ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Nancy Sears, a renowned theater educator, has been honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contributions to theater in Florida's secondary schools.
With a career spanning decades, Nancy's dedication to inspiring students and nurturing their passion for the arts has made her a legend in the field. Her leadership roles, innovative community theater projects, and workshops have left a lasting impact on the theater landscape in Florida. Her influence will continue to inspire future generations of theater enthusiasts.
This past summer marked the first time Nancy and her studio teamed up with the Mahaffey Theater for a summer program. The Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts was thrilled to announce the Seussical Jr. Musical Theater Summer Camp, a one-of-a-kind learning experience for students in 4th grade through 12th grade.
"We're partnering to do a summer camp here, and it's the first summer camp that's ever been done at this particular location and with the Foundation and Mahaffey Theater, and it's a very exciting experience for not just us, but of course our students who are getting an opportunity to perform and a professional environment that many professional," Nancy said.
The summer camp immersed participants in the imaginative world of Dr. Seuss, allowing them to showcase their talents and creativity on stage. Seussical Jr. Summer Camp featured professional instruction that fostered each student's performing arts abilities. Every young performer was cast in the show, and no prior experience was necessary.
"It's not just the stories we tell, it's how we tell them," Nancy said. "And [the students'] faces were so full of pride."