|
At Torrey Pines High School, the theatre offers all interested
students an opportunity to act, design, direct, and produce. From
a small black box setting, the Torrey Pines Players has emerged
as one of the top public school theater programs in the United
States. The TP Players have been honored with an invitation to
perform at the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival. We seek
your help in making this possible.
The theatre at Torrey Pines is one-of-a-kind, as students alone
create and produce shows. This student-oriented philosophy is
a core value apparent in all aspects of our productions. Auditions
for shows are open to all 3,400 students at Torrey Pines, regardless
of students’ acting experience, grade, or whether they are
currently enrolled in an acting class. Along with being given
the opportunity to direct the shows, students design all sets,
lights, costumes, hair, and sound. All productions are choreographed,
technically directed,
advertised, built, and run by students. This student-based approach
allows for thorough education in theatre at a degree of sophistication
that is usually only attained in higher-level education.
The theatre does not receive any regular funding from Torrey
Pines High School or the school district. In fact, the group has
no regular funding except from ticket sales and several small
fund-raising events held during the school year. The TP Players
does not have access to a “regular” theatre facility;
their performance space consists of a black box setting. This
small but cozy theatre is a rectangular room that seats 130. Please
see “About the TP Players.”
The Torrey Pines Players choose plays based on their artistic
merit rather than broad based appeal. Challenging and complex
productions are the norm rather than the exception. The success
of this unconventional group has been extraordinary, resulting
in dozens of awards in regional competitions and the placement
of many students into the top college theatre programs across
the country. For more information, see “Theatre
Accomplishments.”
The visionary architect of this distinctive program and the only
adult involved is Theatre Director Marinee J. Payne. She arrived
at Torrey Pines 14 years ago and put in place the structure that
allows the students to develop and achieve through their passion
and devotion to the arts. Students learn through taking on adult
responsibilities and challenges at a young age. Marinee’s
enthusiasm and energy inspires, supports and nurtures individual
students, each with unique talents.
What is the next challenge? The TP Players has been awarded the
honor of being asked to participate in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
in August 2006. The Edinburgh International Festival is the largest
and most prestigious theater festival in the world. Only a handful
of theater groups from the USA are asked to participate each year,
and even fewer of those are from high school programs. Normally,
much larger and recognized theatre groups are chosen, often from
performing arts schools. To our knowledge, TP Players is one of
the only student-run organizations to be invited to the festival
from the USA. “About the Fringe”
contains detailed information concerning the Fringe, the acceptance
process, and what it means to the TP Players.
The TP Players are now faced with the new and exciting challenge
of organizing the logistics and finding funds to produce and perform
a show in Edinburgh, 6,000 miles away. The students are teaming
up with the parent-led TP Players Boosters and the Torrey Pines
Foundation (non-profit, 501c3) to help raise funds. The students
are planning a series of events and work projects to raise some
of the capital necessary to make this dream a reality. They are
also seek for support from the community in the form of donations
and matching and challenge grants. The goal is to raise enough
funds to fully underwrite the production and the travel of all
of the students involved. Please see “How
to Contribute.”
TP Players are proud to have been chosen to represent the San
Diego area in front of groups and patrons from around the world
in Edinburgh next summer. This project will enhance San Diego’s
growing worldwide reputation as a center for the arts; draw more
awareness of and interest and participation in the arts by the
Torrey Pines student body and forever etch into the minds of participating
students a greater appreciation of international art communities
around the world.
Thank you,
Tom Warren
President TP Players Theatre Boosters
|
