Applied Materials Foundation Grant Opens Opportunities For Arizona Theatre Company Residencies In Chandler Schools

Public, private and Title 1 schools in Chandler can apply for an Arizona Theatre Company (ATC) (Sean Daniels, Artistic Director; Billy Russo, Managing Director) residency thanks to a grant from the Applied Materials Foundation, which will fund the programs.

Curriculum and materials are developed and provided to the schools by ATC Learning and Education team members through the David Ira Goldstein Artist-in-Residence Program. Goldstein was ATC's artistic director for 25 years.

Five schools will be accepted into the program, each receiving approximately 8 hours of instruction.

"We are deeply grateful for the support of the Applied Materials Foundation in our ability to bring these theatre-based creative opportunities into classrooms in Chandler," said ATC Director of Learning & Education Jasmine Roth.

Residency options include

• STEAM in ACTion: Teaching artists explore theatre and scientific or mathematical concepts alongside one another resulting in a deeper understanding of both the arts and sciences. This collaboration with educators incorporates class material, teacher objectives and state standards into each lesson. This residency teaches a group of diverse learners about engaging multiple learning styles to provide maximum understanding.

• History in ACTion: Targeted toward History and Social Studies teachers who want their class to explore a historical era in an innovative way, teaching artists find dramatic works that illustrate the idiosyncrasies of a particular time period. Through reading exerpts, role-playing and textual analysis, ATC educators provide a deep understanding of historical events and demonstrate history's profound effects on art and culture.

• MyStory: Everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone knows how. By embracing the joy and playfulness of storytelling through improvisation, playwriting and collaborative theatre activities, ATC's MyStory program unlocks the energy and potential of each participant as they work with ATC teaching artists to create original performances inspired by their own unique stories.

• MyShakespeare: Students are immersed the world and language of Shakespeare by approaching his works as actors do. MyShakespeare invites students to get away from their desks to actively explore the modern themes and discover personal connections in Shakespeare's classic plays.

• PictureTHIS: Developed in partnership with the Tucson Museum of Art and Phoenix Art Museum, PictureTHIS combines visual art and literacy with theatrical storytelling. Student participants create original pieces of performance inspired by works of art curated by museum and ATC staff.

• Onceuponna: Bring out your inner performing artist by exploring stories and tales from around the globe. This interactive program uses puppetry, music, and imagery to navigate theatre-play while building confidence and teamwork. Imagination comes to life as students begin to weave their own tales.

To apply for the program, contact Megan Sutton at msutton@arizonatheatre.org. Deadline for applications is January 15, 2020.

For more information about Arizona Theatre Company, visit www.arizonatheatre.org.