Wal-Mart Donates $40,000 To Renaissance Theatre Academy

 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is supporting the Renaissance Theatre Academy, an educational, professional youth theatre training program produced by the White Plains Performing Arts Center, with a sponsorship of $40,000.

 The announcement came during a ceremonial check presentation on March 25 at the theatre, which was attended by Jack W. Batman, Executive Producer of the White Plains Performing Arts Center; representatives from WPPAC, Wal-Mart and the White Plains store; children of the Theatre Academy and Joseph M. Delfino, Mayor of the City of White Plains. 

Wal-Mart will also provide school items for students of the theater throughout the year.

For the second year in a row Wal-Mart is supporting the Theater Academy with a major donation. Last year's donation of $30,000 enabled the Academy to initiate their premiere season and to produce two productions: You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Pippin.  In 2007, Wal-Mart's philanthropic efforts in the State of New York totaled more than $10.4 million.  Nationally the Foundation gave $296 million in 2007 to benefit more than 4,000 U.S. communities.

"Wal-Mart is proud to continue our relationship with the Theatre Academy," said Steve V. Restivo, Director of Corporate Affairs – Northeast Region.  "This Academy has grown to become one of the premier theatre training programs in the region and offers cultural enrichment and educational value to children throughout White Plains and the surrounding area."

The White Plains Performing Arts Center's summer professional theatre training program for children ages 7-17 will be held June 30 through August 16, 2008. The Renaissance Theatre Academyoffers 3-week sessions taught by experienced theatre teaching artists, each session ending with a fully-staged production of a Broadway musical. 

This summer's musicals are Footloose, Disney's Mulan, Jr., and Willy Wonka, Jr. Previews of these performances are scheduled to take place in the White Plains Wal-Mart store in June and July.

"We are deeply gratified that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is again supporting our efforts to bring professional theatre training to the children of Westchester," said Jack W. Batman, Executive Producer of the White Plains Performing Arts Center. "The Renaissance Theatre Academy is the first program we instituted here at the theatre and we are dedicated to serving the community by offering professional, high-level educational opportunities to Westchester families, both in the summer and in our year-round classes, workshops and seminars. The White Plains Performing Arts Center is extremely honored to partner with Wal-Mart."  

TheRenaissance Theatre Academy's daily classes include voice, acting, dance, technical stagecraft and production, along with team-building activities, theatre games, and master classes and seminars with Broadway, television and film professionals. All classes are taught by experienced theatre teaching artists. The Renaissance Theatre Academy provides a noncompetitive, nurturing and fun environment to enhance a child's knowledge and skills in theatre arts and offers a junior company for children 7 – 13 and a senior company for 13-17 year olds. Sessions are held Monday through Friday.

The Renaissance Theatre Academyis under the direction of Toni Rubio.  Ms. Rubio, a White Plains native, has been a working teaching artist for the past 20 years, developing arts-in-education curriculums and residencies according to the NYS Standards of Learning for teachers and students grades K-12, after-school centers, community youth organizations, summer camps and professional development.  She holds a theatre degree from Boston College and a certificate of training from the Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City.

For more information about the Renaissance Theatre Academy, please call (914) 328-1600 or email to YouthTheatre@WPPAC.com.