Great River Educational Arts Theatre

GREAT RIVER EDUCATIONAL ARTS THEATRE (GREAT) BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER THROUGH SHARED THEATRE EXPERIENCES. WE ENSURE EVERYONE IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE ARTS.

GREAT RIVER EDUCATIONAL ARTS THEATRE (GREAT) ENRICHES LIVES AND BUILDS LASTING CONNECTIONS BY CHALLENGING, EDUCATING, ENTERTAINING, AND INSPIRING THROUGH VARIOUS HIGH-QUALITY THEATRICAL EXPERIENCES. OUR MISSION IS TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER THROUGH SHARED THEATRE EXPERIENCES AND ENSURE EVERYONE IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA HAS ACCESS TO THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE ARTS. EACH YEAR WE ENGAGE WITH OVER 62,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH PRODUCTIONS AND PERFORMANCES AS WELL OUTREACH PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH. THROUGH OUR PRODUCTIONS, VOLUNTEERS CREATE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS WHILE AUDIENCES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CO-WORKERS TO BE ENTERTAINED. OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMMING PATHWAYS ARE CREATED FOR YOUTH TO ENGAGE IN ARTS, BUILD CONFIDENCE, STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP AND TEAMWORK SKILLS, AND DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS. COLLECTIVELY, THIS WORK TRANSFORMS HOW OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY WORKS AND GROWS TOGETHER.

GREAT'S PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE PROGRAMMING INCLUDES A SEASON OF EIGHT SHOWS PRODUCED BY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTIC STAFF FEATURING ALL LOCAL VOLUNTEER ACTORS. FIVE PRODUCTIONS ARE PERFORMED AT THE 800-SEAT HISTORIC PARAMOUNT CENTER THE ARTS IN DOWNTOWN ST. CLOUD AND THREE ARE PERFORMED AT OUR 150-SEAT HELGESON LEARNING LAB THEATRE IN WAITE PARK, MN. EACH SEASON IS SELECTED WITH INPUT FROM OUR COMMUNITY OF AUDIENCES, ACTORS, AND ARTISTS. FEATURING BOTH PLAYS AND MUSICALS, OUR SEASONS ARE INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED TO SHARE A VARIETY OF STORIES WITH SOMETHING FOR ALL AGES. AUDIENCES EXPERIENCE THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THEATRE DURING PERFORMANCES AS THE STORIES BEING TOLD ENTERTAIN, CHALLENGE, EDUCATE, AND INSPIRE US. FOR ARTISTS, PARTICIPANTS, AND VOLUNTEERS THE TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE ART ITSELF. THE HANDS-ON SKILLS DEVELOPED VARY ACROSS ALL ASPECTS THAT ARE PART OF CREATING THEATRE - FROM SEWING COSTUMES, TO BUILDING SETS, TO ASSISTING BACKSTAGE, TO SKILLS SUCH AS PROJECTION, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, SINGING, DANCING, AND TEAMWORK THAT PERFORMING ON STAGE FOSTERS. IN ADDITION TO GROWING AS ARTISTS THEY ALSO GROW AS INDIVIDUALS BUILDING SKILLS SUCH AS CONFIDENCE AND COLLABORATION AS WELL AS MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS.

GREAT 'S OUTREACH PROGRAMMING LIVES OUT OUR DEDICATION TO INTRODUCE YOUTH TO THE POWER OF THEATRE THROUGH ONE OF THE LARGEST SUMMER THEATRE CAMP PROGRAMS IN THE STATE, AN ANNUAL YOUTH ARTIST MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, WEEKDAY STUDENT MATINEE PERFORMANCES, IN-SCHOOL MUSICAL-IN-A-WEEK RESIDENCIES, AND DRAMA WORKSHOPS PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT MEET YOUTH WHERE THEY ARE. PROVEN, TANGIBLE BENEFITS OF THEATRE EXPERIENCE INCLUDE: CULTIVATES COLLABORATION AND TEAMWORK, ENRICHES SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS, INCREASES SENSE OF HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, BUILDS CONFIDENCE, DEVELOPS EMPATHY, AND FOSTER SELF-DISCOVERY. THESE EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE WITHIN A YEAR, BUILD LIFE SKILLS AND FOSTER PERSONAL GROWTH THAT WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT FOR YEARS TO COME.