Gould Charitable Lead Unitrust makes it possible for students from five city schools to attend

PROVIDENCE – Trinity Rep is pleased to announce that board member Philip Gould and wife Athena Poppas have generously underwritten a landmark donation serving Providence Public Schools. Because of the Gould Charitable Lead Unitrust, 500 Providence youth will be able to attend student matinee performances of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The donation serves students from Central High School, Classical High School, Hope High School, Mt. Pleasant High School, and Nathanael Greene Middle School.

Trinity Repertory Company puts on these student matinee performances as part of Project Discovery Plus, the cornerstone of its education initiatives. Project Discovery Plus began five years ago as part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national theater initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. There is normally a fee associated with the program, which provides theater experience both in and out of the classroom through workshops and discussions with actors and teaching artists.

“Students shouldn’t miss out on the gem that is Trinity Rep, and this kind of event will hopefully lead to even more initiatives for Providence schoolchildren in the future,” stated Gould.

“We are so grateful to Phil Gould and Athena Poppas for their commitment to arts education.  Shakespeare plays were meant to be seen, and now hundreds of Providence school teens will have the opportunity to experience Twelfth Night off the page.  As a former Project Discovery student, I can say without a doubt that these early theatrical experiences shape and enhance the lives of young people and perhaps will inspire them to pursue a life in the arts,” said Education Director Caroline Azano.

“The importance of this donation to our education initiatives cannot be understated,” said Curt Columbus, artistic director. “Education is one of the cornerstones of Trinity Rep’s mission – and providing students and underserved communities with access to live theater is a resource we’ve been providing for decades through our Project Discovery matinees and residencies, ticket donations, and open access theater programs. This donation is an important step towards our goal ensuring that live theater is a component of every student’s arts education.”

Education programs surrounding Twelfth Night are part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, a national initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.  Trinity Rep's production of Twelfth Night is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.