Past projects 6
Bring the Land of Oz to the Stage!
Funded Jan 18, 2025We are overwhelmed by your support of our performing arts program and we want you to know the huge role you have already played in not only bringing our show to the stage but also for bringing so much joy to so many students. We cannot wait to share our show with you!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Pantone
Final Touches: Bringing Our Show to the Stage
Funded May 3, 2024Thank you for your generous donations to our performing arts program and helping us with the finishing touches to bring a successful show to the stage. Our wonderful students are young people with disabilities and become very excited not only about what they are going to wear in a show and what their props will look like and feel like, but also how the lighting will look and the music sound.
Because of you we were able to create costumes and props for over 60 Oompah-Loompas, 20 oversized squirrels, a chocolate river, an gum-making machine, sets and backdrops and a Wonka parade to name a few!
The true sense of pride and accomplishment was evident when our young performers take their much deserved 'bow'.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Pantone
Show Stoppers: Creating Costumes & Props For Our Spring Show!
Funded Mar 27, 2024Thank you for your generous donations to our performing arts program and helping us with costumes and props to bring a successful show to the stage. Our wonderful students are young people with disabilities and become very excited about what they are going to wear in a show and what their props will look like and feel like.
Because of you we were able to create costumes and props for over 60 Oompah-Loompas, 20 oversized squirrels, a chocolate river, an gum-making machine and a Wonka parade to name a few!
The true sense of pride and accomplishment was evident when the students took their much deserved 'bow'.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Pantone
This classroom project was brought to life by LOFT and 8 other donors.Behind The Scenes: Sound Engineering
Funded Nov 2, 2023Thank you for your generous donations to our performing arts program and helping us meet some of the technical needs required to bring a successful show to the stage. Our wonderful students are young people with disabilities and not all students want to be front and center, but prefer to work backstage and support the performance working with lighting, costumes, props, ushering and a host of other performance related jobs.
Because of you we were able to provide students with the opportunity to take the reigns in designing sound for performances and running sound cues live, in fact, our technical theatre students ran the show!!!
The true sense of pride and accomplishment was evident when the technical theatre students joined their performing classmates on stage to take their much deserved 'bow'.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Pantone
Light Them Up: Putting Students Center Stage!
Funded Oct 10, 2023Our school's performance of The Nutcracker had over 200 students performing to five sold out performances where they entertained over 1000 audience members who rewarded them with standing ovations.
Because of you, we were able to shine light on their faces, create dramatic effects to support our storytelling efforts and create a production that is as professional as possible.
The true sense of pride and accomplishment was palpable when my students took their much deserved 'bow'.
We thank you all for lighting up our students and providing them the opportunity dazzle on stage!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Pantone
Back on Stage!
Funded May 9, 2022Thank you all so much for your generosity and making this huge project happen for our students and our school! We received the eight portable platform stage units in May and they were just in time for us to showcase our high school graduates as they received their high school rings in our annual Ring and Pendant Ceremony. The platforms also made an in-person high school graduation ceremony possible again this year as we were able to safely distance by holding the ceremony in our large outdoor sports field. The stage was not only sturdy and secure, but also when the platforms were assembled together, they made a smooth surface so that our wheelchair users could easily navigate across the stage! The stage was also so fun to decorate and we think it looked very impressive and professional. Finally, we transported the platforms to our elementary site where our young students with autism performed their Spring theatre and music concert!
There is something special about performing on a stage, there is something special in the ability to stand or be present on a stage. The aesthetic distance between those onstage and the audience creates unified celebratory experiences. This was easily evidenced by every student who took the stage last Spring. We knew the portable stage units would need to be transported to our elementary site with plenty of time for the students to rehearse with and on them. For many of our students transitions and structure need to be grounded and expectations need to be careful laid out. Although the elementary Spring concerts would be held outdoors, we set up a couple of the platforms in the arts studio so the students would become accustomed to them. Well, you would have thought I brought a jungle gym into the studio as the young students climbed, jumped, rolled, crawled under and otherwise explored the platforms with such joy, excitement and wonder!
We are presently rehearsing for our annual production of the Nutcracker and this year we cast the role of Clara with a very talented student actor who happens to be non-verbal and a wheelchair users. The portable platforms will allow us to extend the tiny physical stage in our auditorium to allow Clara move freedom to move about as she delivers her performance.
Thank you all so much again!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Pantone