In Tucson’s continually unfolding story of the arts, the new nonprofit Saguaro City Music Theatre seeks to write the next chapter of musical theater through both performance and education.
“All of us have a story to tell, and musical theater is storytelling. Saguaro City Music Theatre is engaged in bringing top-tier professional musical theater to the Tucson community," said Drew Humphrey, artistic director of the theater and co-founder of the company with Charlie Ingram. "We want to engage the public through musical theater to inspire diverse artistic opportunities and community involvement. On the educational side, we are launching Saguaro City Studio Arts as a way to promote longevity of musical theater by inspiring young people and creating an inclusive atmosphere of tuition-free educational opportunities.”
It’s a homecoming of sorts for Humphrey, who came to Tucson in middle school and earned a bachelor's of fine arts in dance from the University of Arizona. He is returning after nearly 20 years in New York City, where he built a career in professional musical theater that included performances in the Broadway production of Irving Berlin’s "White Christmas."
Humphrey said he is thrilled to be back and looks forward to enhancing the already vibrant arts culture in the Old Pueblo by providing additional possibilities for aspiring musical theater artists as well as amateurs and professionals who might otherwise feel compelled to look elsewhere for professional theater opportunities.
“Tucson has a wonderful theatrical community and we look forward to providing another outlet — not replacing any outlets — to contribute to the rich environment of the arts community. We want to provide a place for folks like ourselves, kids and other professionals in Tucson to grow their art forms in musical theater,” said Humphrey.
Humphrey is also excited about Saguaro City Studio Arts, which embraces a curriculum based on the concept that arts education should be accessible to all children. With the support of a $50,000 matching grant from the Kautz Family Foundation, the Studio Arts “Clean Slate” program will offer free classes for students ages 7 to 17. The inclusive classes will serve children of all backgrounds and abilities.
“We don’t feel there should be any barriers to access to arts education for any child regardless of their abilities or challenges and want to encourage kids of all abilities, including those with special needs, to come join us,” said Dena DiGiacinto, director of outreach and education.
DiGiacinto, a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City and a certified occupational therapy assistant, has witnessed amazing outcomes with inclusive theater environments. She said that children with diagnosed challenges — including autism, spina bifida, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and hearing and visual impairments — work alongside children who may not have challenges and the results are outstanding for everyone involved.
“It is just a beautiful thing to see kids come together as a team to learn about the art of musical theater in this environment. It is naturally a place where people feel a sense of belonging and when you walk in you can see everyone’s self consciousness and inhibitions left at the door,” said DiGiacinto.
This type of theater creates a unique sense of community, empathy and acceptance that funnels into other aspects of the children’s lives, according to Humphrey.
From his own experiences and those of other artists he has worked with over the years, Humphrey also believes that musical theater provides a unique venue for storytelling for all children.
“Everyone can share in a common goal without needing to compete. The goal is achieved through cooperation, so success is measured in cooperation and community team building. … Theater is a valuable tool to get kids to learn to work together and to communicate. … It is 21st-century skill-building,” said Humphrey.
Ultimately, the inclusive educational programming will feed into a planned annual onstage production for the professional musical theater company, which plans to produce four productions each year.
