Mahoosuc Arts Council awarded $2,100 grant

BETHEL — The Mahoosuc Arts Council was awarded a $2,100 grant from the Davis Family Foundation to fund an innovative theater residency project designed to provide the K-5 students of SAD#44 opportunities to develop new skills through the study of theater craft. The project, which will host the Children’s Stage Adventures of Maine (CSA) at Crescent Park Elementary from January 17-22, is a collaborative project between the Council and the Friends of Crescent Park (FCP). The project will culminate with two public performances at the end of the residency week.

The intention of this comprehensive theater experience is to open doors for students to develop new or strengthen existing skills through theater. Participating students will have opportunities to work on all sides of the production from acting and singing to stage management, direction, lighting, sound engineering and costume design. CSA has tailored its programs to impart a variety of theatrical and life skills such as self-discipline, concentration, responsibility, understanding the value of teamwork, developing the ability focus on goals and to make choices, creating a sense of self awareness, and learning about stage presence, vocal projection, memorization and recitation.

“This program is a great example of the educational impact intended by the Mahoosuc Arts Programming. It also serves as a great example of how two or more organizations within our community can collaborate to build resources to bring new opportunities to our students,” said Mahoosuc Arts Council Executive Director Aranka Matolcsy.

According to CSA Founder Rob Gray, many students in Maine spend less than five percent of their time in the school year being instructed in the arts. Gray says the CSA program increases the students’ exposure to the arts by 16 percent. The Council believes providing access to this residency is also helping to meet an increasing demand for arts education in the face of programs severely reduced or eliminated by recent district budget cuts. According to Gray, students who partake in the arts gain skills in creative and analytical thinking and demonstrate an increase in testing scores. The council believes this experience will have a long-lasting impact in many academic regards, ultimately resulting in students developing confidence, self-esteem, pride and a sense of accomplishment.

To conclude the residency, the young actors and actresses of SAD#44, including home-schooled children and charter school students of the area, will present two performances of the classic "Oliver Twist," guided by two CSA actors and directors who will stay in Bethel for the week-long program: Chandra Diesel, BA Theatre, Shenandoah University Conservatory, 2006 and Ben Regan, BA Theater, Rutgers University, 2007.

The Mahoosuc Arts Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the advancement of the arts and humanities in the adult communities and school systems of the Greater Bethel Area. For more information, visit www.MahoosucArts.org.

For more information on participation in the CSA theater residency or attending the performances, please contact 824-3575 or info@mahoosucarts.org.