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Dear Edwina (Summer Camp) MAY 2017 | SCENE 79 “We are committed to being the community’s premier theater and the region’s center for cultural, education, and artistic expression. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that we deliver engaging excellence for all ages, through the talent we present, the services we offer, and the experiences we create. Our goal is not just to entertain you... we want to inspire you.” of the day-to-day operations. He notes how things that happen here — such as sharing costumes and props with other area theaters — simply doesn’t �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� a great community here,” Craft explains. “We’re so fortunate. People are willing to go above and beyond to support and sustain the arts in our community.” One of the most recent bits of great news is how they acquired land right across the street. It’s going to provide much-needed parking. It also came with eight housing units, which means that guest artists, touring professionals, and even students in their new intern program can live there. Craft says, “Having on-site accommodations like that is a huge plus.” He’s quick to circle back on the idea of interns — something new for The Manatee Performing Arts Center. It’s a fairly recent addition designed to bridge the gap between college and the professional world. The hope is to expand that program such that interns can participate in nearly every aspect of the theater to give them crucial hands-on experiences that will prepare them for their own careers. But it’s not just seniors and interns who �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Performing Arts Center’s education and ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Camps are a huge hit. What kid wouldn’t want to be a part of “High School Musical Jr.” or “Shrek: The Musical”? “Seeing them work with pro actors on stage,” Craft says, “is fun to watch. The kids really step up their game. They admire the professional actors and they can learn and grow from these experiences. To see the conservatory students go from being timid and shy ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ professional caliber stage with full lighting and production values? It’s truly incredible.” The Manatee Performing Arts Center is hugely committed to educating young FOR MORE INFORMATION on The Manatee Performing Arts Center, please visit ManateePerformingArtsCenter.com or call 941.749.1111. on the town people. Craft explains that “if we want to build and grow our theater base of both audience members and performers, we need to provide effective education. We need to give them the platform to develop in this safe environment.” Through all of their programming, they impact over 600 youth per year, and they hope to grow that number through new after-school events such as dance and drama classes. At the moment, Craft is a one-person marketing department, so it’s admittedly a challenge for him to offer the same level of publicity and attention to all the various programs and events. But it’s a blessing, too, he says, to have so many things worth sharing. “We’ve become an artistic hub for the community, and to be part of it all is incredibly exciting.”


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