The Theater Bug Inc.
Programs
Budget
$25,000.00
Description
The Ten-Minute Play Festival is theatre event featuring short plays by young writers designed to amplify young voices and cultivate a vibrant community that supports new plays. Participating writers are given the opportunity to develop their writing, cultivate new skills, connect with professional mentors, and see their work from idea to writing to performance live on stage. The festival features of short plays written by middle school and high school aged students selected through an open submission process. Selected plays are exciting, imaginative, and unique and provide audiences with a sample of the diverse young voices in their community.
The plays are cast and produced in cooperation with professional actors and directors and performed in front of a live audience. Young artists are provided with a professional platform to share their work and audiences are given the unique opportunity to experience new plays and connect with next generation of artists in their community.
Program Successes
During my time working with the Playground, I've learned so much more than I thought possible. I went into writing my play with an unsteady mindset, the feeling that this was just a fluke, and the fear that my show wouldn't be what I'd hoped it would be, but after working with Cori, Nate, and everyone else along the way, I've gained courage and confidence, not only in my writing ability, but in myself as a human being. No one at the playground had any expectations for me other than sharing my thoughts with authenticity and effort behind them. Even if I never write another play again (which I know won't be the case) I'll have gained so many other skills that I can apply to other places in my life, such as self confidence, communication skills, and the knowledge that even if I don't think I can accomplish something, as long as I try my best, I'll gain something out of the experience--whether it's something as big as new connections or as small as an idea that will spark a later personal
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
• Sustainability. The festival becomes a well-established and sustainable program that is supported by the community
• Alumni success. Participants in the festival use the confidence and creative tools developed during the festival to achieve success in their professional careers
• Ongoing community engagement: The festival continues to engage with the local community, providing opportunities for audiences to connect with new work and new artists. That community in turn provides support and inspiration for future generations of artists
Short-term Success
• Developing the skills of participating playwrights. Young writers who participate in the festival develop writing skills and gain valuable experience by working directly with professional mentors in a production environment
• Successful festival performances. Professional-level production of each individual short play and well-attended performances
• Strong Community Engagement. A connected, diverse audience, including arts professionals, members of the local community, and other young artists and their families, all committed to supporting the development of young writers
Program Success Monitored By
Program Success is monitored by Nate Eppler, Program Director, and Cori Laemmel, Managing Artistic Director
Program Areas Served
Davidson County
$25,000.00
Description
The Ten-Minute Play Festival is theatre event featuring short plays by young writers designed to amplify young voices and cultivate a vibrant community that supports new plays. Participating writers are given the opportunity to develop their writing, cultivate new skills, connect with professional mentors, and see their work from idea to writing to performance live on stage. The festival features of short plays written by middle school and high school aged students selected through an open submission process. Selected plays are exciting, imaginative, and unique and provide audiences with a sample of the diverse young voices in their community.
The plays are cast and produced in cooperation with professional actors and directors and performed in front of a live audience. Young artists are provided with a professional platform to share their work and audiences are given the unique opportunity to experience new plays and connect with next generation of artists in their community.
Program Successes
During my time working with the Playground, I've learned so much more than I thought possible. I went into writing my play with an unsteady mindset, the feeling that this was just a fluke, and the fear that my show wouldn't be what I'd hoped it would be, but after working with Cori, Nate, and everyone else along the way, I've gained courage and confidence, not only in my writing ability, but in myself as a human being. No one at the playground had any expectations for me other than sharing my thoughts with authenticity and effort behind them. Even if I never write another play again (which I know won't be the case) I'll have gained so many other skills that I can apply to other places in my life, such as self confidence, communication skills, and the knowledge that even if I don't think I can accomplish something, as long as I try my best, I'll gain something out of the experience--whether it's something as big as new connections or as small as an idea that will spark a later personal
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
• Sustainability. The festival becomes a well-established and sustainable program that is supported by the community
• Alumni success. Participants in the festival use the confidence and creative tools developed during the festival to achieve success in their professional careers
• Ongoing community engagement: The festival continues to engage with the local community, providing opportunities for audiences to connect with new work and new artists. That community in turn provides support and inspiration for future generations of artists
Short-term Success
• Developing the skills of participating playwrights. Young writers who participate in the festival develop writing skills and gain valuable experience by working directly with professional mentors in a production environment
• Successful festival performances. Professional-level production of each individual short play and well-attended performances
• Strong Community Engagement. A connected, diverse audience, including arts professionals, members of the local community, and other young artists and their families, all committed to supporting the development of young writers
Program Success Monitored By
Program Success is monitored by Nate Eppler, Program Director, and Cori Laemmel, Managing Artistic Director
Program Areas Served
Davidson County
Budget
$10,000.00
Description
Program Description: A series of workshops designed to educate and inspire young people to express themselves through playwriting. Students are introduced to basic concepts in playwriting and are encouraged to explore their own unique perspectives. The series is designed for middle school and high school-aged students who are interested in writing for the stage, but who may not have access to the resources or support to develop their skills.
Led by the Playground Program director, students learn the fundamentals of playwriting. Topics include character development, dialogue, and basic storytelling structure through playwriting exercises and exploratory writing assignments. In addition to writing, students learn how to give and receive feedback and learn basic critical reading and comprehension skills by responding to the work of their peers.
Program Successes
During my time working with the Playground, I've learned so much more than I thought possible. I went into writing my play with an unsteady mindset, the feeling that this was just a fluke, and the fear that my show wouldn't be what I'd hoped it would be, but after working with Cori, Nate, and everyone else along the way, I've gained courage and confidence, not only in my writing ability, but in myself as a human being. No one at the playground had any expectations for me other than sharing my thoughts with authenticity and effort behind them. Even if I never write another play again (which I know won't be the case) I'll have gained so many other skills that I can apply to other places in my life, such as self confidence, communication skills, and the knowledge that even if I don't think I can accomplish something, as long as I try my best, I'll gain something out of the experience--whether it's something as big as new connections or as small as an idea that will spark a later personal
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Long-term Success
• To create an ongoing, vibrant, and supportive community of young artists
• To inspire and amplify new voices
• To build confidence and develop strong communication skills in young artists
• To increase the diversity of voices in the community by providing opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to share their stories and perspectives
• To inspire participants to continue to explore their own writing and express themselves creatively
• To prepare participants for a future in the arts, including higher education and professional opportunities in playwriting or related fields
Short-term Success
• To introduce middle and high school students to the fundamentals of playwriting, including character development, dialogue, and basic storytelling structure
• To provide young people with the resources and support to develop strong writing skills
• To inspire students to express themselves creatively and explore their own unique perspectives and voices through playwriting
• To increase confidence and sense of achievement for young writers
• To create a supportive community of young artists
Program Success Monitored By
Program Success is monitored by Nate Eppler, Program Director, and Cori Laemmel, Managing Artistic Director
Program Areas Served
Davison County
$10,000.00
Description
Program Description: A series of workshops designed to educate and inspire young people to express themselves through playwriting. Students are introduced to basic concepts in playwriting and are encouraged to explore their own unique perspectives. The series is designed for middle school and high school-aged students who are interested in writing for the stage, but who may not have access to the resources or support to develop their skills.
Led by the Playground Program director, students learn the fundamentals of playwriting. Topics include character development, dialogue, and basic storytelling structure through playwriting exercises and exploratory writing assignments. In addition to writing, students learn how to give and receive feedback and learn basic critical reading and comprehension skills by responding to the work of their peers.
Program Successes
During my time working with the Playground, I've learned so much more than I thought possible. I went into writing my play with an unsteady mindset, the feeling that this was just a fluke, and the fear that my show wouldn't be what I'd hoped it would be, but after working with Cori, Nate, and everyone else along the way, I've gained courage and confidence, not only in my writing ability, but in myself as a human being. No one at the playground had any expectations for me other than sharing my thoughts with authenticity and effort behind them. Even if I never write another play again (which I know won't be the case) I'll have gained so many other skills that I can apply to other places in my life, such as self confidence, communication skills, and the knowledge that even if I don't think I can accomplish something, as long as I try my best, I'll gain something out of the experience--whether it's something as big as new connections or as small as an idea that will spark a later personal
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Long-term Success
• To create an ongoing, vibrant, and supportive community of young artists
• To inspire and amplify new voices
• To build confidence and develop strong communication skills in young artists
• To increase the diversity of voices in the community by providing opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to share their stories and perspectives
• To inspire participants to continue to explore their own writing and express themselves creatively
• To prepare participants for a future in the arts, including higher education and professional opportunities in playwriting or related fields
Short-term Success
• To introduce middle and high school students to the fundamentals of playwriting, including character development, dialogue, and basic storytelling structure
• To provide young people with the resources and support to develop strong writing skills
• To inspire students to express themselves creatively and explore their own unique perspectives and voices through playwriting
• To increase confidence and sense of achievement for young writers
• To create a supportive community of young artists
Program Success Monitored By
Program Success is monitored by Nate Eppler, Program Director, and Cori Laemmel, Managing Artistic Director
Program Areas Served
Davison County
Budget
$20,000.00
Description
The summer play is a chance for our students to participate in an original one act play that will rehearse and perform at The Theater Bug. This program is free and will include 40 actors in two casts, 4 teen interns and one professional intern who is college aged. The show will perform with a live band with sets, costumes and tech designed by adult professionals. The program is free for students and will rehearse 3 weeks with one weekends of shows. Instructors include a director, assistant director, mental health support person, set designer, technical director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage manager, and administrator. Students will receive instruction in acting, dance and music as well as team building and professionalism. Most importantly, they will have a chance to build community with a group of other young artists from diverse backgrounds from all over Middle Tennessee
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Program Areas Served
Davidson County
$20,000.00
Description
The summer play is a chance for our students to participate in an original one act play that will rehearse and perform at The Theater Bug. This program is free and will include 40 actors in two casts, 4 teen interns and one professional intern who is college aged. The show will perform with a live band with sets, costumes and tech designed by adult professionals. The program is free for students and will rehearse 3 weeks with one weekends of shows. Instructors include a director, assistant director, mental health support person, set designer, technical director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage manager, and administrator. Students will receive instruction in acting, dance and music as well as team building and professionalism. Most importantly, they will have a chance to build community with a group of other young artists from diverse backgrounds from all over Middle Tennessee
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Program Areas Served
Davidson County
Budget
$10,000.00
Description
The Playground Production is designed to support one young writer by providing them with the opportunity to develop a new play and see it produced live on stage at the Theater Bug. The program is open to young writers who have taken part in other Theatre Bug Playground programs and who demonstrate a high interest and unique talent for playwriting. Playwrights are selected through a professional review process.
Once selected, the young writer is paired with a professional mentor who works closely with the writer to help them develop their play, offering feedback and guidance throughout the developmental process.
The Theater Bug is committed to producing the play live on stage at the end of the developmental process. The playwright has the opportunity to participate in casting, attend rehearsals, make changes to the script, and work with the director and production team to bring their play to life on stage.
Program Short Term Success
Program Successes
During my time working with the Playground, I've learned so much more than I thought possible. I went into writing my play with an unsteady mindset, the feeling that this was just a fluke, and the fear that my show wouldn't be what I'd hoped it would be, but after working with Cori, Nate, and everyone else along the way, I've gained courage and confidence, not only in my writing ability, but in myself as a human being. No one at the playground had any expectations for me other than sharing my thoughts with authenticity and effort behind them. Even if I never write another play again (which I know won't be the case) I'll have gained so many other skills that I can apply to other places in my life, such as self confidence, communication skills, and the knowledge that even if I don't think I can accomplish something, as long as I try my best, I'll gain something out of the experience--whether it's something as big as new connections or as small as an idea that will spark a later personal
Beneficiaries
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Long-term Success
• Developing a sustainable program. The Playground Production becomes a well-established and sustainable program that is supported by the community
• Fostering ongoing community engagement. Creating value for the local community and providing opportunities for audiences to connect with new work and new artists
• Providing an ongoing platform for new writers. By producing and showcasing the work of young writers, the Playground Production can amplify diverse young voices and present unique stories to the community
• Inspiring the next generation. Creating public impact and inspiring the next generation of writers to develop plays with the Theater Bug Playground
Short-term Success
• Develop a new, student written play. The program is designed to guide a young writer through a season-long developmental process culminating in a professional production of the play.
• Develop the playwriting skills for the participating student through professional mentorship and feedback and foster an appreciation for rigorous engagement with the developmental process
• Inspire and encourage the student's creativity, self-expression, and confidence by seeing a project from idea to page to full production in front of an audience
• Build a strong community of support around the development and production of a new play, including staff members, community members, and other young artists
Program Success Monitored By
Program Success is monitored by Nate Eppler, Program Director, and Cori Laemmel, Managing Artistic Director
Program Areas Served
Davidson County
$10,000.00
Description
The Playground Production is designed to support one young writer by providing them with the opportunity to develop a new play and see it produced live on stage at the Theater Bug. The program is open to young writers who have taken part in other Theatre Bug Playground programs and who demonstrate a high interest and unique talent for playwriting. Playwrights are selected through a professional review process.
Once selected, the young writer is paired with a professional mentor who works closely with the writer to help them develop their play, offering feedback and guidance throughout the developmental process.
The Theater Bug is committed to producing the play live on stage at the end of the developmental process. The playwright has the opportunity to participate in casting, attend rehearsals, make changes to the script, and work with the director and production team to bring their play to life on stage.
Program Short Term Success
Program Successes
During my time working with the Playground, I've learned so much more than I thought possible. I went into writing my play with an unsteady mindset, the feeling that this was just a fluke, and the fear that my show wouldn't be what I'd hoped it would be, but after working with Cori, Nate, and everyone else along the way, I've gained courage and confidence, not only in my writing ability, but in myself as a human being. No one at the playground had any expectations for me other than sharing my thoughts with authenticity and effort behind them. Even if I never write another play again (which I know won't be the case) I'll have gained so many other skills that I can apply to other places in my life, such as self confidence, communication skills, and the knowledge that even if I don't think I can accomplish something, as long as I try my best, I'll gain something out of the experience--whether it's something as big as new connections or as small as an idea that will spark a later personal
Beneficiaries
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Long-term Success
• Developing a sustainable program. The Playground Production becomes a well-established and sustainable program that is supported by the community
• Fostering ongoing community engagement. Creating value for the local community and providing opportunities for audiences to connect with new work and new artists
• Providing an ongoing platform for new writers. By producing and showcasing the work of young writers, the Playground Production can amplify diverse young voices and present unique stories to the community
• Inspiring the next generation. Creating public impact and inspiring the next generation of writers to develop plays with the Theater Bug Playground
Short-term Success
• Develop a new, student written play. The program is designed to guide a young writer through a season-long developmental process culminating in a professional production of the play.
• Develop the playwriting skills for the participating student through professional mentorship and feedback and foster an appreciation for rigorous engagement with the developmental process
• Inspire and encourage the student's creativity, self-expression, and confidence by seeing a project from idea to page to full production in front of an audience
• Build a strong community of support around the development and production of a new play, including staff members, community members, and other young artists
Program Success Monitored By
Program Success is monitored by Nate Eppler, Program Director, and Cori Laemmel, Managing Artistic Director
Program Areas Served
Davidson County
Budget
$40,000.00
Description
The summer musical is a chance for our students to participate in an original musical that will rehearse and perform at The Theater Bug. This program is free and will include 35 actors, 4 teen interns and one professional intern who is college aged. The show will perform with a live band with sets, costumes and tech designed by adult professionals. The program is free for students and will rehearse 5 weeks with two weekends of shows. Instructors include a director, musical director, choreographer, mental health support person, set designer, technical director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage manager, and administrator. The musical will also feature adult professional musicians and actors. Students will receive instruction in acting, dance and music as well as team building and professionalism. Most importantly, they will have a chance to build community with a group of other young artists from diverse backgrounds from all over Middle Tennessee.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Children's Theater Programs
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
This program has been successfully executed for 12 years, even finding a way to pivot to a filmed version during the pandemic. Many of our students have spent a decade at The Theater Bug. Students will receive a top notch education in musical theater that will give them tyhe skills to succeed professionally in this field. They will also develop skills like confidence, team work, collaboration, public speaking, and empathy that will serve them in any occupation, school or relationship.
Program Areas Served
None
$40,000.00
Description
The summer musical is a chance for our students to participate in an original musical that will rehearse and perform at The Theater Bug. This program is free and will include 35 actors, 4 teen interns and one professional intern who is college aged. The show will perform with a live band with sets, costumes and tech designed by adult professionals. The program is free for students and will rehearse 5 weeks with two weekends of shows. Instructors include a director, musical director, choreographer, mental health support person, set designer, technical director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage manager, and administrator. The musical will also feature adult professional musicians and actors. Students will receive instruction in acting, dance and music as well as team building and professionalism. Most importantly, they will have a chance to build community with a group of other young artists from diverse backgrounds from all over Middle Tennessee.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Children's Theater Programs
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
This program has been successfully executed for 12 years, even finding a way to pivot to a filmed version during the pandemic. Many of our students have spent a decade at The Theater Bug. Students will receive a top notch education in musical theater that will give them tyhe skills to succeed professionally in this field. They will also develop skills like confidence, team work, collaboration, public speaking, and empathy that will serve them in any occupation, school or relationship.
Program Areas Served
None
Budget
$7,000.00
Description
During winter concert up to 50 students will learn and perform 18 or more songs to create a musical extravaganza to celebrate the end of the year. This program focuses on music, dance, performance and collaboration. They will rehearse for 4 weeks and perform for one weekend. Students will pay a $150 tuition to participate in this program. Financial aid is available to all who may need it. This program will include 40 actors, 4 teen interns and one professional intern who is college aged. The show will perform with a live band with sets, costumes and tech designed by adult professionals. The program is free for students and will rehearse 5 weeks with one weekends of shows. Instructors include a director, musical director, choreographer, mental health support person, set designer, technical director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage. The production will also include a band of adult professional musicians. This is our most popular program.
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Program Areas Served
None
$7,000.00
Description
During winter concert up to 50 students will learn and perform 18 or more songs to create a musical extravaganza to celebrate the end of the year. This program focuses on music, dance, performance and collaboration. They will rehearse for 4 weeks and perform for one weekend. Students will pay a $150 tuition to participate in this program. Financial aid is available to all who may need it. This program will include 40 actors, 4 teen interns and one professional intern who is college aged. The show will perform with a live band with sets, costumes and tech designed by adult professionals. The program is free for students and will rehearse 5 weeks with one weekends of shows. Instructors include a director, musical director, choreographer, mental health support person, set designer, technical director, lighting designer, sound designer, stage. The production will also include a band of adult professional musicians. This is our most popular program.
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Program Areas Served
None
CEO/Executive Director/Board Comments
| Our current biggest challenge is the impending loss of our space. Because of our growing numbers it is imperative that we are able to continue in a space of our own, not only to provide the quality and volume of opportunity that our community has become accustomed to, but that we are allowed continued growth. We see this move as an exciting one, an an opportunity to serve more families within the program and more community members in our audiences. After every show we always hear, 'This should be mandatory viewing in all schools' show after show, topic after topic. We see this time as an opportunity to to make strides toward that goal. We long to be widely known advocates of love and acceptance, teaching through art and are excited to pour more back into our community through these programs. |
