{image1}One could understand how the Milwaukee Youth Symphony (MYSO) and First Stage Children's Theater (FSCT) are literally, in concert, when it comes to the arts. Now, the organizations are in harmony with another vision -- the future.
Together these worthwhile programs are among the largest and most successful of their kind in the country. While they have flourished, they also have outgrown their current accommodations at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.
Taking a step forward, the programs have collaborated on a campaign for a new Youth Arts Center; a building project designated solely for young people in Milwaukee where continued and expanded education, training and performance will take center stage.
"Space is certainly a driving factor, but there are a number of things that are part of our need," explains Frances Richman, executive director of MYSO. "We can't admit as many students as we would like, largely because of space. We have years of differed programming that we would love to do but we currently can not.
"We want to serve a population in which we haven't been able to before. That's a very important piece for us."
Rob Goodman, managing director of First Stage concurs, pointing to past needs to lease the Broadway Theater just to fulfill its summer theater academy. "We still have two to three hundred children on a waiting list every year, which can not get in because we are simply out of space," he adds. "By us collaborating on this project with MYSO, it will give us a real public presence that we haven't had in the past. It'll also give us a permanent home for our educational programs."
MYSO occupies the fourth floor and FSCT is situated in the basement of the Marcus Center. The time has simply come for action.
The old Schlitz Garage has been targeted for such an expansion. The warehouse, on the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and Walnut Street, is ideal. Its location keeps the programs in proximity to downtown and to its intended outreach objective. Its size, approximately 88,000 sq. ft., satisfies current needs as well as those in the future. And structurally, the building is as sound.
"It's a wonder structure with high ceilings and clear space which is very important for performing arts training," says Richman. "It will provide rehearsal halls, classroom and office space. It'll provide First Stage with a costume shop. There will be music libraries for MYSO. It'll have sectional rooms, theater academy classrooms, student commons and a waiting and observation area for parents."
Goodman adds, "The new facility will be large enough for us to take care of our waiting list and to develop some much needed extended programming into the central city."
Those projects have been on the drawing board for years, but neither organization could fully address without expansion.
"We have several outreach initiatives we'd like to start up," Richman begins. "This fall we did start up one initiative but on a very small scale. Once we are in our new facility that initiative which is a progression program which is a Milwaukee Public Schools partnership to provide a high intensity impact music experience for minority students. That's the kind of thing we couldn't possibly do unless we knew we were going to move into a building that could accommodate it some time soon."
Aside from their individual accomplishments with today's youth, both organizations share in the pride that their $12 million capital funding needs has crossed the halfway point and only recently have they public addressed their remaining financial goal.
"It says a lot about the programs and the support each brings to the table," Goodman offers. "What's also amazing is that we haven't yet gone for a main naming gift. We've had tremendous support from our board of directors and from some other key people in the community.
"This Youth Arts Center gives us the ability to reach a great many children will be greatly enhanced. We will also be able to development and intern and mentor program. We'll also be able to establish partnerships through a connections program with MPS schools in that area. This will be critical to our success."
The $12 million price tag includes the acquisition of the land and building. It also covers professional fees, renovation costs and $1.5 million maintenance reserve. But with $6.8 million already in the bank, the renovation of the building could begin some time this winter.
"We need to bid the project out," Richman says. "The building is such good shape. Because most of the work is interior, it could take as long as eight or nine months to complete."
As for the remaining funding, Richman says they're only now going public for support, looking at every possible avenue.
"All the usual sources," she adds. "So far we have conducted a quiet campaign. We're now becoming a little bit more public and ultimately, we'll have a community campaign, alumni and family campaign. We're looking into some possible national funding sources too.
"But I'm extremely pleased with the progress of the campaign. We are pleased we've been able to accomplish this during an economy that hasn't been necessarily great. That makes us very optimistic."
And what the public should recognize is that the joint venture means a savings in the long run.
"The physical space will be shared by both programs," Goodman points out. "About 80 percent of the space will be shared. This is tremendous efficiency because of the collaboration. There is also a tremendous efficiency because of our capital campaign. This isn't two different organizations trying to build separate space."
Richman agrees. "It's is a very good collaboration because the driving force for First Stage to be in the building is their theater academy, which is a large program that serves a lot of kids on Saturday's during the school year and has a bigger program during the summer," she says. "MYSO programs are primarily after school and evenings and mostly during the school year. So in terms of our use of the space the two programs really mesh well together which also means the use of the space will be very efficient. From the community standpoints, it'll be a very cost effective, a very efficient use of the building."
While the Youth Arts Center will greatly enhance the community, both Richman and Goodman continue to look forward to a strong relationship with the Marcus Center. Both organizations will continue to perform in the Todd Wehr Theater and Uihlein Hall. The Marcus Center has been a supportive home to MYSO and First Stage for many years and without that assistance, neither program would be in a position to stake this all important step for the future of youth performing arts.
"For us, one of the wonderful things about the project is that it's much more than an arts project," Richman concludes. "It's all about kids and education and enhancing kids' lives through the arts. But it's about collaboration and urban development and outreach and future audiences for the arts. What the arts can do for kids in their lives rather than just turning out professional actors and musicians."
These are the rewards of being involved with FSCT and MYSO. A successful campaign for the Youth Art Center is a feather in the caps of two organizations coming together with a similar goal - a commitment to educate and nurturing young people in the community through the arts.
"It definitely is a win-win situation for everyone," Goodman says. "It's a positive thing for both organizations as well as the community. But more importantly, it's a win-win situation for children in our community."
Anyone interested in making a donation to the project should call First Stage at (414) 273-2314 or the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra at (414) 272-8540. For additional information, visit MYSO's Web site at www.myso.org. Click on the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center link.
