ENCORE THEATRE - Seniors Reaching Youth

A Chronicle…of a Magical Journey

1997
June	Eliza Roaring Springs applies to Lane Arts Council for a Community Arts Grant to create a “senior theatre for youth.”
July	Eliza receives $750 from Lane Arts Council (LAC)!
September	Rehearsals twice a week with eight troupers at Willamalane Senior Center In two weeks we have a name-Encore Theatre, and lots of ideas. Our goals: To dispel the myths of aging To share our life experiences Personalize historic events Be creative and stretch our selves Show the diversity among us Show the commonalities between young & old
October	Lydia Lord joins as songwriter/accompanist Start getting donations--LAC serves as our fiscal agent. Write, Choreograph, script & songs, ETC! Send out letters to schools.
Holiday Break	Construct & paint backdrop, make hat trees, sew costumes.
1998
February 3	First show for kids at Bailey Hill Elementary School (KEZI TV covers)
March	In next four months Encore goes to 18 elementary schools & seven middle schools in Eugene/Springfield First public performance, Hilyard Community Center-standing ovation!
April	Become non-profit corporation
May	First Board meeting (Eliza, Lydia, Sandy)
June	Judy Moseley joins the Board, immediately made president. Get tax-exempt status from IRS
Summer	Create Encore office (remodeled old shed on Eliza's property) Computer & printer donation
September	Receive $10,000 grant from Meyer Memorial Trust!
October	Eliza quits her "day job," starts working full time as Artistic/Executive Director of Encore Theatre
Fall	Revise show with same eight troupers. Travel to 14 elementary schools & six middle schools in Lane County. Perform at Skipworth (Lane County detention)--powerful response; youth asks, “Have you ever thought of doing this with kids?”
November	Buy trailer to move set
December	Copier donation
1999
Spring	Amazon Community Center becomes our home base for rehearsals and openings Create and tour show to high-school-aged kids, includes first Encore “senior rap!” Perform for 4300 high school students & at-risk kids throughout Lane County Invited to perform for: Eugene 4J School Board, Teachers' convention, Oregon State Legislature
March	Web site created & donated.
May	First residency project with kids at Skipworth juvenile facility. Three rehearsals per week for four weeks Perform show in detention for invited guests.
Summer	Encore logo design; slick brochure donation Great promotional video donated by U of O student
Fall	Revise high school show. Switch troupers. Travel farther
December	First newsletter goes out!
2000
Spring	Create and tour new show to Elementary and Middle schools. (“We've All Been There, Too!”) –start giving shows a name! First show with all original songs & rap by Lydia.
February	Create Steering Committee composed of Director, Songwriter, and Board President to guide Encore's program. Increase roles for Songwriter (production manager and publicist) and President (grant coordinator and scheduler).
March	First personal theatre workshops with kids, parents and troupers! ("Arts Builds Communities" grant through Lane Arts Council.) Workshops great, but low attendance at night.
Spring Break	Eliza & Judy go to International Reminiscence Festival in London.
April	Controversy! First time we have any negative feedback from the public. Bad news is misunderstandings and cancelled shows; good news is the conversations held, increased awareness of Encore Theatre, and the dollars of support that come. (More information will be posted later)
September	March in Eugene Celebration parade!
Fall	Attempt two troupes/shows in one school year '00-‘01 (“True to Me” for Elementary, “When We Were Your Age” for middle & high schools). Last time we do that! Travel farther, first overnights.
2001
February	Awarded 3-year grant for strategic planning by Meyer Memorial Trust ($53,000!)
May	Third residency in Skipworth Juvenile facility, called “Patchwork Players”
Summer	Lazy River Productions donate video of Encore's work with at-risk youth in Skipworth.
Fall	Establish one-troupe-per-school-year schedule (create in fall, tour in spring) 2001-‘02 show for at-risk youth (“Gravity is Winning”) including workshop with performance.
November	“ENCORE's Encores!” A Retrospective performance with all 21 troupers!
2002
March	Patchwork Players residency at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility (our first long-term lock-up facility far away—requires staying there all week).
May	First Patchwork Players program with kids not in detention (Northwest Youth Corps Outdoor School in Eugene). Includes public performance. Learn program works better in detention.
August	Troupe goes to International Senior Theatre Festival in Columbus, Ohio. Encore does performances (“We're All History”) workshops…we're a hit!
Fall	Create“Showcase” troupe separate from touring troupe. Create 2002-'03 show for teenagers (“The BIG Picture”) Start conducting TRUTHeatre workshops with kids of all ages without a performance!
2003
Spring	Tour show with TRUTHeatre workshop to public and alternative high schools as well as detention facilities.
May	Wayland Holmberg, Encore's eldest trouper, passes on. She was performing two weeks before she dies at age 83.
September	First Expansion project: Eliza & Lydia fly to Toronto, Ontario and spend two weeks creating troupe & show, “Been here Longer”. 2003-'04 Create/toured new show for teenagers (“Get on BOARD!”). 2003-'04 Start using “non-troupers” in TRUTHeatre workshops (board members, volunteers, trouper wanna-be's)
2004
January	Eliza goes to Senior Theatre Festival in Las Vegas & conducts workshops. Encore receives national award.
March	Third Patchwork Players at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility; one senior participant comes from Santa Fe, New Mexico to experience Encore's work. Non-troupers also participate. It works!
June	First Patchwork Players with only girls and women. (Hillcrest Youth Correctional Facility) Huge success! One senior participant comes from Springfield, Missouri.
Fall	2004-’05 create new show for teenagers (“LIFE!”) Present showcase performances with new troupe program, and TRUTHeatre workshops throughout school year.
2005
Spring	Toured show with workshop to high schools and detention facilities. Grant funding slowed down, so “tightened our belts”, and sought increased individual donations. Community responded!
March	Returned to Lane County detention (Serbu) for Patchwork Players.
June	First residency at Deschutes YCF in Bend. Great success, and with 7 of 10 seniors participating for their first time!
August	Third residency at Hillcrest YCF—again, all female ensemble. Former Encore trouper joins us from Wisconsin.
September	Encore goes into hibernation for one year, to rest and re-evaluate. (We're tired!)