“Stage Door Project” Focuses on STEAM in Rochester, NY
TWC & Geva Theater Showcase Technology Behind Regional Productions
By Stephanie Salanger, Community Investment Manager
As employers struggle to fill technical, science-related jobs, educators struggle to keep the arts alive and aligned with the focus on STEM – creating the STEAM movement. This is a process of blending the Arts in what is now traditional Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education movement. It’s a natural fit since both are about the exploration of ideas and possibilities.
Time Warner Cable (TWC) began a new partnership with the highly-acclaimed regional Geva Theater in Rochester NY to do just that: inspire students in the local Rush-Henrietta school district to think about the arts in a different way – more from behind the scenes than on stage! Through the course of four workshops in January 2015, the students met with Geva professional actors and staff to learn about sound, lighting, scenic and costume design. The culmination of the journey was a student-led performance of “Little Shop of Horrors” featuring all 25 of the students who had experienced the workshops.
TWC employee volunteers were on hand to greet the students and the patrons, chatting with the crowd in attendance about TWC’s STEM commitment. Students commented that it was the unique perspective from behind the curtain that intrigued them. They loved that it wasn’t all about the actors, and were amazed about how much technology and design goes into productions before an actor ever walks out onto the stage. For TWC employee volunteers, it was about the opportunity to give those students who hadn’t considered the theater as a future job for themselves, the chance to think about this possible career in a different way.
This partnership was the perfect blending of critical thinking behind STEM, with the innovative, creative thinking of the arts. This then positions students – and our future workforce – for success in a global economy that focuses on innovation leadership to improve the economy and US stature. TWC is proud to be a part of the movement!
