HANGAR THEATRE EDUCATION PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO SOAR

Project 4

In its sixteenth year, the Hangar's flagship artist-in-the-schools education program Project 4 served 22
classrooms and 460 fourth grade students in two Tompkins County school districts: Ithaca City School District (ICSD) and Newfield Central School District. The month-long winter/spring residencies culminated in the production of plays written by each class under the guidance of professional Hangar teaching artists. Students performed these original works for their entire school communities and, in the case of Cayuga Heights Elementary, at the Kendal community for older adults. Classes based their plays on a remarkably wide range of topics. In addition to Hangar Education Coordinator Jesse Bush, four professional theatre artists and three musicians worked with the students this year: Dean Robinson, Camilla Schade, Helen Clark, Holly Adams,John Simon, Jan Nigro, and Nate Marshall.

Project 7

Lab Company Theatre Designers Julia Noulin-Merat and Doss Freel returned to Ithaca in December to head up the Hangar's Project 7 at Boynton Middle School. They worked with all seventh graders to explore the process of design by taking short stories and envisioning them for the stage. By the end of the intensive week, each English class hosted elaborate presentations of the costume and scenic design plans that the students had created.

THE HANGAR & ITHACA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT (ICSD): TRUE PARTNERS IN EDUCATION 

In the fall of 2010 the Hangar Theatre and the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) formalized their long-term partnership with a new agreement. The Hangar will manage technical needs and rentals of the newly renovated Ithaca High School Performing Arts Center on a year-round basis and will continue to provide artist-in-the-school residencies and theatre experiences like Project 4, Project 7 and School Tours. In addition, the Hangar will work with the district to develop new theatrical education opportunities in exchange for the use of the Performing Arts Center for rehearsals and changeover space during the summer. New Public Speaking courses and Master Classes in Musical Theatre and Theatre Production were offered to students before the end of 2010, with a Family Theatre Workshop and other initiatives to follow in 2011. The Hangar also presented a special performance of My Brother Martin to all 1000+ ICSD teachers on Nov 5th at Kulp Auditorium for the ICSD superintendent's conference day. This win-win partnership will benefit students, teachers, and theatre professionals for years to come! 

Hangar Theatre Project 4 | Artists in the School from Alexandria Rivera on Vimeo.