Michael currently works as an assistant and technical director at a high school theatre department, but he has experience working in Walt Disney World® Resort as a stagehand. After learning about the National Performing Arts Festival, and what it had to offer students, he knew that it was really a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Here are some highlights from his performance travel experience.
All Access
Michael heard about the National Performing Arts Festival through a former colleague at Disney World. After looking into the trip for himself, he felt it was really something special. “Being able to perform at Disney, meeting some of the judges, being able to go backstage, those are things that are not usually allowed,” he said. “I know, I worked there!”
Brightspark Helps Make It Happen
Planning your first trip is hard, even for experienced educators and directors. Luckily, Michael was able to work with the Brightspark team to make it easier. For example, the year prior to his tour, he was able to travel to Disney World and see the event himself. This allowed him to better describe the National Performing Arts Festival to his students during his recruitment process. Michael was able to set up a parent meeting led by his dedicated Tour Consultant, as well.
A Big Deal
This trip was a big deal for many of Michael’s theatre students. Some had never been on a plane before, and many spent the entire summer working and fundraising for the event. In the end, it was very much worth taking his students, and Michael says his school would “absolutely” do it again.
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