Winter Park Playhouse Receives Two Educational Outreach Grants

The Winter Park Playhouse, Central Florida's only professional musical theatre, is well known for its popular Mainstage Series of professional musicals and its monthly Spotlight Cabaret Series. But, the third arm of this non-profit arts organization's mission includes an educational outreach program -- aptly named REACH -- which was recently rewarded two grants to continue its worthy mission.

The Gracia Belle Livingston Foundation awarded $10,000 to engage at-risk youth in a program of character building musical theatre classes to be held at community centers and schools throughout Central Florida.

United Arts of Central Florida awarded $1,830 to help bring free drama and music classes to Pre-K children at The Winter Park Day Nursery and the Welbourne Day Nursery, both located in Winter Park.

The Winter Park Playhouse launched REACH in 2009 in response to the need for valuable arts programming in public schools. Through REACH, the Playhouse goes directly into Title I schools, pre-schools and community centers in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties, at no cost to them, and engages thousands of vastly diverse, underserved children each year in musical theatre performances and classes that educate, uplift, and inspire.

Since its inception in 2009, The Winter Park Playhouse and has engaged over 39,000 children in quality arts experiences.