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Some of our friends and colleagues:

Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority

Ypsilanti Convention and Visitors Bureau

Ypsilanti Heritage Foundation

Ann Arbor Area
Community Foundation

Riverside Arts Center, Fall, 2006, Newsletter

Do not be confused by clever imitations
The Riverside Art Museum in Riverside, California, was designed by Julia Morgan. Morgan’s work included William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon castle. The California Riverside Museum started out as a YWCA, then was used as a dog pound before local artists rescued it and created the Riverside Art Museum.

Yet another Riverside Arts Center exists in Riverside, Illinois as part of ArtWorldChicago.

Neither the California nor the Chicago “Riversides” claim any connection to earlier Masonic orders at their locations.

Those kids across the street
The Corner Theatre Troupe was established in 1982 based on a program called “Family Life theatre” in New York. During its nearly 25-year history the Troupe has performed for about 28,000 audience members.

The Theatre Troupe has expanded from prevention performances on pregnancy only––to performing on a range of topics including tobacco, substance abuse, sexual assault, dating violence, HIV and STDs, and depression.

In its first year, the Theatre Troupe only performed for students in high school. In subsequent years, they have also performed for elementary and middle school aged youth, in traditional and alternative schools, detention centers, and neighborhood and residential care programs. Last year the Troupe provided 50 performances for approximately 2,000 audience members.

While the program has gone through many changes, the performance remains true to its original form. There are three components: skit, character questions, and peer education discussion.

During the ’90s, reality and skill building workshops were added to follow each performance. Depending on the topic of the performance, the reality workshop includes speakers from either Dawn Farm, HIV/AIDS Resource Center, or SAFE House who share their personal stories about addiction, living with HIV, or the reality of dating violence among teens. These workshops help to break through teens’ sense of invulnerability or “this won’t happen to me.” In the skill-building workshop, students practice communication and resistance skills through educational activities and role-playing exercises.

Recently recognized by the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce as an Exemplary Educational Endeavor, The Corner Theatre Troupe is a model program with a statewide reputation. It has performed at the national Ryan White conferences in St. Louis and Los Angeles.

For more information on The Corner Theatre Troupe please contact Eleanor Anasar at 484-3000, ext. 227, or khershey@cornerhealth.org