Creative Economy – Projects in Development
Dance Off Springfield
Dance Crew Competition. This dance competition would bring together the dance crews from around the city to perform and compete on the same stage for the title of Best Dance Crew in Springfield. The judges would include the audience, local community partners and guest celebrity judges from New York City.
The Gateway Project Partnership
The Gateway Project Partnership is based on the renowned 52nd Street Project in New York City, bringing together UMass Amherst Outreach, Chester Theater, American International College and Boland Elementary School in Springfield. The Gateway Project is a unique eight-week after-school program in playwriting that culminates in a professionally directed and acted production of each student’s final piece. This project has already been successfully established in the Gateway Regional School District.
The Project is unique in many ways. Unlike many playwriting programs for elementary and middle school students, the primary focus is making the students proud of themselves. While participants learn a great deal about characterization, plot and setting, they learn even more about what they have to offer as creative individuals.
“I’m proud of my play – I wrote it from the heart.” (Young Massachusetts Playwright, Ashlin Dion).
The Project is unique because the plays are directed, acted, and designed by professionals. For the average young playwright, having their work taken seriously by a team of adults is a life-altering experience. The kids are supported by professionals at every step of the process: after completing the course, the students attend a weekend ‘retreat’ where they work one on one with a mentoring director. Once the plays are written, professional actors, designers, and stage managers are assembled. One month later, the plays are presented at two evening performances open to the general public.
“It’s pretty neat that I came up with a play. I made it. I wrote it. You guys totally brought it to life. It was fascinating – I wrote this section about what my older sister means to me, and I had a character say it, and when my sister came to see the show, she cried.” (Young Massachusetts Playwright, Chris Handshuh)
City Eats: Springfield
City Eats: Springfield is modeled after the Food Network’s Diners Drive-ins and Dives, and the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. City Eats: Springfield follows your host through the culturally diverse community of Springfield visiting the restaurants, eating the food, meeting the people and learning about the community. Anywhere there is food and drink and people, City Eats: Springfield will go exploring. Episodes will be filmed for broadcast on television and the web so customers can download webisodes of Springfield’s exciting opportunities. City Eats: Springfield could become a model to be expanded to other cities around the Pioneer Valley.
