By Christina Magaña, Development Associate

Performing Arts Workshop’s theme in the classroom has been the ‘process toward  performance,’ and program staff—strong as ever, experimental as ever, risk-taking as ever—have stressed this from the beginning of the school year. Our teaching artists have made this a priority in the classroom from the very onset of their residencies, and we’ve made it a key element in the planning of Rhythms & Rhymes, our Fifth-Annual Student Showcase.

The theme of ‘process toward performance’ is also why we decided the rehearsal for our Rhythms & Rhymes Student Showcase would happen more than a month before the actual show on May 19th. As a process-based organization, we want the hard work of that process to be evident in the final performance.

Our goal in having a dress rehearsal so far in advance from the actual Showcase on May 19th was for students to practice their performance on the stage, discover the strengths to build on and the arenas for growth, and to then re-enter the classroom with that experience and foresight. And then really begins the hard work of continuing that process toward performance for the next six weeks.  

We’re committed to being leaders in the field, experimental artists, and risk-takers who challenge the status-quo. It’s what we ourselves do, but it’s also what we seek to nurture in our students, both inside and outside the classroom. Our outside evaluator confirms, again and again, that Workshop students exhibit non-stereotypical choices and original thought, and this is a highlight of our programming.

So if you’re eager to see how all of this comes together the evening of May 19th, reserve your free tickets here and join us in the celebration! And if you want to ensure the tradition of original student performance and community celebration continue for another five years, click here to give. Your generosity is reflected in the classroom, on the stage, and with students like these…