Shakespeare to raise money for future shows
(by Maxim Almenas - April 30, 2008)
A scene from the "Comedy of Errors"
Photo by Ashlee Woodruff
The Fort Lee High School Student Drama Department and Thespian Society celebrated Shakespeare’s birthday with a performance of "The Comedy of Errors" by The Hudson Shakespeare Company. The play, which was sponsored by The Fort Lee Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, served as a fundraiser to help students with future theatre productions and workshops.
"Shakespeare is relevant to every community on the planet. The "Bard's" birthday is being celebrated in Fort Lee in a way he would certainly approve of," Tom Meyers, executive director of the Fort Lee Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs said.
Myers’s hope is that the fundraiser will serve as an outreach to other student programs in film, music, dance, and art. Myers said that raising community awareness for the arts could eventually lead to converting the Fort Lee Youth Center (FLYC) into a youth center for the arts. The FLYC already offers similar programs that are offered at the Fort Lee Community Center.
"There’s no proper home for the arts," Meyers said. "The Fort Lee Community Center is great for recreational sports, but besides the schools, there’s no place where kids can get involved in arts."
Part of the building would be dedicated to art advocate and high school art teacher, Joanne Di Tieri, who retires this year after 50 years of service.
Meyers also said the schools have done the best they could considering limits in the budget, but the extra space and proximity to the high school across the street would provide a convenient venue.
"We’re not looking to build a new building," Meyers said. "We just want to see how we can make the best use out of an existing one."
High school art students, as well as younger artists from the middle and elementary schools in the district, would have additional space to showcase their work and expand their knowledge base.
"We can make a film lab and summer camp programs for theatre groups," Myers said. "And the Ortlip family offered to get people involved showcasing art work."
Young musicians could also have an outlet. Besides playing in their homes or in the school band, most musicians wait for the annual Battle of the Bands to get their music heard.
"It would give the building a new life," Meyers said. "Common sense would say to look at how the centers can take recreational programs and move them to the Community Center."
