Everything’s Coming Up Rosie

I love a good field trip.  Even at the ripe old age of however-old-I-am, I love to go to a new place and see something I’ve never seen before.  In this case, CMA went to get a first hand look at how things work at Rosie’s Theater Kids! http://www.RosiesTheaterKids.org

RTKids is a non-profit performing arts organization started by Rosie O’Donnell.  They have a variety of programs but it all starts with PS Broadway.  Educators from RTKids head into inner city public schools and teach free performance arts classes for 5^th graders.  The class culminates in a performance at the end of the year and a field trip to a Broadway show.  PS Broadway serves schools with an average 83% poverty rate and, as you can imagine, most of the kids in the program have never seen a Broadway show before.

And maybe no one should see this one?

Listening to the educators at RTKids talk about this experience, you’d think there’s no way this gets any better but that’s not all…

Certain kids are invited to audition for the Acte II program.  This is for 6^th to 12^th graders and once accepted into the program, they are offered free classes in dance, voice, drama and music.  They’re not necessarily looking for talent in the audition process, they’re looking for enthusiasm, kids who have the potential to become great team members.  In addition to the performing arts classes, kids are offered after school tutoring, high school admission guidance, SAT prep and college application guidance.  A main goal of the program is to place kids into higher education by giving them the resources, guidance and self-confidence they need.  And it’s totally working.  Out of the 1400 students in the program (which started at a humble 40 ten years ago) there is a 100% high school graduation rate and 95% of their students are accepted into specialized and selective public schools.

But that’s not all…

They also offer a Spotlight on Fitness class to provide a physical education and arts curriculum to under-served schools lacking space and resources.  They offer tap classes for students in grades pre-K to 4^th grade.

And that’s still not all  (whew, if I were talking I’d be running out of breath)…

They also match students up with mentors.  Mentors are paired with students and they take the kids out to sites in New York.  You do not have to be a performing arts professional to be a mentor.  Currently, they have 15 mentors and are always looking for more.  Check out that website for more info!

We were treated to a performance from some of the kids.  Now I’m not exaggerating when I say this was a Broadway-caliber performance.  I could see any one of those kids singing it up in Annie or Matilda.  The work being done at RTKids is amazing and nowhere near complete!  While Rosie gave the first seed money, the group is trying to become self-sustaining with most funds coming from individual donations and an annual gala.  That’s all folks, those are all the notes I took.  The rest of the time I was busy enjoying the show!

Look out, kid! You’re going to have some stiff competition.

Main Takeaway: I love that RTKids main goal is college and school readiness.  Most kids don’t even go on to the study the arts in college but they get the experience they need to be strong citizens, no matter what they decide to do professionally.

Personal Takeaway:  We asked the kids what they learn from collaborating with adults and one of the kids said they learned that when you collaborate with an adult, you get to be on the same level as them.  That made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

So it’s not a kid and an adult but you know…Shark Week.

Inappropriate Takeaway:  Perhaps as a result of going to this event, whenever I see the Breaking Bad billboards that say “Remember My Name” it just makes me sing “Fame.”  I do not think that’s what the advertisers were going for.

Good luck with the living forever thing, Walt.