In 2022, a little musical theatre in Tucson began fulfilling big aspirations for local children and teens of all abilities. Saguaro City Music Theatre’s ability to nurture kids’ dreams of performing has continued to expand through its Studio Arts educational programs.
“In the past year, Saguaro City has really been growing and reaching so many more families, kids and patrons. We are growing on every front and it is very exciting,” said Dena DiGiacinto, managing director/director of education for the nonprofit theatre.
Saguaro City offers completely tuition-free and inclusive theatre programs designed to break down barriers and equalize the field of opportunity for young students. A high percentage of students have a declared diagnosis or disability; they learn musical theatre alongside children with typical development in a setting that provides appropriate support for all.
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“We are offering the community something that is very unique,” said Saguaro City Music Theatre Artistic Director Drew Humphrey. “Not only are we taking away any barriers or boundaries that many students and families experience with a child that may have different developmental challenges or physical limitations, but we are offering programming where parents confidently know their children will be supported in a way that they will be successful and grow and have a diverse group of friends to interact with.”
He emphasized that students and parents have fully embraced the programming, which is offered tuition-free to remove financial restrictions. They have also become invested in the theatre’s professional productions, which can provide opportunities for children to work with professionals.
“That sort of goodwill invites everyone to the table and the more people who come, the more they stay and the more they tell their friends,” Humphrey said.
The goodwill has generated innovative opportunities through partnerships with the University of Arizona School of Dance and Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB).
Saguaro City Music Theatre, a nonprofit organization, offers tuition-free, inclusive theatre programs designed to break down barriers and equalize the field of opportunity for young students.
“We love working with other community organizations and using everything we have to offer in combination with the strengths they offer to bring our students more enriching experiences,” DiGiacinto said.
Those strengths are on full display through U Dance!, a unique program that offers Studio Arts students dance instruction from student teachers at UA School of Dance in their state-of-the-art facilities.
“The UA School of Dance is renowned. It is ranked No. 2 in the U.S. (among public universities), and dance is an area that we have always wanted to expand our training in, so this is very exciting,” DiGiacinto said.
During the course, children learn from a diverse group of student teachers who specialize in different genres of dance. Studio Arts instructors work alongside the UA student teachers.
“We have so much experience working with kids of all abilities and can help the student teachers develop skills and communication and adapt their teaching skills and choreography to better suit kids of all abilities — kids in wheelchairs and kids who have trouble with coordination and other conditions,” DiGiacinto said.
She said the program is a resounding success for everyone.
“We can really see the kids’ skills developing so quickly and it is showing in their work throughout the rest of the curriculum. It feels like a program that is achieving the mission of Saguaro City and the UA School of Dance,” she said.
Studio Arts is equally excited about “The Sentinel Players,” a collaboration with the ASDB that staged an inclusive spring production of Disney’s “The Jungle Book Kids.”
Saguaro City students participated as peer mentors with ASDB students during the musical.
“It was an absolutely thrilling opportunity for us and our students,” DiGiacinto said. “We all received mobility training in being sighted guides for those who are visually impaired or blind ... Learning how to integrate students that are blind and deaf into a musical theatre experience was so exciting and it was wildly successful.”
Other educational programming includes Studio Arts Presents, a summer camp in which kids learn and perform a professional live musical theatre production. Clean Slate is an audition prep course; Spotlight Series is a skill-building workshop; and Showtime! offers students a Broadway musical theatre journey from studio to stage.
Humphrey said the goal now is to continue to expand to meet the demand for educational programming, which is about twice as great as the supply. To accomplish that, they need the ability to hire more staff with the expertise to work with the children they serve.
“We can’t open more programming without support to fund more programming. The demand side is very high. As an organization, we are always looking for more partners to help on the supply side,” Humphrey said.
He encourages the public to consider supporting upcoming Saguaro City professional productions and the ongoing educational programming.
“We have hit our ceiling until we raise the ceiling,” he said. “The excitement and growth of the kids and the effectiveness of the programming are inspirational and we feel anyone who has a chance to experience it will feel the same way.”
