OPEN DOORS: The Wasserstein Project is a venture to take high school students to see a variety of professional performing arts events in Phoenix and Tucson. The project is named after the late playwright Wendy Wasserstein who conducted a similar program in New York City. The Open Doors project lives on both in New York City and in an incarnation here in Arizona. In keeping with Ms. Wasserstein’s original model, students are chosen who have not had any previous access to professional theatre and are not aspiring to be artists. The students are a true representation of our community, with a diversity of cultures and gender. After attending each performance, the students participate in an active discussion with the project leaders. Upon completion of the project, participating students from the each school will present a culminating project at an Arizona Theatre Company location to demonstrate their understanding of theatre in their lives. The goal is to glean insights from the young people about what impact the arts has on their lives and to give these students a chance to experience new adventures.
Information for students selected to participate in
OPEN DOORS: The Wasserstein Project 2009.
Congratulations on being chosen to take part in OPEN DOORS: The Wasserstein Project. On behalf of Arizona Theatre Company let me welcome you to this exciting program. As a participant you can look forward to seeing some of the finest professional theatre that Phoenix and Tucson have to offer.
What is expected of an OPEN DOORS Participant?
- Please be on time. The meeting time and location will be determined by your schools OPEN DOORS mentor.
- Attendance at each event. If you are unable to attend an event, please let your mentor teacher or ATC mentor know as soon as possible so that we can notify the alternate OPEN DOORS Participants.
- Appropriate behavior and etiquette. Remember, you are not going to the mall with buddies, you are attending a live theatre performance. Please dress accordingly.
- Final Project participation. At the end of this program, your school’s participants will present a group final project. Your participation is expected.
- Please be active participants in each discussion. Come prepared by reviewing the play guide provided for each performance. Also, please welcome and be respectful of all ideas voiced at the discussions.
- Be open-minded, enjoy and soak up this once in a lifetime experience.
On-line Journal
Did you like the performance? Hate it? Why? Participate in ATC’s on-line Discussion board with all 80 OPEN DOORS participants. Let other participants from around the state know how you felt and read their opinions. Since each school’s schedule is different but most schools see the same shows, you can see how the production varies from performance to performance.
OPEN DOORS: The Wasserstein Project 