OWENSBORO, KY – Production Resource Group (PRG) is supporting an educational partnership between RiverPark Center, Brescia University, Kentucky Wesleyan College and Owensboro Community and Technical College. The three academic institutions and the RiverPark Center have banded together to create a new Bachelor of Theatre Arts degree that lets enrolled students participate in courses at each of the contributing institutions, enhancing their creative and technical educational options.
Along with hands-on learning opportunities, PRG will provide close to $500,000 worth of equipment to help students learn real-world skills. PRG will also assist in recruiting leading industry professionals to work with the students. PRG will also train the staff at the university, the two colleges and RiverPark Center.
"PRG has long supported a wide variety of educational efforts in our industry," explained Jere Harris, Chairman and CEO of PRG. "This is truly an exceptional collaboration that will offer students the chance to get both a foundation of real world skills along with the opportunity to learn while doing. That kind of training is rare and invaluable."
RiverPark Center's President and CEO Zev Buffman, a Tony-nominated Broadway producer with more than 40 Broadway shows and 100 National Tours to his credit, spearheads the program. Buffman and Harris have known each other for close to 30 years, having first worked together while Buffman was producing Broadway shows.
Both PRG and RiverPark, where several of the classes will take place, will educate students in the different aspects of producing and supporting a professional theatrical production.
RiverPark Center, a non-profit regional performing arts and civic center, has nearly 100,000 square feet including a new 1,479 seat auditorium (Cannon Hall), the 300 seat multi-purpose Jody Berry Experimental Theater, an outdoor entertainment patio on the Ohio River, meeting rooms, and a bricked center courtyard.
Working with designers, producers, programmers, engineers and production managers, PRG has developed innovative products and technologies. Their proprietary products have expanded the creative possibilities of designers and producers with revolutionary advances in scenic automation, lighting control, and video control.
"We will be able to bring to students equipment they might not have the chance to work with in any other academic environment," noted Tim Brennan, vice president of PRG. "We are very proud of our products and of the depth of inventory of other manufacturer's equipment that we can provide. The technology these students will be exposed to will be amazing and will give them a real advantage going forward."
Juniors and seniors participating in the program can also apply for PRG's internship program. PRG internships cover all aspects of the entertainment technology industry, including lighting, audio, video, scenic fabrication and automation.
"We are proud that our internships are so highly regarded. This year, we received more than 1,000 applications for 40 intern positions," said Richard Rubin, Recruitment/Internship Program Coordinator for PRG. Positions are available throughout the year in locations in North America and many interns have gone on to become permanent PRG employees.
Along with Buffman, PRG is working with Cheryl King, president, Kentucky Wesleyan College; Father Larry Hostetter, president, Brescia University; and Larry Durrence, acting president of the Owensboro Community and Technical College. "This is an industry that is all about people and PRG is pleased to have the chance to work with these fine institutions," said Harris.
For more information, please visit www.prg.com and www.riverparkcenter.org.
