barrier to arts education - and helps pay for the teaching artists, theater tickets, workshops, bus transportation and all expenses of being adopted."

Generous support for the Adopt-A-School Project is provided by C.R. Bard Foundation, The Mall at Short Hills, Merck Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Nordstrom, PNC Foundation, PSEG Foundation, The Schumann Fund for New Jersey and Wells Fargo Foundation.

This program is made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

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