 The Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation selected Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) as the recipient of three grant awards during their July board meeting.
The first is a $12,000 matching funds grant award in support of this year’s season that will feature six National Touring Shows from October 2022 – April 2023. This year’s season includes performances by Three Men and a Tenor, Barron Ryan, TCA Comedy Show, Fantastick Patrick, The Moxie Strings, and Drew and Kin featuring Danny K! The second matching funds award is for $2,500 and will fund the free Veterans Day concert on Friday, November 11. The event will feature guest speakers and a performance by the Dodworth Saxhorn Band. The Dodworth Saxhorn Band (DSB), headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is America's Premier 19th Century Brass Band and recreates the music and atmosphere of a 19th Century community brass band. The third matching funds grant award is for $20,000 for the creation of the TCA Music Park. The theater had previously received a $10,000 award from the Stubnitz Foundation for the park. The park is a collaboration between Tecumseh Center for the Arts, City of Tecumseh Parks and Recreation, and F & S Landscaping. Visitors of all ages will enjoy the “walk through the woods” as they encounter a large variety of sound sculptures from a harp to lily pad shaped cymbals. Musicians of all ages and skill levels will be able to create music surrounded by specifically designed landscaping that cohesively combines art, music, and nature. Construction for the Music Park will begin this fall. "Receiving even one grant from the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation can make a significant impact on the theater and our programming each year – but when you receive three grant awards for three very different projects, you realize how incredible this local Foundation is for our community," stated TCA Director Kelly Jo Gilmore. "The Foundation’s ongoing support for the arts and music has greatly improved the quality of life for residents and we feel honored that they chose to support us in our programming and upcoming projects. We are incredibly grateful and beyond thrilled to partner with the Foundation for all three projects this season.” Confident that music and the performing arts positively enhance people’s lives, the Elizabeth Ruthruff Wilson Foundation seeks to enrich the Lenawee County region’s cultural life through its support of, education in, performance of and appreciation for the performing arts. The foundation’s primary focus is on music and performing arts programs that benefit the Lenawee County community and/or students in the County’s primary and secondary education programs (including post-secondary scholarships in music and performing arts).
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 The TCA Music Fest returns to Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) this summer. The two-day, outdoor music festival or TCA Music Fest will take place Friday, August 19 from 5 pm until 10 pm and Saturday, August 20 from 3 pm until 10 pm. Sponsored by Vision Performance Group, Kiwanis Club of Tecumseh, Robert Fox – Howard Hanna and Kirchhoff Automotive, the event features a professional, outdoor stage on the TCA property. Tickets are just $10 for the day or $15 for the weekend. Patrons will receive a wristband to wear as they come and go throughout the event. The TCA Music Fest features musicians and bands from NW Ohio and SE Michigan including:
Friday, August 19
Saturday, August 20
 Summertime is a wonderful opportunity at Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA) to regroup and prepare for the upcoming season of shows. From the local and regional performances and events we host, to the national touring shows, audiences far and wide have only to purchase a ticket to participate. But have you ever wondered what was involved behind the scenes?
For over 40 years, the TCA has been a place of education, both onstage and behind the scenes. Our staff has taught students (and adults too) the craft of live performance and the various aspects of bringing a show to life. To that end, we created the Student Technical Corps. Though informal at first, TCA’s Student Tech Corps program has always been a part of who we are. The Corps, which is in its fourth decade, has seen more than 140 students participate. Each season, we employ 4-6 high school-college aged students to provide tech services for every show that is put onstage. They receive hands-on training with the lighting control board and lighting instruments, the sound control board and audio equipment, as well as the backstage crew positions. New “techies” also job-shadow older tech students and adult staff to gain more experience, and most are assigned to run the lighting or sound board for a basic show within a short period of time. From something as “simple” as a movie or business meeting requiring one or two people, to the more complicated shows when we need 8-10 theater technicians to bring our shows to life. Through the TCA’s tech program, students have worked with community members on local and regional productions, such as Tecumseh Youth Theatre, Tecumseh Pops Orchestra and Community Chorus, TCA Big Band & VocalAires, Tecumseh Players, and Tecumseh Public Schools’ events; but also the opportunity to learn about the world of live professional productions, working with a wonderfully diverse group of artists including Davy Jones, The Irish Rovers, Feld Ballet NY, The Acting Company, The National Theatre of the Deaf, Lightwire Theater, Second City, Capitol Steps, Broadway and film star Franc D’Ambrosio, The Toledo Symphony, Rhythm of the Dance, and Le Cirque Espirit! For most of our student techs, this introduction and training into the world of live performance is the first “real” job. We are honored to have been the starting point for many students who continued using their skills beyond high school, and for several that have entered careers in the industry. Former students have worked across the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, and East Asia, with such companies as Disney on Ice, ETC Lighting Controls (who provided lighting expertise for events like the Olympics in Vancouver and London), Washington, DC’s Shakespeare Theatre Company, Chicago’s Goodman Theatre, Michigan State University, The University of Michigan, Bowling Green University, Cobo Hall, Comerica Park, and many, many more. All had their start at Tecumseh Center for the Arts and are making a living in the entertainment industry today. Regardless of their future careers, Student Tech Corps members learn teamwork, discipline, cooperation, and focus - all important qualities that will last a lifetime. Currently, Tecumseh Center for the Arts is looking to grow our Student Tech Corps program for the 2022-2023 season. We are looking for high school and college age students (ages 14-22 years) who are interested in learning about the technical side of theater. If you know a student who is interested, or you are an interested student, apply online! All applications must be submitted by August 1 to be considered for this upcoming season. |
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February 2023
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400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh, MI | 517.423.6617 | boxoffice@thetca.org |
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