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12.08.08 - Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation provides grant to Butte’s Orphan Girl Theatre
The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation recently awarded Orphan Girl Theatre (OGT), a children’s theatre operating in historic uptown Butte, a recurring grant in the amount of $10,000. The OGT will use the Foundation’s grant to fund its summer theatre camp and youth theatre classes.
The OGT was founded in 1997 and functions under the umbrella of The Butte Center for the Performing Arts. OGT provides educational and artistic experiences for the children and families of Butte and the surrounding areas. Since its opening, OGT has served over 15,000 children through their season of productions, touring show, after school drama classes and summer theatre workshops.
OGT is unique in its approach to productions, involving children not only on stage but behind the scenes where they participate in the technical aspects of theatre as well.The OGT garnered national recognition when it was awarded the National Endowment for the Art’s Coming Up Taller Award in 2003.
The OGT operates under the artistic direction of Suzanne Konicek. Konicek is a professional theatre practitioner with experience directing across the United States. She holds a B.A. in music theatre as well as an M.F.A in directing. Under Konicek’s leadership, OGT has grown into a stable, well recognized arts organization with a growing season ticket base and a well established summer theatre camp funded by the Foundation.
With the Foundation’s support, OGT intends to offer theatre classes twice a week to various age groups throughout the school year, in addition to holiday workshops. The Theatre estimates they will bring theatre education to an additional 120-150 students annually through their workshops, who may not otherwise be exposed to drama education.
Photo: Jenny Tarrant and Henry Gonshak perform in Orphan Girl Theatre’s Anne of Green Gables. Photo courtesy Orphan Girl Theatre.
