Greenway and Fairfax Collaboration Proves Successful at DTASC Festival
Greenway Arts Alliance and Fairfax High School sponsor underserved teens at DTASC Fall Festival.
Los Angeles, CA, October 30, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Confronted with LAUSD budget cuts, Fairfax High School and Greenway Arts Alliance pooled talent and resources to send a team of underserved teens to compete in the Drama Teachers Association of Southern California (DTASC) 2009 Fall Festival held in Carson, CA, on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Every member of the Fairfax High School team advanced to the semi finals round, while one Fairfax HS teen took her place among eleven other festival finalists.
With 2300 teacher layoffs slated by LAUSD and a $250 million gap in the district’s budget, the Fairfax HS Drama Department welcomed assistance in sustaining its arts classes, implementing a full production schedule and sponsoring underserved students in dramatic competitions.
In March, Greenway Arts Alliance, a nonprofit organization located on the campus of Fairfax HS, partnered with the Drama Department by placing additional teaching artists in the classroom and raising funds to offset costs related to student productions and competitions. Participation in the DTASC 2009 Fall Festival was the first off-campus event associated with the partnership.
Hundreds of teens from approximately 70 Southern California high schools competed in the DTASC festival. Categories included Technical Theatre, Audition Monologue, Theatre for Social Change, Irish Playwrights, AFI Top 100, Open Musical, Large Group Drama and Large Group Comedy.
Fairfax High School students competed in AFI Top 100 and Audition Monologue. All members of the Fairfax High School team advanced to the semi finals round, which narrowed the field of competition to approximately 30 - 40 participants in each category. Fairfax HS student Kourtney Chapman advanced to the Audition Monologue finals in which she competed against eleven peers. Ms. Chapman received Honorable Mention for her performance in the festival.
“I am very proud of our kids and our relationship with Greenway,” says Joyce Harris, Drama Department Director at Fairfax HS. “This partnership provides so many exciting opportunities for the students.”
Fairfax High School and Greenway Arts Alliance have a long history of collaboration. In 1997, the Melrose Trading Post, a weekly arts and collectibles market held at Fairfax High School, was formed by Greenway founders Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz and the Fairfax HS administration to generate funding for student clubs and expenses not covered by LAUSD. In 2001, Greenway launched Voices Unheard, an arts education program, to increase literacy and provide professional training in the arts to underserved youth at Fairfax HS.
“Every school has a home. Greenway sees itself as a bridge that connects Fairfax High School to its home within our community,” states Greenway founder and co-artistic director Whitney Weston.
In addition to the fall festival, the collaboration between Greenway and the Fairfax HS Drama Department has born a sixth period technical theatre and film class taught by professional technicians, drama and dance classes led by teaching artists and a fall production of Tom Griffin’s play, “The Boys Next Door.” In the spring, Fairfax and Greenway will sponsor another group of underserved students interested in competing in the DTASC Shakespeare Festival.
For more information, please contact Vera at 323-655-7679 ext. 109 or vera@greenwayarts.org.
Greenway Arts Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) organization located on the campus of Fairfax HS in Los Angeles, CA. Greenway produces professional theatre and provides free arts education programs for at-risk youth.
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With 2300 teacher layoffs slated by LAUSD and a $250 million gap in the district’s budget, the Fairfax HS Drama Department welcomed assistance in sustaining its arts classes, implementing a full production schedule and sponsoring underserved students in dramatic competitions.
In March, Greenway Arts Alliance, a nonprofit organization located on the campus of Fairfax HS, partnered with the Drama Department by placing additional teaching artists in the classroom and raising funds to offset costs related to student productions and competitions. Participation in the DTASC 2009 Fall Festival was the first off-campus event associated with the partnership.
Hundreds of teens from approximately 70 Southern California high schools competed in the DTASC festival. Categories included Technical Theatre, Audition Monologue, Theatre for Social Change, Irish Playwrights, AFI Top 100, Open Musical, Large Group Drama and Large Group Comedy.
Fairfax High School students competed in AFI Top 100 and Audition Monologue. All members of the Fairfax High School team advanced to the semi finals round, which narrowed the field of competition to approximately 30 - 40 participants in each category. Fairfax HS student Kourtney Chapman advanced to the Audition Monologue finals in which she competed against eleven peers. Ms. Chapman received Honorable Mention for her performance in the festival.
“I am very proud of our kids and our relationship with Greenway,” says Joyce Harris, Drama Department Director at Fairfax HS. “This partnership provides so many exciting opportunities for the students.”
Fairfax High School and Greenway Arts Alliance have a long history of collaboration. In 1997, the Melrose Trading Post, a weekly arts and collectibles market held at Fairfax High School, was formed by Greenway founders Whitney Weston and Pierson Blaetz and the Fairfax HS administration to generate funding for student clubs and expenses not covered by LAUSD. In 2001, Greenway launched Voices Unheard, an arts education program, to increase literacy and provide professional training in the arts to underserved youth at Fairfax HS.
“Every school has a home. Greenway sees itself as a bridge that connects Fairfax High School to its home within our community,” states Greenway founder and co-artistic director Whitney Weston.
In addition to the fall festival, the collaboration between Greenway and the Fairfax HS Drama Department has born a sixth period technical theatre and film class taught by professional technicians, drama and dance classes led by teaching artists and a fall production of Tom Griffin’s play, “The Boys Next Door.” In the spring, Fairfax and Greenway will sponsor another group of underserved students interested in competing in the DTASC Shakespeare Festival.
For more information, please contact Vera at 323-655-7679 ext. 109 or vera@greenwayarts.org.
Greenway Arts Alliance is a 501 (c)(3) organization located on the campus of Fairfax HS in Los Angeles, CA. Greenway produces professional theatre and provides free arts education programs for at-risk youth.
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Contact
Greenway Arts Alliance
Mia V. Boykin
323-655-7679 ext. 109
www.greenwayarts.org
Mia V. Boykin
323-655-7679 ext. 109
www.greenwayarts.org
Contact
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