About

First a little background…

The Exchange

In the 2008/2009 school year the Milwaukee High School of the Arts (MHSA)  piloted a cultural exchange program with Thurston Community College (TCC) in Suffolk, England. MHSA students worked diligently on a theatre piece and fundraising for their exchange trip to England in November 2008, where they performed.  In April the TCC students did the same for their exchange in Milwaukee.  The program was such a success we plan on building an international collaborative project for student to enjoy for many years to come.

This school year a group of students from various arts discipline in MHSA will collaborate with Skylight Opera Theatre to create a new musical work around the idea of “Change.”

TeenWrites: Change

Spring 2009

Students at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Golda Meir and Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts participated in creative writing workshops creating stories, songs, poems and raps all related to the theme, “Change.”

Summer 2009

Four music students and one MHSA theatre graduate worked with Music Director, Tom Jacobsen on composing selected pieces of writing.  Students were encouraged to compose in whatever genre and style of music that they felt comfortable with and fit the overall piece of writing.   Students composed their music using whatever tools were available including accordions and karaoke machines- before delivering their final work to Tom in September.

Fall 2009

Rehearsals begin with Tom Jacobsen and Director/ Skylight’s Education Manager, Becca Nielsen, in early September.   Theatre production students work with Skylight’s Technical Director, Rob Wagner, to design and build a touring set to perform in Milwaukee Public Schools as well as travel over to England.   Performance dates are set for Oct. 23-25th in MHSA’s studio theatre and Oct. 26th and 27th at various schools.

The students will then bring the work to Suffolk, England.  They will work with their England counterparts to expand and further develop the piece.  MHSA students traveling will stay with English families, attend classes at the English high school, study with English Theatre companies and experience the history and culture of London on a visit to the capital city.  English students will do the same when here in Milwaukee.

Spring 2010

In the Spring of 2010, the TCC students will travel to Milwaukee to incorporate their version of TeenWrites into a second expanded piece that involves MHSA students from various departments, new writing and music and performances in MHSA’s mainstage theatre.

Thank you to all schools and organizations involved in this international collaborative piece.  Special thanks to Milwaukee’s Skylight Opera Theatre for their help and collaboration. Visit them online HERE.