Friday
Oct 28, 2005
SGN.org
Volume 33
Issue 43
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Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009
10:51
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Renton Gay-Straight Alliance and performing arts center partner to benefit Gay students |
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| Renton Gay-Straight Alliance and performing arts center partner to benefit Gay students | ||
| "We are big supporters of the Renton High School Gay-Straight Alliance. We are a safe space for these students and we post signage that states our support for the community to see," says IKEA Performing Arts Center manager Shana Pennington-Baird.
Upon entering the newly built Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, patrons stop and stare. "This is a high school theatre?" they ask, "It's gorgeous." As they continue, patrons are greeted by Renton High School students from Joe Bento's Culinary Arts Program and the Renton High School Gay-Straight Alliance. There is a full service latte stand, freshly baked brownies and cookies, and decaffeinated drip coffee. All for $2. The partnership makes sense as the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center is actually a part of Renton High School. Culminating in 2003, the Renton community, the City of Renton, and the Renton School District raised $1.5 million dollars to build a shared community theatre space. The high school uses the space roughly 130 days per year and the community has held over 600 events in the space since its grand opening. Performers from all over the world, including Poncho Sanchez, have performed in the theatre. "This partnership has been a blessing for everybody," says theatre manager Shana Pennington-Baird. "We had a need for professional catering services and we want to involve Renton High School students in every step of our professional services for the community." Students from Joe Bento's program bake the cookies and make the lattes, students from the RHS Theatre Club are hired as interns to be back stage for every event. "It's our goal to let high school students be a part of this theatre, whether it's helping stuff mailers in the office, paint sets, or work as a dresser for a Broadway star," continued Pennington-Baird. "We are big supporters of the Renton High School Gay-Straight Alliance. We are a safe space for these students and we post signage that states our support for the community to see. Many members on our staff are excellent role models, with diverse lifestyles. We have a sound engineer, Tommy Johns, who plays in a band for Bear-a-Paloosa. It's a great partnership." The Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center has contracted with Renton High School's Culinary Arts Program and the Gay Straight Alliance for productions through May 2005. A Renton IPAC press release |
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