Community Outreach Program
Inaugurated during our 2004 production of The Mikado, VLOC's Community Outreach Matinee was created out of a desire to develop and educate our young audiences. At the first matinee of each production, two students are admitted free with each paying adult. A student program is prepared for each production by the education team (Debbie Niezgoda and Kierstie Whitehead, with input from the director). The matinee program also consists of a pre-show back stage tour (including the dressing room, the green room, the stage and the light booth) and a post-show talk back with the artists and production team. Over the past three years, the program has grown to encompass our broader community and now includes activities in the lobby prior to the show, such as a show related arts and crafts project, a slide show diary created by a member of the cast or production team during the rehearsal process, musical entertainment, and background information on the show. Adult audience members are now encouraged to attend the backstage tours and the post-show talk-back session.