It's Not Easy Living Green

Theater League was recently awarded a $5000 grant from the Broadway League to further promote it's educational programs in Wichita. This grant is awarded annually to theaters across the country to support programs like ours, giving students an opportunity to experience touring Broadway, not just as a form of entertainment, but also as an educational tool.

Theater League's program, "It's Not Easy Living Green" focuses on the newly formed green initiatives now in place on Broadway and in many touring Broadway shows. The inspiration for the grant was a small high school in a very small town in Western Kansas.

On May 4, 2007, Greensburg, Kansas was virtually wiped from the map after an E5 Tornado tore through the town of 1500. The devastation in its wake challenged the residents of this small town to rebuild or move on. Those who decided to stay came to the decision early on to rebuild a better and "greener" town. This decision brought this small town and it's very private residents into the spotlight. Greensburg and its efforts became an example of how to build and live in an environmentally friendly way.

A portion of the grant looks at Greensburg High School’s efforts to rebuild in a green fashion and how their “Green Club” has influenced its students. Theater League will work with Wichita High School West’s drama department, Greensburg High School, Greensburg City leaders and members of the touring company of WICKED to further the cause of the growing “Green Movement.” Through workshops, field trips, question and answer sessions and attending a performance of WICKED, students from both Greensburg and West High School will see major moments of the production come to life, while gaining a deeper understanding of our world and how to sustain it.