ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY’S 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT said
ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY’S
2013-14 Annual Report
IGNITING CHILDREN’S IMAGINATIONS EVERYWHERE!
OUR YEAR in Summary With data now in hand, we take a quick look at the 2013-14 Season. WHAT A YEAR IT WAS! Artistically, Enchantment Theatre Company had a momentous year. Enchantment created work that was distinctive, relevant, engaging and magical. We offered an expanded season of productions and education programs that brought us into more neighborhoods and schools throughout the Philadelphia region, and we launched our five-year Strategic Plan, which propels the Company into the next 30 years. In all, ETC reached over 78,000 adults and children from 43 cities across the United States and Canada this past season. We hired 33 local and national designers and artists to produce and perform four productions, two of which were new to our repertoire. We restored our annual holiday production in December and brought our National Tour of Aladdin and Other Enchanting Tales back home to serve thousands of Philadelphia families within the region. With a continued emphasis on meaningful
education and public engagement within Philadelphia, Enchantment met our goal of filling six performance weeks of its first Enchantment Everywhere production The Fisherman and the Flounder resulting in nearly 11,000 students experiencing theater - many for the first time - directly in their schools. We also provided in-school arts residencies in two underserved District schools and the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf - teaching children that they, too, can be performers, creators, thinkers, leaders and visionaries. As we plan for the future, we realize that our strength lies in our community. Enchantment Theatre Company is strong because of our loyal patrons, contributors, and volunteers. Above all, Enchantment’s vision of being a valued asset and resource for Philadelphia region’s children, is stronger than ever because of you.
Thank you!
OUR YEAR in Performance, page 2
OUR YEAR in Broadening the Enchantment Experience, page 3
ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY’S 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT |
2
OUR YEAR in Performance
2013 Eden Award presented to Dr. Dennis Creedon on 12/21/13 Pictured from left to right: Avi Eden, Landis Smith, Dr. Dennis Creedon, Dr. William Hite and Pedro Ramos, Esq.
The touring season of Enchantment featured fresh interpretations of beloved stories, from Aladdin and Other Enchanting Tales to the childhood classics, Mother Goose and The Firebird. Over 78,000 children and their families from the United States and Canada attended 100 Enchantment performances reaching rural communities in North Dakota to sophisticated venues in Vancouver Canada. National Tour of Aladdin and Other Enchanting Tales: From Oct. 2013 – May 2014, ETC toured Aladdin in 36 cities across the US. Set to the beautiful music of Rimsky-Korsakov, ETC ignited children’s imaginations by bringing Scheherazade’s captivating tales to life with stunning costumes, spellbinding magic and spectacular puppets.
Philadelphia Youth Sinfonia Co-presentation with Enchantment Theatre Company of Ravel’s Mother Goose on April 10, 2014.
“My family just attended your performance of Aladdin and Other Enchanting Tales at Nazareth Art Center in Rochester, New York. The performance was a magical experience for the adults as well as our ten year old daughter…. Children in our society have so few opportunities to be drawn into such fantastical experiences. Most shows have sarcasm or inappropriate humor embedded in the story. Your piece was not only beautiful, but fanciful, reverent, emotional and full of tension and excitement…. Thank you so much for the work you are doing in the world.” Christy F., Rochester, NY Philadelphia Main Stage Production: The 2013-14 season marked the return of Enchantment’s annual holiday production for families in the Philadelphia region. We heard loud and clear from our patrons that they wanted ETC to bring its local family performances back and our board echoed that sentiment, so we brought our National Touring production of Aladdin home for the holidays. ETC reached a total of 1,432 family members and 1,020 school children over 21 performances from December 17-30,
2013. Surveys indicated that 80% or our patrons were new to ETC and 94% plan to come back and tell their family and friends about Enchantment. “I am so happy to hear that Enchantment is performing in town again. I’ve been bringing my family for years and truly missed your performances! I started taking my daughters way back when they were young and now I am taking my granddaughters. We’ve just moved to New Mexico and my grandchildren live in Philadelphia and New York, this gives us an opportunity to connect and catchup with them… I wouldn’t miss your productions. Thank you!” Judy S. Symphonic Tours: ETC also provided a unique front-of-the-orchestra theatrical event that enlivened and enriched symphonic concerts for young people across the US and Canada. This past season, the company performed either The Firebird or Mother Goose with the Des Moines Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Vancouver Symphony and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestras. Additionally, ETC joined forces for the first time with one of Philadelphia’s premier youth orchestras, the Philadelphia Sinfonia, and performed Mother Goose with them to a packed house at the Episcopal Cathedral in April, 2014. “From my artistic perspective the evening was a great success both for the audience and also the students of Philadelphia Sinfonia. It provided our members with an opportunity to perform a complete ballet by a composer we have not had a lot of opportunity to play, while working with a professional cast and production team…. I am so pleased that an event so long in the making was such a success and we look forward to working together again in the future. Bravo to all of you on such a beautiful and truly artistic production and performance!” – Gary White, Music Director and Conductor, Philadelphia Sinfonia Association
ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY’S 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT |
OUR YEAR in Broadening the Enchantment Experience In addition to our work on the stage, many wonderful things happened in classrooms, schools and communities across the Greater Philadelphia region. OUR YEAR IN EDUCATION With our inschool Arts Residency programs, we did more than just introduce young students to theater – we made a lasting and positive difference in their lives. By employing theater arts and creative play, students engage in 21st Century Skills such as collaboration, creativity and communication all while strengthening literacy and building selfesteem and confidence in themselves. The total number of students who participated in our in-school, Arts Residency Education programs numbered 75 from PA School for the Deaf, Bregy and Childs Elementary Schools. “Prior to Enchantment, my kids understood play but through the Enchantment experience, they learned performance—a feat for a class of kids who each have a language processing disorder. Every time the girls stood before an audience I was in wonder, since their ability to have that much confidence in themselves before others is not something anyone would have predicted a year ago.” – PA School for the Deaf OUR YEAR IN SERVING THE PHILADELPHIA REGION: Enchantment deeply believes that all children should have a chance to experience the joy and wonder of theater and is constantly working to ensure that those needing the arts the most can participate in our work. In response to the near total elimination of arts education in the Philadelphia public schools last year, ETC launched Enchantment Everywhere.
3
Fearing the loss of an entire generation of artists, creators, thinkers and innovators, Enchantment made a promise to the Philadelphia region to plan, develop and tour professional, portable productions in schools across the region for free. Enchantment performed its first Enchantment Everywhere production 49 times in 35 schools across the fivecounty region, opening the door to the arts to nearly 11,000 children. Because of EE we began two, new 20 week Artistin-Residency programs with Philadelphia District schools in 2014-15. If fully funded, our goal is to serve 200 schools within the five-county region and 75,000 children by 2019. “In all my years of teaching, I’ve never had children get so excited about seeing a play! They came alive, connected personally to the story onstage and wanted to explore it even more when they got back in the classroom. Even my challenged students became excited about reading and then interpreting another story through ‘silent’ plays… Enchantment Everywhere provided a fun way for my students to learn and for me to connect with my students. Thank you!” J. Hampton Moore ES Our 2013-14 Enchantment Everywhere Survey results: TEACHER SURVEY • 93% of the classrooms reflected on the production immediately following the performance. • 67% of teachers said that they are incorporating arts methods into their curricula because of Flounder. STUDENT SURVEY • 92% said Flounder was fun. • 89% said that they learned many new things about themselves. • 94% said it made reading more fun and they want to make up their own stories. • 99% said they want to learn more about acting. • 97% said that they want to see another show. • 89% said that this was their first play. • 92% said that they told/will tell their parents about the show.
“Using theater games to teach literacy concepts has been fantastic! I’ve really noticed an improvement in their stories and oral language – they use a lot more detail and imagery!” – Gen. George G. Meade ES
PA School for the Deaf – Snow White final dress rehearsal For the past five years, our Arts Residency at PSD has been a cornerstone of our residency program. Teaching Artists guide students through exercises that engage students physically, emotionally and cognitively to investigate language and communication through physical theater arts methods.
The Fisherman and the Flounder At Mary, Mother of Peace School. In addition to the performance, each school received a comprehensive study guide containing activities and discussion questions specially designed to help teachers incorporate the play’s lesson and arts methods into the classroom. 77% of the children we served through EE came from economically disadvantaged homes.
Flounder Talkback At Southwark ES in Philadelphia, our first public performance of Enchantment Everywhere. We served: 100% Economically Disadvantaged children, of which 42% were English Language Learners, 11% Special Education, 13% African American, 45% Asian, 27% Latino, 10% Caucasian, 5% Other.
ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY’S 2013-14 ANNUAL REPORT |
4
OUR YEAR in Conclusion Enchantment Theatre Company continues to play a significant role in the cultural education of children across North America, including the Philadelphia region, by introducing children, parents and teachers to the creative possibilities that are inherent in the arts. Funding from organizations, foundations and individuals keep Enchantment on solid ground, so that we can continue to illuminate lives through theater and arts education. Thank you for being a part of every one of our accomplishments!
“I ushered Aladdin this morning and it was beyond my wildest expectations. The audience was mesmerized and the ushers couldn't stop raving at the end of the performance as the children and their teachers were exiting. The set was great, the costuming was wonderful, and of course the music was terrific. … The children were enthralled and invested during the entire production. Usually kids go to the restroom during performances; not a child budged during this performance.” Bobbi, Coral Springs, Florida PA School for the Deaf students performing in their interpretation of Snow White for classmates and parents.
“We just left the performance of The Fisherman and the Flounder! It was an EXCELLENT literary experience for my class. It was an absolutely amazing performance. The kids were 100% engaged! We need to have many more assemblies like this one! ... I wanted to express my thanks and appreciation for bringing the arts back in to our school!” – Kings Highway Elementary School, Coatesville, PA
ENCHANTMENT THEATRE COMPANY’S 2013-14 Annual Report
100 South Broad Street, Suite 1318 Philadelphia, PA 19110