Task force analyzing LTCC theater’s future
By the end of June a recommendation is expected about what the future of Lake Tahoe Community College’s theater program should look like.
The 20-member community task force that was convened to delve into the program has met twice, and will continue to meet every other Thursday until June. Solutions are expected to be presented to the board by the end of the academic year.
The two main areas of discussion are the credit program currently offered and what role the college could play in the community in regards to performing arts.
Theater arts has been under scrutiny internally at the college for a couple years because classes are not highly sought after and it is expensive to run. Last fall it appeared the department was headed for elimination by the administration. Community outcry put a stop to that.
Michelle Risdon, LTCC’s interim vice president of Academic Affairs, said one thing that needs to be addressed is how to attract more students from Lake Tahoe Unified School District. Tahoe Valley Elementary School’s focus is performing arts and South Tahoe High School’s theater program is outstanding, so LTUSD should be a natural feeder into LTCC in this regards.
For now, all possibilities are still on the table.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
I think it is wise to look to SLT schools to feed into the Performing Arts Program at LTCC… I also think the Community Committee and LTCC should look at recruiting efforts at other California High Schools who have successful performing arts programs. Examples from San Mateo County (where I lived part-time for the last 48 years) are San Mateo High School, Carlmont High School and Sequoia High School. They each have Performing Arts Theatres and have folks who not only act, sing & dance – but also learn the skills of managing sets, lighting, etc.
There are likely educational grants for specific recruiting for the arts education programs and recruitments. Artists in Residence grants can also be offered (with housing considerations and housing proposals/planning. They could start with summer programs while they beef up their program offerings. There should be no reason the performing arts progra cannot recruit a decent complement; perhaps their recruitment efforts are not visionary! Maybe the change should be administratively.
Irish…it sounds like you know what you’re talking about! Why don’t you put together a study group and make an offer/proposal…seriously.
Thanks Robin… I will try to find out how to communicate this to the Community & Intrim VP of Academic Affairs. Another group would seem redundant.
100 groups are N0 help if none of them know what they’re doing…;)…yw…ty