AUBURN - Alyssa Dean always had a penchant for theater.
Sam Tenney / The CitizenBOCES New Visions students listen to Carey Eidel, managing director of the Auburn Public Theater, speak about the theater's upcoming projects. Eidel and three other panelists spoke and answered questions last week at APT about local arts, tourism and commerce in Cayuga County.
Performing in plays in her home district of Union Springs, the Cayuga-Onondaga Board of Cooperative Educational Services New Visions Environmental Science and Technology student knew she was just moments away from a professional theater, the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, but had no idea how much it offered for musical theater aficionados.
That is, of course, until last week when she and her fellow New Visions students from each of the programs spent last Friday learning about what Auburn and Cayuga County offer for arts and culture.
“I am actually considering going to one of those musicals now that I know they exist,” she said.
Sitting in the Auburn Public Theater, Donna Lamb, executive director of the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center; Executive Director of Cayuga County Office of Tourism Meg Vanek; Hilary Ford, marketing associate for the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, and APT Managing Director Carey Eidel answered students' questions on various topics, from Bass Pro Shops' impact to tourism and the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse going on the road during the summer for performances at various school auditoriums to APT continuing to be a venue for concerts and the Schweinfurth offering art classes to children.
While Cayuga County may be home to many youngsters coming of age, Vanek said many tourists who come to the area are older. As such, the tourism office has to market for a consumer who is, on average, 52 years old, she said. Wineries and agri-tourism are core components of that marketing campaign
“There's a saying, 'Fish where the fish are,'” she said.
But there is a push to attract younger guests, and the office is doing that with digital marketing, through “e-mails, the Internet, MySpace and Flickr, places like that where younger people will be looking for information,” she said.
“We are taking a little bit from our budget, mainly to the marketing area, in trying to target a few areas for younger people and get that information out there,” she added.
The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse is also targeting a younger audience by unveiling student rush tickets - tickets available to students looking for a cheap way to enjoy theater.
Any tickets remaining 15 minutes before curtain will become available to students for $8, an option cheaper than going to the movies.
“That's something we're excited about,” Ford said, “because, let's be honest, you're the next generation of audience members.”
Friday's meeting was the last event for the inaugural year of the Citizen's Academy, an interactive educational program that informs students about how local governments and agencies are organized and how services are funded and delivered.
The conception for the academy came after New Visions education teacher Natalie Scavone attended the Onondaga County Citizen's Academy. She said the “fabulous” program would provide unique learning experiences for students and allow them to glimpse real-life governance.
“It's a way to get kids to know about the community where they live,” she said earlier in the year. “I'm hoping that once they leave and go to college they'll come back.”
The academy featured four other sessions earlier this year. On Feb. 15, students listened to local politicians to learn about public administration and what it takes to run municipalities; on March 7, they learned about economic development and what development model supports Cayuga County; and on April 11 and May 2, they learned about public safety and community and human resources, respectively.
For Dean, Friday's academy opened her eyes to what is offered in the county, and may bring a wider publicity to arts and culture.
“Now that our New Visions students are informed,” she said, “We'll tell people about these programs and more people will show up to those events.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
That is, of course, until last week when she and her fellow New Visions students from each of the programs spent last Friday learning about what Auburn and Cayuga County offer for arts and culture.
“I am actually considering going to one of those musicals now that I know they exist,” she said.
Sitting in the Auburn Public Theater, Donna Lamb, executive director of the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center; Executive Director of Cayuga County Office of Tourism Meg Vanek; Hilary Ford, marketing associate for the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, and APT Managing Director Carey Eidel answered students' questions on various topics, from Bass Pro Shops' impact to tourism and the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse going on the road during the summer for performances at various school auditoriums to APT continuing to be a venue for concerts and the Schweinfurth offering art classes to children.
While Cayuga County may be home to many youngsters coming of age, Vanek said many tourists who come to the area are older. As such, the tourism office has to market for a consumer who is, on average, 52 years old, she said. Wineries and agri-tourism are core components of that marketing campaign
“There's a saying, 'Fish where the fish are,'” she said.
But there is a push to attract younger guests, and the office is doing that with digital marketing, through “e-mails, the Internet, MySpace and Flickr, places like that where younger people will be looking for information,” she said.
“We are taking a little bit from our budget, mainly to the marketing area, in trying to target a few areas for younger people and get that information out there,” she added.
The Merry-Go-Round Playhouse is also targeting a younger audience by unveiling student rush tickets - tickets available to students looking for a cheap way to enjoy theater.
Any tickets remaining 15 minutes before curtain will become available to students for $8, an option cheaper than going to the movies.
“That's something we're excited about,” Ford said, “because, let's be honest, you're the next generation of audience members.”
Friday's meeting was the last event for the inaugural year of the Citizen's Academy, an interactive educational program that informs students about how local governments and agencies are organized and how services are funded and delivered.
The conception for the academy came after New Visions education teacher Natalie Scavone attended the Onondaga County Citizen's Academy. She said the “fabulous” program would provide unique learning experiences for students and allow them to glimpse real-life governance.
“It's a way to get kids to know about the community where they live,” she said earlier in the year. “I'm hoping that once they leave and go to college they'll come back.”
The academy featured four other sessions earlier this year. On Feb. 15, students listened to local politicians to learn about public administration and what it takes to run municipalities; on March 7, they learned about economic development and what development model supports Cayuga County; and on April 11 and May 2, they learned about public safety and community and human resources, respectively.
For Dean, Friday's academy opened her eyes to what is offered in the county, and may bring a wider publicity to arts and culture.
“Now that our New Visions students are informed,” she said, “We'll tell people about these programs and more people will show up to those events.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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