Stepping Stone Theater Co.
Background and Purpose
Stepping Stone Theater Co (Stepping Stone) was founded in 1987. Its mission is “to develop the whole child by using educational theater programs and fully-staged productions to build self-esteem, confidence and a sense of community, while celebrating diversity in a supportive, non-competitive atmosphere.”
The theater is committed to maintaining broad access to its programs through low-ticket prices, scholarships for classes and workshops, discounted residencies for schools and community programs, and assistance with transportation.
Stepping Stone’s work is focused in three primary programs: 1) Mainstage: the production of plays for and about children and youth of diverse cultures and economic backgrounds, with peer modeling and peer education as the primary goal; 2) School for Young Actors: classes and workshops for children ages 3 ½ through 16 taught by professional theater artists that stress creativity and collaboration; and 3) Outreach: In-school artist residencies and after-school programs using the tools of theater arts to teach students to engage more fully with their curriculum and community, often culminating with a student-created performance.
In the past 12 years, the theater has more than tripled its operating budget from $270,000 in FY 1997 to $890,000 in FY 2009. Last year 39,820 patrons attended 179 performances. A 19-member board of directors oversees a staff of eight full-time and six part-time employees.
Current Request
Stepping Stone is committed to representing the cultural and social diversity of the Twin Cities metro area on the mainstage while also tackling topics that are relevant to today’s youth. For the past few years, the artistic director has been thinking of ways to expand this community and bring lessons of social diversity from a different part of the county to some of the local youth actors.
With help from The Saint Paul Foundation, the theater will co-commission a new play with TADA Youth Theatre from New York City. Each company will produce a version of The Magic Pot: Three Tales from China which will be presented as part of their mainstage season. Each youth cast will travel to the other city to observe the other’s production, to take workshops from the theater’s Artistic Director and to have other cultural experiences.
This project will allow the young Stepping Stone actors the opportunity to travel and work with theater professionals in the theater capital of the country. The impetus behind the cast exchange is to offer the students more opportunities for learning and growing. This project is the first Stepping Stone project to receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
It is recommended that the board approve a grant of $10,000 to Stepping Stone Theatre Co. to help finance the budget of the Youth Cast Exchange Program.
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