Backlight Productions
Programs
Budget
$300.00
Description
Backlight prides itself on being able to offer high quality training in the Arts for people of all abilities and mobility levels. Creative Movement is the perfect fit for students who may require more direct assistance or the help of a caretaker in daily life, making it a great class for wheelchair users with limited mobility! While these classes focus primarily on Dance/Movement, students will also be introduced to beginning Theatre and Music skills. Those joining Creative Movement also participate in the large-scale production experiences put on by Theater and Glee Club students.
*Every student or student group in this class must have caretaker assistance provided to participate
Beneficiaries
Adults
Elderly and/or Disabled
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
$300.00
Description
Backlight prides itself on being able to offer high quality training in the Arts for people of all abilities and mobility levels. Creative Movement is the perfect fit for students who may require more direct assistance or the help of a caretaker in daily life, making it a great class for wheelchair users with limited mobility! While these classes focus primarily on Dance/Movement, students will also be introduced to beginning Theatre and Music skills. Those joining Creative Movement also participate in the large-scale production experiences put on by Theater and Glee Club students.
*Every student or student group in this class must have caretaker assistance provided to participate
Beneficiaries
Adults
Elderly and/or Disabled
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
Budget
$1,000.00
Description
Backlight Apprentices join Executive Director, Melissa Smith, in going through various lessons in our Masterclass Film Series in order to learn the basics of theater production. Students have the opportunity to put those lessons into practice by putting on their Producer hats. Over the course of the program, participants select an original script (previously written by a Backlight New Works playwright), work together on the various production elements, cast/direct local professional actors who will perform in the show, and work as members of the production/tech team in a final performance. This experience is perfect for anyone interested in pursuing a job within the Arts industry or for someone who would like to learn other elements of theatre production and be part of a production team.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
$1,000.00
Description
Backlight Apprentices join Executive Director, Melissa Smith, in going through various lessons in our Masterclass Film Series in order to learn the basics of theater production. Students have the opportunity to put those lessons into practice by putting on their Producer hats. Over the course of the program, participants select an original script (previously written by a Backlight New Works playwright), work together on the various production elements, cast/direct local professional actors who will perform in the show, and work as members of the production/tech team in a final performance. This experience is perfect for anyone interested in pursuing a job within the Arts industry or for someone who would like to learn other elements of theatre production and be part of a production team.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
Budget
$60,000.00
Description
Every class is designed to work toward a performance opportunity experience in which students can show the skills they have learned and practiced over the season. Performances are both live and filmed and range from full Broadway musicals to intimate variety shows. Another important aspect to our performance structure is the integration of industry professionals with Backlight students as well as youth performers on occasion. The professionals involved in every show act as support and encouragement for our student performers, bring our students a sense of respect and equality, and give both professionals and youth the opportunity to learn and engage with the IDD community and use their gifts to put someone else in the spotlight.
Program Successes
Past shows include:
New Works Writers Lab (original plays written by playwrights with IDD & performed by professional actors) (2019-2023)
Encore DCS competitive dance team performances (2022-2023)
Beauty and the Beast (2023)
Shrek, the Musical (2022)
Mary Poppins (2021)
Of Birds who Try (film w/ Carson Newman University) (2020)
A Christmas Carol (Virtual production) (2020)
Wizard of Oz (w/ Studio Tenn Theater Company) (2019)
Romeo & Juliet (w/ Nashville Shakespeare Festival) (2018)
Circus Momentous (2017)
A Dream Come True in NYC (film w/ Western Kentucky University) (2016)
Peter Pan (2015)
Through the Decades (2014)
The Restless Lives of All my Children (filmed soap opera series) (2014)
The Christmas Story (2012 & 2013)
Musicians of Bremenville (2013)
The Shoes that were Danced to Pieces (2012)
Cinderella (an original play) (2011)
In-Home Music Cabarets (2019)
Several Music Album Recordings at Ocean Way Studios
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
$60,000.00
Description
Every class is designed to work toward a performance opportunity experience in which students can show the skills they have learned and practiced over the season. Performances are both live and filmed and range from full Broadway musicals to intimate variety shows. Another important aspect to our performance structure is the integration of industry professionals with Backlight students as well as youth performers on occasion. The professionals involved in every show act as support and encouragement for our student performers, bring our students a sense of respect and equality, and give both professionals and youth the opportunity to learn and engage with the IDD community and use their gifts to put someone else in the spotlight.
Program Successes
Past shows include:
New Works Writers Lab (original plays written by playwrights with IDD & performed by professional actors) (2019-2023)
Encore DCS competitive dance team performances (2022-2023)
Beauty and the Beast (2023)
Shrek, the Musical (2022)
Mary Poppins (2021)
Of Birds who Try (film w/ Carson Newman University) (2020)
A Christmas Carol (Virtual production) (2020)
Wizard of Oz (w/ Studio Tenn Theater Company) (2019)
Romeo & Juliet (w/ Nashville Shakespeare Festival) (2018)
Circus Momentous (2017)
A Dream Come True in NYC (film w/ Western Kentucky University) (2016)
Peter Pan (2015)
Through the Decades (2014)
The Restless Lives of All my Children (filmed soap opera series) (2014)
The Christmas Story (2012 & 2013)
Musicians of Bremenville (2013)
The Shoes that were Danced to Pieces (2012)
Cinderella (an original play) (2011)
In-Home Music Cabarets (2019)
Several Music Album Recordings at Ocean Way Studios
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
Budget
$1,000.00
Description
Our Theater 1 class works for 8 months to learn and produce a full Broadway musical in partnership with a local professional theater. Productions usually include 30-40 adults with disabilities and enables each one to perform a portion of a lead role in the show according to their abilities and desires. Our Theater 2 class produces smaller scale theater productions and focuses more intently on developing theater knowledge and skills. All classes meet the abilities of individual students and work with them to achieve personal goals.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
$1,000.00
Description
Our Theater 1 class works for 8 months to learn and produce a full Broadway musical in partnership with a local professional theater. Productions usually include 30-40 adults with disabilities and enables each one to perform a portion of a lead role in the show according to their abilities and desires. Our Theater 2 class produces smaller scale theater productions and focuses more intently on developing theater knowledge and skills. All classes meet the abilities of individual students and work with them to achieve personal goals.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
Budget
$2,000.00
Description
Dancing is great exercise and has many health benefits. It is also an important part of performance art. We use dance to improve the student's motor skills, coordination, and timing through group choreography. We offer both individual and group dance classes.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
$2,000.00
Description
Dancing is great exercise and has many health benefits. It is also an important part of performance art. We use dance to improve the student's motor skills, coordination, and timing through group choreography. We offer both individual and group dance classes.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
Budget
$1,000.00
Description
Music classes and opportunities at Backlight cover a wide range of experiences. Backlight currently offers private lessons in piano and voice. It offers a Glee Club experience that combines group vocal instruction combined with movement. Finally it offers a Rock Band experience during which students form bands and learn to both write and play songs together then perform with local professional musicians at local venues and write and record original songs at local recording studios.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
$1,000.00
Description
Music classes and opportunities at Backlight cover a wide range of experiences. Backlight currently offers private lessons in piano and voice. It offers a Glee Club experience that combines group vocal instruction combined with movement. Finally it offers a Rock Band experience during which students form bands and learn to both write and play songs together then perform with local professional musicians at local venues and write and record original songs at local recording studios.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee
