© Dan Norman
Developing Artists MN Opera’s Technical Theater Laboratory offers educational opportunities to the next generation of designers and craftspeople in disciplines like scenic design, lighting design, costume design, and stage management.
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art of MN Opera’s mission is to advance this great art form for today and future generations, and there’s so much more that goes into that than just training the performers you see on stage or the orchestra players you hear from the pit. Backstage, there are numerous talented designers and craftspeople who often spend months—even years—building the infrastructure upon which the singers and musicians perform. This ranges from creating the intricate costumes and wigs the performers wear to building the enormous and elaborate sets and so much more. The Technical Theater Laboratory began at MN Opera in 2017 thanks to a gift from an anonymous funder to develop and launch the program. The program aims to offer educational opportunities to the next generation of designers interested in the backstage creative arts. Initially launched with workshops for students led by local experts in scenic, costume, lighting, and sound design, the initiative has recently been expanded to include classes in makeup and prop design. The program also includes an intensive five-week mentorship component for high schoolers that provides hands-on experience as participants work alongside members of MN Opera’s production staff.
10 | 2020 IMPACT REPORT
A key goal of the program is to show students that there are many ways to be involved in the arts. “Not everyone is interested in becoming an onstage performer, and just because you’re not a performer, it doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you in the performing arts,” says MN Opera Assistant Production Director Julia Gallagher. That said, the program has also broadened the perspectives of those students who do wish to be performers, enhancing their own performances by giving them a deeper, more holistic understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the backstage artists supporting them on stage. By exposing kids to a variety of disciplines through the Technical Theater Laboratory, Gallagher says, “We’re really hoping to inspire interest and wonder and excitement about technical theater … and about this whole world we get to create.” And the program is doing just that: With a number of participating students indicating after the program that they want to pursue this work as their career, this new education initiative is having a positive impact and directly inspiring the next generation of theater artists.
From surveyed program participants:
85% wanted to “learn more” about the technical aspects of theater after participating in the program
100% had “fun,” indicating excitement and productive engagement
