Art Project
Art Project
2021 Summer Youth Musical Theatre Program
Cheri Buzzeo: theater, music, The Barn Theatre administration, Willmar Main St participant; Jessica Welu: writing, music, SW Regional Development Commission; Anna Johannsen: fiber artist, art teacher, Remick Gallery board, president of Windom Women's Investment group, treasurer of Cottonwood County Animal Rescue, officer of Cotton Quilters; Georgette Jones: literature teacher, theatre actor/director/teacher; David KelseyBassett: visual artist, musician, Hinterland Art Crawl board; Shawn Kinsinger: theater director, actor, musician, Palace Theatre executive director, Green Earth Players vice president, Luverne Street Music board member, Luverne High School Theater artistic director; Darlene Kotelnicki: theater, city council, library board. Kristen Kuipers: musician, private lesson and K-12 classroom music instructor, theater, writing, volunteer with Jackson Center for the Arts; Cheryl Avenel Navara: education, Worthington Public Arts Commission chair, SW MN Opportunity Council volunteer; Alison Nelson: art, music, and dance teacher, KMS Community Ed director, Kerkhoven Fire Department Auxiliary fundraiser; Anne O'Keefe-Jackson: human resources director, bead and quill work; Betsy Pardick: musician, actor, Dept. of Public Transformation committees; Michele Knife Sterner: theater (actor), SMSU Associate director for Access Opportunity Success program; Louella Voigt: music, fiber art; Blue Mound Area Theatre board; Erica Volkir: performing arts, Pipestone Performing Arts Center board, Pipestone Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB director; Janine Teske: music, theater, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley school board; Mark Wilmes: Lake Benton Opera House board president, actor/director, musician, reporter;
Cheri Buzzeo, theater, SMAC Board; John Ginocchio, music, education; Beth Habicht, music; Joyce Meyer, visual art, education; Alison Nelson, music, dance, theater, education, SMAC Board; Ron Porep, arts admin, folk/traditional arts; Sheila Tabaka, theater, education.
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, Nicole DeBoer (507) 537-1471
ACHF Arts Access
By producing a show with experienced artists and directors, we are allowing young performers to get a taste of the thrill of being on stage or part of the crew, to be who they are by being new characters, and try something they maybe have never tried before, surrounded by the support of friends, family, and community members. Having high school principal Ted Brown involved in this theater program has given him a different way to connect to students and with the communities of the school he serves. Ali Finstrom, an experienced performer, has an outlet to use her talent, contribute to a need in the community, and expand and grow from a performer into the directorial role. To measure the success of our work, Alison Nelson will conduct candid in-person interviews with the student participants during rehearsals, and email surveys to parents of participants following the performance. We will have an audience-specific survey on our CE Facebook page and in the fall Community education brochure, due out in August. The audience survey will be developed as we work on production, which will give us a clearer picture of what to inquire from them.
We produced a show for the community in our community, giving access to performers and attendees. Those involved in the project were overcome with joy, as immediately obvious on the faces of the audience, directors, and participants. We received a glowing review at the Kerkhoven City Council meeting. Survey results showed overwhelmingly that students had been needing something like this in their lives, some of whom didn't even realize it until it happened. Others have always known they enjoyed these types of activities, but had little opportunity to do it, especially here. We were quite satisfied with the participation we had, and are confident it will grow next year based on the excitement post-show. Audience surveys were conducted in person at random/candidly, with overwhelming positive support.
Other,local or private