(September 23, 2021. New York, New York). The Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), a New York based 501.c3 organization, and WPBS-TV (Watertown, NY), a PBS LearningMedia Content Contributor, will co-present a 5-part series of educational workshops called At This Stage @ SHOWSTOPPERS! Spectacular Costumes from Stage & Screen designed to showcase the process of turning a two dimensional design to the three dimensional costume. Each session is a demonstration of S.T.E.A.M. education—defined as Arts integration into Science, Technology, Engineering and Math studies – which research studies have shown to significantly improve student achievement and teacher efficacy. Students from over a dozen schools throughout New York state and other parts of the country will participate in the five 35-minute live online sessions that are being presented on Tuesday, September 28 and Wednesday, September 29.
The series furthers the educational mission of The Costume Industry Coalition who produced SHOWSTOPPERS! to elevate and support its membership of independent businesses and artisans who create, supply, and care for costumes for every facet of live entertainment, television and film. Each educational session is moderated by Stephfond Brunson, host of WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories. In addition to his role as host of this weekly program, Brunson is an actor, theatre choreographer and costume enthusiast He will bring his knowledge and enthusiasm to introduce high school students to expert artisans who will discuss and demonstrate their craft, illuminating the wide range of careers in costume design and construction from concept to performance.
Feature theatrical artists include:
Julz Kroboth, artisan and expert dyer on THE SCIENCE OF COLOR: Dyeing on Broadway
Mio Guberinic, founder of Mio Design Studio on 3D TECHNOLOGY LIVE: Printing Costumes
Aaron Hartnett and Robyn Coffey, co-founders of Hat Rabbit Studio on ENGINEERING DESIGN:
Wearable Accessories
Bethany Itterly, founder of Bethany Joy Costumes on PATTERN MATH: Costumes by the Numbers
Brian Blythe, co-founder of John Kristiansen New York Inc., on The ART: The Artists in Process
“Showstoppers illuminates the expertise and artistry of designers, artisans and makers whose work gives shape and dimension to the stories told on stage and in film,” says Susan Lee, founder of the Broadway Education Alliance, Inc. “The exhibit provided an unprecedented opportunity to showcase world-class professionals whose stories will give students insight into the wide range of creative careers that exist in the world today.”
“WPBS is delighted to partner with the Broadway Education Alliance and the Costume Industry Coalition on this exciting and innovative learning opportunity,” comments Mark Prasuhn, President/General Manager, WPBS-TV, Watertown, NY. “Education is central to our mandate, and we have recently refocused our efforts towards integrative learning approaches such as STEAM, which have been shown to improve student outcomes and which we believe may be especially helpful in engaging student populations who have historically been underrepresented in STEM studies and careers.”
WPBS will package content into classroom segments with accompanying curriculum materials and a
A recording of all five sessions and accompanying lesson plans will be available at www.showstoppersnyc.com.
SHOWSTOPPERS! Spectacular Costumes from Stage & Screen runs through October 31st at 234 West 42nd Street, New York City.
For more information—
Showstopper AT THIS STAGE digital workshops, contact Susan Lee at slee@BEAlliance.org.
WPBS LearningMedia educational programs, contact Andy Lackey at alackey@wpbstv.org.
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ABOUT THE TEAM:
The Costume Industry Coalition (CIC) was launched in 2020 to advocate for the survival of New York City’s custom costume industry. CIC Members include 56 small, unique, independent businesses and artisans, in and around New York City, that create, supply, and care for costumes for every facet of entertainment, including theatre, dance, cruise ships, concerts, theme parks, television and film, on stages and screens around the world. The CIC collectively employs and represents over 500 costuming experts and artisans, including pattern makers, cutters, stitchers, tailors, milliners, hand finishers, craftspeople, embroiderers, sculptors, painters, dyers, pleaters, specialized vendors, and more. In 2020, CIC members collectively lost over $26.6 million in revenue, which has been a devastating loss. The CIC’s nonprofit fiscal sponsor, the Artisans Guild of America, has started the CIC Recovery Fund and a grant program as CIC Members continue to fight to ensure their artisans will have artistic homes to which to return once the live performance and television/film industries return to full production.
Showstoppers! Spectacular Costumes from Stage & Screen is a new Exhibition in the heart of Times Square (234 West 42nd Street), showcasing costumes from Broadway, Film, Television, Opera, Dance, and other live entertainment. Over 20,000 square feet of space, guests can make their way through an immersive maze featuring more than 100 of the entertainment industry’s most beautiful and complex garments, where they will get to see up close the detail and craftsmanship typically only seen far away on stage or screen. Costume makers and experts are on-site demonstrating their techniques and skills and interacting with guests, and multimedia elements will provide a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the process. All proceeds from the Exhibition benefit the Costume Industry Coalition to advocate for the survival of New York City’s custom costume industry. For tickets and more information, visit www.ShowstoppersNYC.com.
Broadway Education Alliance Inc. is a New York based 501.c3 organization supporting theatre arts education and enrichment programs that inspire creativity, build confidence, and stimulate critical thinking in children of all ages. Founded in 2008, BEA developed and produced the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (aka The Jimmy Awards®) building it into the Broadway’s national education platform and continues to present the Greater New York regional award program called The Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance. BEA also serves as the fiscal sponsor and administrator for education programs such as Eclipsed: 10,000 Girls (enabling thousands of teen girls to see Eclipsed on Broadway), Dear Evan Hansen’s “You Will Be Found” national essay competition, and other programs to provide children in underserved communities access to theatre artists and performance opportunities. The organization recently acquired StageNotes®, a library of theatrical study guides and the At This Stage® digital workshop archive to produce and distribute author approved, rights cleared education materials into K-12 schools. For more information, visit www.BeAlliance.org.
WPBS-TV—based in Watertown, N.Y., is the primary public educational television station and PBS affiliate for Northern New York and Eastern Ontario, reaching hundreds of thousands of loyal viewers across the region. WPBS provides world-class preschool programming; documentaries on history, science, and public affairs; unbiased national and international news; performing arts and music concerts; dramatic adaptations of literary classics; and documentaries and discussion programs on local issues. WPBS delivers thousands of hours of educational content using resources developed in house and also through PBS LearningMedia to support teacher curriculum delivery and distance/at-home learning. WPBS also conducts workshops, distributes free resources to childcare providers and parental groups, and reaches thousands of children through participation in community events. A team of 21 (full and part-time) employees and a large group of committed volunteers operate the station and its digital platforms and community events. For more information visit: www.wpbstv.org.
Stephfond Brunson, Host—an experienced show host, actor, theatre choreographer, and costume enthusiast. Stephfond is currently the host of the weekly current affairs show WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories. For ten years, he was an integral part of the administration at the Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse, New York. Having been a part of hundreds of shows and musicals in various capacities over the years, Stephfond will bring to Showstoppers an authentic energy and passion for the stage. He has also Emceed the Harms Theatre Festival in Auburn, New York, a celebration of fostering theatre works by teachers and students in secondary schools, where costume design is a focus.
