Millburn's Paper Mill Playhouse Expands Adopt-A-School Program

Millburn, NJ - Paper Mill Playhouse has announced the expansion of the nonprofit theater’s Adopt-A-School program, which will now include New Jersey middle schools.

According to a Tuesday news release, the Millburn nonprofit has officially “adopted” the Horizon School in Livingston and the Rahway 7th and 8th Grade Academy.

“The Adopt-A-School Project is part of Paper Mill Playhouse’s core mission of education outreach for underserved New Jersey students who have little or no exposure to live theater or theater arts education,” the news release stated.

Throughout the multi-year sequence, students have direct access to live performances, theater artists and professional teaching artists which are free to participating schools.

The new initiative, the “Adopt-A-School Project: MiddleStage,” aims to increase arts programming for middle school students in New Jersey with a fully funded two-year theater program.

Since its inception, MiddleStage has provided arts programming for over 1,000 students in Essex and Hudson counties, the Paper Mill Playhouse stated in a release.

Selected schools receive up to $5,000 in arts education support for each year of participation. In addition, MiddleStage supports the creation and exhibition of a middle school musical for each year of the partnership.

This year, MiddleStage is supporting Rahway Academy’s production of Disney’s The Lion King Jr., and Horizon School’s production of Seussical Jr.

Supports of the initiative include C.R. Bard Foundation, The Mall at Short Hills, Merck Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Nordstrom, PNC Foundation, PSEG Foundation, The Schumann Fund for New Jersey and Wells Fargo Foundation.

The program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

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