Interview: Kate Cordaro, Director of Education at TWO RIVER THEATER

Two River Theater's Education Department believes in the power of theater arts, so much so that over the years they have developed several unique programs offering children from the ages of 4 to teens in high school the opportunities to get involved in all aspects of theater. Two River has reached close to 5,000 students each year with their student matinees, summer camp, A Little Shakespeare productions, Metro Scholar and TheaterWorks programs. These outlets spawn creativity, focus, dedication, self-empowerment and success in the lives of local students in our area.

Some of their accomplishments include:

-They offer 20 student matiness a season, student's pre-k to 12th grade experience world class professional productions with their schools and participate in Q&A's with the actors, directors and crews of the show.

-The department is in its 4th season A Little Shakespeare, provides high school students the chance to audition for spots in a professional production, and some even work behind the scenes as assistants to the director, stage manager, designers and more.

-During summer theater camp, children grades 1-12 learn tangible skills like costume design and important life skills such as teamwork, risk-taking and the ability to make something out of nothing, over 3 weeks in July

-The Metro Scholar program is a yearlong, highly competitive program available for high school juniors across the state of NJ where students are immersed into every department of the theater, working side by side with the marketing, artistic, production and development teams.

-TheaterWorks is grant-funded program that connects at-risk students in school groups or community organizations who seek an engaging and relevant connection to great theater. Past partners have included The Source at Red Bank Regional High School, and The Spot at Asbury Park High School, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County, and the Friends in Need Children's Center.

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Kate Cordaro, the Director of Two River Theater's Education Program.

Why do you find your job so rewarding?

It's all about the students - end of story. Theater attracts the most delightful, crazy, brilliant, hard-working, hilarious, insightful people and I love them.

Why is the TRT program so distinctive in the area?

I believe that our programming is distinctive for two main reasons. We are a professional, producing theater company, so throughout the season, top-notch artists from all over the country are spending time at our theater doing their thing. And our Education Department reaps the benefit; our students get to learn from these people - Lisa Kron, Nilaja Sun, Rinde Eckert, Suzan-Lori Parks, Michael Cumpsty, Martin Moran, Brandon Dirden, Madeleine George - the list goes on and on. Lucky, lucky students!

And the other reason is that we are totally committed to building audiences, regardless of their ability to pay. Through our grant-funded No Seats Empty and TheaterWorks programs, students from underserved schools and community programs get to experience theater for free, often for the very first time. There's something so special about introducing kids to this ancient form of storytelling, that is somehow made fresh and new by the artists we bring in.

What would you like prospective participants/groups to know about your programs?

There are plenty of places in the area if you want to take tap class or an on-camera class or if you want to learn to cry on cue. (And listen, I've taken those classes and I've taught them. I do love a good tap class!) But we do things a little differently. Through all of our programming, we create a community of artists, an artistic home, a challenging yet safe place to learn and grow and fail and brush yourself off and try again. I can't tell you how often our former students say that this place changed their lives.

For the future?

We have a solid foundation on which to build. We actually have some pretty exciting plans for the Education Department that I'm not at liberty to spill, but I promise that we will continue to expand and offer enriching programming for years to come!

Two River Theater is located at 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, NJ 07701. Call 732.345.1400 and visit their web site at http://tworivertheater.org/.

Photo Credit: Scott L. Friedman

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