Done well, embedding performing arts in our public schools encourages our children to see the world around them with delight and to communicate that delight to an audience that persists far beyond the final curtain call. PAYETTE's engagement in "Seussical" provided an accessible entry-point to this worldview not just for the student-actors, but for their families, peers, and the larger Boston Public Schools community. The stage set was beautiful, executed at a higher level than I ever could have imagined. Most importantly, it was done in such a way that dozens of students and community members could feel a part of its creation.
Traci Walker Griffith, Eliot School Executive Director
PAYETTE is committed to giving back to our communities by supporting employee volunteering efforts. To this end, we offer paid Volunteer Time-Off that staff can use for volunteering with organizations of their choosing. Our Fabrication group recently used this VTO Policy to support Boston Public Schools and the theater program at the Eliot K-8 School in Boston’s North End.
The PAYETTE team worked with “Seussical the Musical Jr” directors Kervin Germain and Adia Vellaccio to design a stage set which included elements like a 20’x10’ Jungle of Nool backdrop, Whoville houses, Truffula Trees and other features. The components were CNC-machined out of lightweight EPS foam in our shop and brought to the school for a community-build session. On a fun-filled Saturday, more than 35 volunteers from the Eliot community came together in the school cafeteria to assemble and paint the Seussical set.
Eliot School Executive Director Traci Griffith said of this effort, “The involvement of PAYETTE in this show brought the whole endeavor to a higher level. Parke’s initiative and expertise, the craftsmanship of his Fabrication team, and the generous donation of your shop resources truly ‘set-the-stage’ for something magical.”
Set components were CNC-milled out of lightweight EPS foam in our shop.
Volunteers from the Eliot community came together in the school cafeteria to assemble and paint the Seussical set.
Student actors delighted the audience with their polished and energetic performance!
Each year, PAYETTE embarks on a collaborative effort to make our design services accessible to local communities through the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service. This year, we celebrated our 8th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service by partnering with 7 local nonprofits:
- Breaktime @breaktime
- Brighton Main Streets @brightonmainstreets
- Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition @masstpc
- The Elizabeth Peabody House @elizabethpeabodyhouse
- Greater Ashmont Main Street @greaterashmont
- Greater Grove Hall Main Streets
- Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts @animalprotectioncenter
To learn more about each of these projects, visit the link in our bio!
#designalways #artofmaking