Broadway Dallas and Dallas ISD Announce District-Wide STEAM Education Program Themed To AIN'T TOO PROUD

Broadway Dallas, Dallas Independent School District and a consortium of generous underwriters announced today a district-wide STEAM education program themed around the Broadway musical AIN'T TOO PROUD - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS.

Over the course of multiple weeks, 3,400 theatre students and teachers from 25 Dallas ISD High Schools will participate in specially created curriculum that relates to the production, taught in classrooms by Broadway Dallas teaching artists. As part of the lesson plan all the participating students and teachers will attend a dedicated performance of AIN'T TOO PROUD at the Music Hall at Fair Park, where the show will play from September 6 - 18, 2022.

The program was borne of a growing partnership between Broadway Dallas and Dallas ISD, which strives to provide students access to "the spirit of Broadway" through a wide array of programs and initiatives. In 2021, the program featured the national tour of HAMILTON.

"At Broadway Dallas, we operate from a place of 100% certainty that experiences in and around live theatre have the capacity to change people's lives. At its core, live theatre is a genre that promotes empathy, providing those who attend a show the chance to see the world through another person's eyes," said Ken Novice, Broadway Dallas President and CEO.

"AIN'T TOO PROUD is the perfect show for this program as it will allow our mostly BIPOC Dallas ISD students to see people who look like them on stage portraying the meteoric and historic story of a group of successful Black men," Novice added.

"Having personally experienced this show on Broadway a couple of years ago, I am thrilled for our students to have this opportunity," said Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde. "The chance to learn about live theatre production from actual teaching artists is a genuine gift. This award-winning musical and the lessons it delivers - about history, music and the momentous 1960s - will be an experience to cherish. We are grateful to Broadway Dallas and their partners for making this happen."

T.D. Jakes Foundation is a Dallas-based nonprofit that focuses on being the bridge connecting underrepresented communities with life-changing opportunities. The Foundation, as an extension of its STEAM Academy, joins Broadway Dallas again this year as the presenting sponsor of the program through a special partnership with the Dallas Mavericks.

The Foundation and the Dallas Mavericks are excited to announce their multi-year partnership that expands opportunities and enables more young people to explore STEAM education and careers. The Dallas Mavericks' sponsorship fits with its larger MavsTakeACTION! program, which is designed to address racial inequalities, promote social justice, and drive change within the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

"T.D. Jakes Foundation is committed to exposing students, especially those from underrepresented communities to the jobs and skills of the future. It's a commitment we share with our partners, the Dallas Mavericks," said T.D. Jakes, Chairman of T.D. Jakes Foundation. "This unique program by Broadway Dallas for DISD students is a perfect example of the impact we seek to have. We believe "you can't be what you don't see," and that this program will create a spark in many young lives that can lead students to career paths they might not ever have considered."

The curriculum was developed to prepare students for college and 21st-century careers and includes a sequence of lesson plans that will provide students with fundamental training in video editing, honing creative and technical skills on industry-leading tools. Also included are contextual lessons dealing with the Civil Rights Movement and other historically significant events that took place concurrent to The Temptations' rise to prominence.

"The Dallas Mavericks are proud to partner with T.D. Jakes Foundation as presenting sponsors in this important educational initiative that leverages the power of the arts, technology and innovation for students in our community," said Cynt Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. "And through our long-term partnership with T.D. Jakes Foundation, we anticipate having an even broader impact on generations of students."

Inspired by the opportunity to create collective impact in serving the youth of our community, The Moody Foundation and The Addy Foundation have also made significant contributions to underwrite this project.

Additional project funding is being provided by Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust, H-E-B/Central Market, the Dallas Education Foundation, and the Broadway Dallas Education Ensemble and its Give A Kid A Seat campaign.

AIN'T TOO PROUD - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS is the electrifying, Broadway musical that follows The Temptations' extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one.

Nominated for 12 Tony Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, AIN'T TOO PROUD tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, as the group's personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America.

Written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), and featuring the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!), the unforgettable story of this legendary quintet is set to the beat of the group's treasured hits, including "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," "Get Ready," "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," and so many more.

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