Georgia Repertory Theatre Donates Theatre Programs to MCSD Title I Schools

A new Theatre Partnership in Columbus will make it possible for students at all twenty-nine Title I schools in the Muscogee Country School District to experience live theatre this year. For free.

There will be no cost to the students, no cost to the schools and no cost to the MCSD.

The Georgia Board of Regents has approved the creation of The Georgia Repertory Theatre which merges the missions of the Springer Opera House and the CSU Department of Theatre.

But the Georgia Repertory Theatre is not just about entertaining audiences. The new venture is focused on theatrical vocational training, education, workforce development and economic development.

"Since 2008, American industry has begun to cluster around creative communities, " explained Springer producing artistic director, Paul Pierce. "The two driving forces in the corporate world these days are innovation and collaboration. And those are things at which theatre is expert. Dr. Dooley and I are in agreement that the Georgia Repertory Theatre has a role to play in making Columbus, Georgia more prosperous and more economically dynamic.

Pierce and Department of Theatre chairman Dr. Larry Dooley appeared before the Muscogee County School District Board of Education on Monday evening to explain the Georgia Repertory Theatre concept and to deliver the good news that GRT will be able to provide professional theatre services to the MCSD Title I schools at no charge to the school district.

Says Dooley, "Besides our mission to make major economic, workforce and educational impacts in Columbus with the Georgia Repertory Theatre, we feel like it is important to provide an enduring service for at-risk students in the Title I schools."

The GRT Title I project will include:
• Free performances for all 29 Title I schools in the MCSD
• Teacher's Guides
• Transportation

The productions available to the Title I schools will be PINKALICIOUS, JACK AND THE WONDER BEANS, THE GIVER, OF MICE AND MEN, GREASE and ACE: The Eugene Bullard Story.

The Georgia Repertory Theatre has already launched a $10 million capital campaign which will create an endowment to pay for programs like this every year. Some donors to the campaign have asked that their money be used to begin serving the community immediately so Pierce and Dooley expedited the rollout of this service.

The total value of the free GRT theatre programming to the MCSD is $76,200.

Besides the Title I School Project, the Georgia Repertory Theatre has also undertaken three other initiatives which are currently underway:

• Economic Impact
- Film Industry Development
- National Audience Development Conference
- Georgia Repertory Summer Theatre Festival

• Educational Impact
- Celebrity and Industry Residencies
- Workforce Development for theatre students

• Artistic Impact
- Production Automation
- Enhanced Production Values

At the meeting, Pierce also reported that Georgia Repertory Theatre has also agreed to advise the MCSD on furnishing and equipping the new Fine Arts Academy.

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