The Educational Theatre Collaborative (ETC) brings masterful intergenerational theatre performances to PSU’s Hanaway Theatre each winter, with casts of 100-plus actors of all ages from the community, area schools, and PSU. Original works and classics such as Peter Pan, The Wild Swans, and Marking the Moment have enchanted audiences and participants since 1994. This year’s production of The Sound of Music was no exception, playing to packed houses throughout its run from January 21–24. ETC is about much more than the cornerstone performances, however. Each year, participants from dozens of towns in several states, from kindergarten through senior citizenship, also experience a daylong arts festival for children, an integrated arts conference for artists and teachers (with graduate credit available), an art workshop for teachers, and an exhibition of artwork by schoolchildren, all inspired by that year’s production.

An Adventure in Music, Dancing, Acting, and Language
This year’s children’s arts festival, based on The Sound of Music, attracted 80 area children in kindergarten through grade 6 to an event engineered and overseen by professional actor and PSU alumnus Robb Dimmick ’03G. “The festival was an adventure in music, dancing, acting, and the art of language, based on themes from the show,” says Dimmick. “The festival allowed children to experience ‘their favorite things’ in multiple workshops guided by some of the area’s finest teachers and artists.” During the run of the performance, the Silver Center lobby exhibited artwork created by children in 12 schools throughout the region. Teachers who attended a workshop presented by Dimmick in the fall worked with their students to produce art in multiple media that was reflective of the The Sound of Music’s themes and related concepts.

Integrated Arts Training
The annual Integrated Arts Conference (IAC) for artists and educators is presented in conjunction with New Hampshire’s Department of Education and State Council on the Arts, Arts Alliance of Northern NH, and NH Arts Learning Network. At this year’s conference, 55 participants and presenters explored topics such as implementing and empowering arts integration connections in the classroom, including a workshop by 2013 NH Teacher of the Year Heidi Welch. According to Kirsten Mohring, longtime IAC participant and conference coordinator, “An important underlying element of this conference and ETC is the power of collaboration. ETC creates a perfect environment in which to encourage teachers and students to be imaginative, creative, and collaborative.”

A Labor of Love
ETC was cofounded in 1994 by PSU professors Trish Lindberg (Elementary Education and Childhood Studies ) and Dan Perkins (Music, Theatre, and Dance) to bring together people from across the region to create a positive, holistic arts education program. Lindberg describes ETC as “a labor of love and a gift to the community and from the community each year.” Perkins and Lindberg believe ETC’s complementary activities lift the company beyond the annual production. “ETC’s most valuable gift is unity… seeing all these people on and off stage working toward a common goal,” Perkins says. “ETC has become an integral part of Plymouth’s community fabric and is a powerful catalyst for bringing people together.” – Elizabeth Cheney ’89, ’99G

Tags:  Dan Perkins Educational Theatre Collaborative ETC Robb Dimmick The Sound of Music Trish Lindberg