Tragedy Off Stage
High school theatre directors in sight of an opening night often ask themselves, "Why?" Why do we as educators invest countless hours collecting and altering costumes, building sets, cleaning up after students, holding together our scarcely-funded programs with thrift store finds, and trying to coordinate the student's efforts of acting into an exhaustive theatrical showcase for the community? The arts are a means of healing. The arts are a means of growth. The arts are a means of escape. And while that escape may be brief, it can remind us to hope and maintain faith in our future, whether that future is seeing an alumni student hold fast to their professional dreams, that future is allowing an emotionally depressed teenager a positive creative outlet, or if that future is merely returning to the world we consider normal.
Echols County Schools International Thespian Society Troupe 8218 of Georgia and ECS Performing Arts director Analiese Hamm is creating this fund on behalf of the A. Crawford Mosley High School drama department, located in Panama City, and their drama sponsor Bruce Taws. Bruce Taws reached out to the Educational Theatre Association community 6 days after Hurricane Michael barreled through his local community, "Local venues were not as fortunate as some of our schools as many took major hits. The historic Marina Civic Center, Martin Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, as well as area churches, which we have had to use as venues before, were almost gutted and need major rebuilding..It may seem silly to even think of continuing to mount a show, given the circumstances, but many of you also know the healing power that theater can have in situations such as these. Any help you can give to local theaters or school theater programs would be greatly appreciated."
Funds will be collected throughout the month and then gifted to Bruce Taws, who will then distribute the funding as he deems fit throughout the surrounding theater programs in need. Please help by joining in on the effort to support Bruce Taws, the students at A. Crawford Mosely High School, and the surrounding theatre community, and their efforts to bring normalcy back into their lives.
Echols County Schools International Thespian Society Troupe 8218 of Georgia and ECS Performing Arts director Analiese Hamm is creating this fund on behalf of the A. Crawford Mosley High School drama department, located in Panama City, and their drama sponsor Bruce Taws. Bruce Taws reached out to the Educational Theatre Association community 6 days after Hurricane Michael barreled through his local community, "Local venues were not as fortunate as some of our schools as many took major hits. The historic Marina Civic Center, Martin Theatre, Kaleidoscope Theatre, as well as area churches, which we have had to use as venues before, were almost gutted and need major rebuilding..It may seem silly to even think of continuing to mount a show, given the circumstances, but many of you also know the healing power that theater can have in situations such as these. Any help you can give to local theaters or school theater programs would be greatly appreciated."
Funds will be collected throughout the month and then gifted to Bruce Taws, who will then distribute the funding as he deems fit throughout the surrounding theater programs in need. Please help by joining in on the effort to support Bruce Taws, the students at A. Crawford Mosely High School, and the surrounding theatre community, and their efforts to bring normalcy back into their lives.
Organizer
Analiese Hamm
Organizer
Lake Park, GA