Our
Technical Theatre Mentoring Program is available
to any student who has a desire to learn
about sound, lights, costumes, set design,
props, back stage crew and even box office
management.
Our
program helps students learn about management,
responsibility & commitment as well as reading
and mathThe program is structured where
an adolescent mentee learns not only a technical
theatre position, but also the creative
process of developing and realizing a design.
Each mentee and mentor is also required
to read the literature on which our productions
are based, so the experience also addresses
adolescent literacy issues. The mentee then
becomes a working member of a production
run crew under the guidance of a Stage Manager.
The mentee learns how to run the equipment,
the work ethics of the position, and the
responsibilities of a job.
The
program is a one-to-one model that includes
authentic work experiences. Since 1996,
Prime Stage has mentored over 50 students
and continues to seek young people from
diverse cultures, schools, and other organizations
which serve young people in our region.
One
mentee wrote this reflection of his experiences
in the program:
"I
joined the Mentor Program in tenth grade.
At that time I was doing horribly in school,
I was depressed, and felt like I was doing
nothing with my life. I had always been
involved in the theater, but my high school
never embraced much art. I was introduced
to Prime Stage through my school, and it
was life changing. They were happy to incorporate
me in their productions. Prime Stage has
given me the knowledge to work with other
theatres and in theater for years to come".
Each
position of our program is an important
part of the theatre. Mentees are required
to attend all technical rehearsal and all
performances for the assigned productions.
This is a commitment by you and your parents
and must be taken seriously. If you have
questions about our Mentoring Program please
contact us at mentoring@primestage.com.
Here
are reflections of mentees who participated
in the program:
"I joined the Mentor Program in tenth
grade. At that time I was doing horribly
in school, I was depressed, and felt like
I was doing nothing with my life. I had
always been involved in the theater, but
my high school never embraced much art.
I was introduced to Prime Stage through
my school, and it was life changing. They
were happy to incorporate me in their productions.
Prime Stage has given me the knowledge to
work with other theatres and in theater
for years to come" (Brendan E.).
"As
a 12 and 15 year old I got to experience
Prime Stage's Mentoring Program. It was
amazing! The mentoring program is part of
what makes Prime Stage such a great organization,
even if you're not in the show you get to
be part of the action, learning, playing
and enjoying yourself along the way"
(Liz S.).
"I started working with the Technical
Theatre Mentor Program at a very young age.
Throughout the years, I grew from a light
operator, simply changing cues upon request
of the stage manager, to an Assistant Lighting
Designer. Prime Stage always encouraged
me to try the next level. I deployed to
Iraq with the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat
Team and am responsible for all technical
operations. The skills obtained through
Prime Stage had a big impact on my life.
Entering such an environment at such an
age where I was still developing who I was
and still trying to learn life, fit perfectly
in helping to mold my future. On top of
all the life skills obtained, through the
art of theatre I also learned a lot about
other cultures and historical events" (Sgt
Christian Josiah Parker). Check
Out Christian Parker's story....
Prime
Stage is a member of The Mentoring Partnership
of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
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