More Curtain Calls for Arts Alive!

It’s been quite a summer for Arts Alive!, the Barrington performing arts organization that is starting its third year of bringing shows to the elementary and middle schools.

Arts Alive! is now a nonprofit organization with a board of directors, said Dena Davis, a founder and artistic director and a former stage and screen actress.

The organization has started offering acting, singing, and theatrical dance classes with professional instructors.

The arts group has launched its own website. Click here to see it.

All four of the Barrington elementary schools will offer a performance this year -- double the number of shows last year.

“We’re in all the schools now,” Davis said.

Two schools, Sowams and Nayatt, performed sold-out shows last year.

The doubling of its performances is an obvious reason why Arts Alive! has had to expand its staff as well.

“We’ve been lucky to have attracted some outstanding people to help us,” said Davis, who co-directs Arts Alive! with Kimberly Durkin, who also is the costume supervisor.

Professional director and actor Jimmy Calitri leads the acting class. Professional singer and performer Wensday Greenbaum leads the singing class. Pamela Morgan, the former owner and director of Barrington’s own Grooves Theatrical Dance, is directing the play at Sowams. Diana Puccio, a freelance choeographer, is leading the dance classes under Morgan's direction. Claudia Traub, another professional director, is leading the show at Primrose Hill School. Kirsten Davis, a volunteer in the schools for years, is serving as business manager now.

There are so many volunteers and supporters as well, said Davis, especially the PTOs in each school. And many high school students are serving as backstage crews.

“You might see someone at the Senior Center sewing costumes,” Durkin said.

And parents volunteer at a drop of a hat.

“This is an amazing community,” she said. “It’s very supportive.”

“We never turn anyone away,” said Durkin.

The same can be said about the casts for the performances.

“We give everybody a chance to succeed,” Davis said.

Indeed, typical casts number in the 100s. The Nayatt School show this year, “Peter Pan,” will have a cast of 150 pupils. That’s up from 130 last year, said Davis, who is directing this show.

The show at Primrose Hill, new to the organization this year, is expected to have a similar size cast. “Alice in Wonderland” will be directed by Traub, who has directed shows at Perishable Theatre and Rhode Island College.

The shows at Sowams and Hampden Meadows have been selected, Davis said, but she is keeping them a secret for now.

“We’ll announce them soon,” she said. One show will be directed by Calitri.

Introducing performing arts to schools is why Arts Alive! attracted a Rhode Island State Council for the Arts grant to help it launch two years ago. It pays its bill and professional staff now out of ticket sales and fees for classes.

The support it gets from the PTOs is returned in many thanks and cash, said Davis.

“We return 35 percent of the proceeds to them,” she said. “I don’t know if anyone else does that.”

So, things are looking way up for Arts Alive! It does have a major need for storage space for costumes and props, though.

Davis and Durkin said you don’t want to look in their garages.

Contact either one of them if have some space you like to loan out to Arts Alive!.