M a y 2 0 1 2 • V o l u M e 1 , i s s u e 3

Join us on June 9 as we commemorate the many accomplishments of First Stage and Founding

Artistic Director Rob Goodman and toast to 25 more years of transforming lives through theater!

For sponsorship and underwriting opportunities contact Katie Weeks, Development Director, at

414-267-2936 or kweeks@firststage.org

Ways for you to engage With first stage:

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support w i th us !

contAct kAt i e weeks

At ( 4 1 4 ) 2 6 7 - 2 9 3 6 or

kweeks@f i rs ts tAge .org

325 W. Walnut st.MilWaukee, Wi 53212

nonprofit org.u.s. Postage

PaiDMilwaukee, Wi

Permit no. 5780

P r o f e s s i o n a l T H e a T e r • T H e a T e r i n e D U C a T i o n • T H e a T e r a C a D e M Y

F i r s t s ta G e C e l e b r a t i n G 2 5 y e a r s o F

First staGe

TransformationsTransformations

First stage students advocate for arts

education in Madison

C o n n e C t i n G t h e C o M M u n i t y a n D D o n o r s t o t h e t r a n s F o r M a t i V e P o W e r o F t h e a t e r .

first stage studentsgarrett kim andmayageorgeheadedtothestatecapitolonmarch14 tomeet with elected officials to discusstheimportanceofartseducationinschools.mr. kim andms. george were selected byfirst stage to participate in Arts day, anopportunityforrepresentativesfromthearts,education, and business sectors to meetwith wisconsin’s political leadership abouttheimportanceofartseducationinourstate.

george,ajunioratrufuskinghighschool,sharedthatparticipatinginfirststagesinceshewas6yearsoldhashelpedherdevelopconfidence, public speaking skills, and theabilitytosetgoals.georgesays,“firststagetaught me how to come up with my ownideasandthinkformyself.theactingclassestaughtmehowtobeanactor,buttaughtmemoreabouthowtobeagoodperson.firststageprovidedmewiththeexperiencesthatwouldenrichmylifeforever.”

kim,asenioratArrowheadhighschool,ispresidentofthestudentsenate,memberofthenationalhonorsocietyandspanishclub.kimstressedtheimportanceofthearts inshapingwhohe is today. “i’vegained theconfidence toexpandmycreativehorizons.theatreissuchanimportanttooltoteachkidslessonsthatcan’tbelearnedinschool.nobodyteaches‘lifeskillsthroughstageskills’betterthanfirststage!”

first stage students talkedwith representative leon young’s staff. representativeyoung is an alumnus of rufus king high school and his district is home to firststageandthemilwaukeeyouthArtscenter.studentsalsosatdownwithstafffromrepresentative kelda roys, representative tamara grigsby and representativeJasonfieldsoffice.AttendingArtsdaywasavaluableexperienceforthesestudents.Accordingtomr.kim,“itwasgreattoseethesupportandenthusiasmthatthepeoplewetalkedwithhadforthearts.thankfully,weliveinastatewhereourlegislatorscareaboutartseducation.”

government fundingcomprises 2% of firststage’s contributedrevenue. first stageis grateful for theopportunity to shareour story with local andstate representativesin order to increaseawareness of firststage’s dynamic artseducation opportunitiesfor students throughoutsoutheasternwisconsin.52

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FIRST STAGE 2011-2012 ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTED REVENUE SOURCES

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FIRST STAGE 2011-2012 ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTED REVENUE SOURCES

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First Stage and Messmer Catholic Schools Receive National HonorOne of Rob Goodman’s goals has always been to raise the profile of First Stage and garner national recognition. First Stage is proud to announce that this year the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. has selected First Stage and Messmer Catholic Schools to participate in the 13th Partners in Education Institute. The Partners in Education Institute is designed to assist arts organizations in developing and expanding educational partnerships with local school systems. The program’s goal is to unite community organizations and schools in an effort to foster an artistic presence within classrooms and educational programming.

First Stage Managing Director Rob Goodman stated, “We’re excited to partner with Messmer Catholic Schools in this opportunity to expand one of the fundamental goals of our Theater in Education department, to give teachers the tools they need to facilitate meaningful arts education – everyday.”

Br. Bob Smith, OFM Cap. President and CEO of Messmer Catholic Schools was equally enthusiastic about the partnership. “At Messmer, we’re committed to offering our students access to arts programming, locally, and in partnership with organizations around the country. Nearly 90% of our students are from low-income backgrounds, the arts programming we offer may be these students first and only exposure to the arts. We’re excited about our First Stage partnership and the opportunity to participate in the Kennedy Center program.”

First Stage is committed to using theater to drive education, creating programs that produce measured results and help students set and meet high standards of academic and personal achievement. First Stage is also dedicated to helping educators learn new and creative ways to teach academic curriculum and reach all students in their classroom. Since 2009, the number of classrooms impacted by First Stage’s year-round Theater in Education programs has grown by 210% - indicating a palpable need for arts integration programming in Milwaukee.

P r o f e s s i o n a l T H e a T e r • T H e a T e r i n e D U C a T i o n • T H e a T e r a C a D e M Y

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“We’re excited to partner with Messmer Catholic

Schools in this opportunity to expand one of the fundamental goals of

our Theater in Education department, to give teachers

the tools they need to facilitate meaningful arts

education – everyday.”

TransformationsMake Believe BallOn Saturday, February 11, 2012, First Stage held its 18th annual Make Believe Ball at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center. With CHARlIE AND THE CHOCOlATE FACTORy as the theme, families claimed their golden tickets and stepped into a world of pure imagination with plenty of treats to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth! This year’s Ball raised over $107,000 and makes it possible for First Stage to offer professional theater for all ages; Theater Academy training that fosters life skills through stage skills; and Theater in Education programs that inspire, motivate and educate. Thank you to the families who attended and to everyone who made this wonderful evening possible!

SavE ThE daTE For ThE 2013 MakE BEliEvE Ball on March 2, 2013! For MorE inForMaTion, plEaSE conTacT MakEBEliEvEBall@FirSTSTagE.org

Photos provided by , Brian D. Jacobson of ThirdCoast Digest, and Clare Kuhnen and Jason Grooms.

CORPORATE SPONSORS

Baker Tilly, llc

BMo harris Bank

Briggs & Stratton corporation

children’s hospital of Wisconsin

godfrey & kahn S.c.

harley-davidson Motor company

Marcus hotels & resorts

Michael Best and Friedrich llp

pnc

FAMILY SPONSORSSheri and Todd adams Family

libby and Jon Baranko Family

amy and greg hartwig Family

Janet and greg Schmeling Family

Bridget and ingmar viohl Family

Jami and Bruce ross Family

MAKE BELIEVE BALL COMMITTEE

amy arzbaecher, libby Baranko,

katerina Brickman, Tammy

Fricker, amy goldstein, kristyn

harrell, Jaime levine, liza perry,

Wendy petzold, Jan Schmeling,

Jennifer Slator, Ellen venable, Joy

vertz, rachel Weinberg, alexis

Weltman, lisa Wright

P r o f e s s i o n a l T H e a T e r • T H e a T e r i n e D U C a T i o n • T H e a T e r a C a D e M Y

TransformationsF i r s t s t A G E one Donor Makes a big Difference

We Celebrate rob Goodman for 25 years of transforming lives

last summer, first stage’s educationdirector, Julia magnasco, received greatnews - a donor offered to sponsor Aschoolforthenextacademicyear!

this generous donor is one of manythat supports first stage’s communitypartnership program, but is one of fewwho specifically chooses to sponsorA school. As a former mps educatorshe fully understands the impact of firststage noting, “the reality of budget cutsinschools,especiallyinthearts,makesthisdonationopportunityevenmorepowerful.”

she started out by donating the cost ofticketstoplaysforstudentsandschoolsthatcouldnotaffordtoparticipateinfirststagebut quickly found that providing the entireexperience for the students through thepartnership program was of even greatervalue. first stage matched her financialsupport to sherman multicultural Artsschool and not only are the 280 studentsattendingplays,but theyarereceivingpre-and post-show workshops to help themunderstandwhat they are seeing and helpthemdevelopskillstoappreciatetheartsinthefuture.

fifth graders are additionally participatingin thebully ban.one teacher at shermanmulticultural Arts school reports that herstudents encounter bullying every daytheyareatschool.teasing,suddenburstsof anger, disrespectful physical actions,and threats are just some of the forms inwhichbullyingmanifests inher classroom.sheisthankfulthatherstudentstookalotaway from the bully ban workshop suchas how tomake positive choices when in

for 25 years rob has led the first stage team, first as artistic director andmore recentlyas managing director. rob’s efforts have impacted countless young people. As he stepsinto an emeritus role in the firststagedevelopmentdepartment,wewanted to share twoacknowledgmentsofhowliveshavebeentransformedbecauseofrobandfirststage.

this month, first stage welcomes betsycorry as first stage’s new managingdirector. betsy will be returning as firststage’s managing director after gaininginvaluable experience as the developmentdirectoratthemilwaukeerepertorytheaterandtheassociateexecutivedirectorofcoAyouth&familycenters.

betsy has adeeppassion for firststage’smission andan existing understandingof firststage’s culture andbusinessmodel.weare excited towelcomebetsyback into the firststagefamily!

aconflictsituationandidentifyingfeelingsinthemselvesandothersandrespondingwithcare,consideration,andrespect.

As a non-profit organization, first stagewould be unable to have such a broad reach in thecommunitywithoutthesupportofourcommunitypartnershipprogram.designedto“opennewdoors forcityofmilwaukeeyouth,” thecommunitypartnershipprogramwillhaveaprofoundand lasting impactonover5,000underservedchildrenthisyearalone,providingstudentstheopportunitiestoexperiencetheprofoundbenefitsofinnovativetheatereducationprograms.

thisprogramcanonlysustainandgrowwiththefinancialsupportofthosewhobelieveinwhatwedo,asover90%ofthebudgetcomesfromindividualcontributionsandgrants.ifyouareinterestedinsponsoringAschool,aclassroom,astudentormakingadonation to thecommunitypartnershipprogram,pleasecontactnancyat(414)267-2938ornclarkin@firststage.org.

P r o f e s s i o n a l T H e a T e r • T H e a T e r i n e D U C a T i o n • T H e a T e r a C a D e M Y

rob’s efforts have impacted countless young people.

“the reality of budget cuts in schools, especially in the arts, makes this

donation opportunity even more powerful.”

Dear rob,My times here at First stage have been the best years of my life. nowhere else have i found a community as caring, kind and supportive as the people i have met here. My teachers and fellow students have been my biggest role models and affected me deeply. as i continue to journey through my life, i discover more and more how much of who i am began here at First stage.

-Trevor, Former Young Performer, Academy Alumni

rob, thank you for the amazing gift you have given, developed and grown for the Milwaukee area community and thousands of families. there is no way to fully measure the positive impact you have had and continue to have. you have transformed my family’s life.-alan, actor, academy teacher, academy Parent, Community Partner

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-Trevor, Former Young Performer, Academy Alumni

Rob Goodman

Betsy Corry

-Alan, Actor, Academy Teacher, Academy Parent, Community Partner