Community Involvement

Kaleidoscope Theatre realizes cultural institutions play an especially important role in their community, and we take this responsibility seriously. In addition to being a member of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and the Bay Arts Alliance, Kaleidoscope Theatre tries to take an active role in many areas of our community.

If your organization would like to learn more about Kaleidoscope Theatre, we now have a Speakers Bureau. A Kaleidoscope Theatre representative can come to one of your group's meetings to tell you about the theatre, our programs, and give a preview of our next show.

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Since the early days of Kaleidoscope Theatre, we have been aware of the need to educate as well as entertain. We know that only by introducing the youth of today to theatre can we ensure an audience for tomorrow.

Kaleidoscope Theatre's Educational Outreach program brings students and other groups to the theatre who might not otherwise have this opportunity. This program provides performance guides, admission for the recipients, tours of the theatre facilities, and discussions with the cast and crew. We use this program to raise an awareness of and appreciation for live theatre in the audiences of tomorrow.

During the 1995-96 season, a grant from the Bay Arts Alliance allowed us to initiate a program in which selected students are provided admission, refreshments, a performance guide, a tour of the theatre, and a talk with the director and actors.

The program has been very successful, and we have continued with it. The Panama City Junior Women's Club and Bay Arts Alliance sponsored Educational Outreach program for both the 1996-97 and the 1997-98 seasons. The Panama City Junior Women's Club and the Bay Youth Center sponsored the 1998-99 season. The 1999-2000, 2000-2001, and 2001-2002 seasons were sponsored by the Panama City Junior Women's Club.

We would like to extend our most gracious thanks to these sponsors, for without their support, it would not be possible to continue this very worthwhile program.

Some of the organizations that have benefited from this program include:

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Kaleidoscope Theatre has been working with students from the International Baccalaureate program at Rutherford High School for several years.

I.B. is an advanced program of studies which draws outstanding students from all over the country. In addition to rigorous course work, these students are required to accumulate hours in community service and in attending cultural events. To satisfy these requirements, many of these students work with Kaleidoscope Theatre as ushers and stay to watch the performances free of charge.

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Kaleidoscope Theatre thanks the students of the Margaret K. Lewis Exceptional Student Center. These students, as part of their community-based instruction in their functional curriculum, perform cleaning services for the theatre. In addition to doing a great service for us, these students are learning techniques which will aid them in developing marketable skills for the workplace.

We are pleased to recognize these students and are proud to claim them as a vital part of our volunteer staff.

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Costumes and set pieces will be loaned to educational performance art programs with whom Kaleidoscope Theatre has an established reciprocal lending policy in good standing. Requests must be made by the program director and a refundable deposit is required. The amount of the deposit will be determined by the type and number of pieces loaned. Items are to be returned on the date agreed upon at the time items are removed from Kaleidoscope Theatre. The deposit will be refunded when items are returned on time, in good repair and clean. An additional fee will be assessed for items lost or damaged. Non-theatre organizations may apply to the Kaleidoscope Theatre Board of Directors for a policy waiver.

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Kaleidoscope Theatre also makes occasional presentations to the Bay County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Bay classes and the GCCC Life Long Learning Classes. We have been an official sponsor of the Emerald Coast Film Festival.

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