[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 131 (Thursday, September 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1813-E1814]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GEVA THEATER IN ROCHESTER, NY

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 6, 2007

  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate one of my 
district's true treasures: The Geva Theater. For the past 35 years, the 
Geva Theater has been providing world-class theatrical performances to 
the Rochester area, as well as arts-related workshops and educational 
programs. From its humble beginnings of lunch-time performances in the 
Rochester Business Institute building, to its current two-stage home in 
the renovated Naval Armory, the Geva Theater has maintained a stellar 
reputation for creative and artistic excellence.
  The Geva Theater was established in 1972 by William Sheldon and 
Cynthia Mason Sheldon. The theater was housed in the Rochester Business 
Institute. Their first performances were a series of lunch-time plays 
in the fall of 1973. In 1982, Geva found a permanent home when the 
theater purchased and renovated Rochester's historic Naval Armory. 
Today, the Geva Theater Center is the home to the Elaine P. Wilson 
Mainstage, which produces seven shows each season and holds 552 
patrons, and the Ron and Donna Fielding Nextstage, which houses a two-
show season as well as Geva's other educational and interactive 
programs.
  Theaters like Geva are increasingly important in light of studies 
that show the positive economic impact of arts in the community. ``Arts 
and Economic Prosperity III'', a study recently released by Americans 
for the Arts, found that the nonprofit arts and culture industry in the 
U.S. generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year. The arts 
industry creates quality jobs, generates billions in household income, 
and in local, state and Federal tax revenues.
  Furthermore, studies like Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and 
Student Academic and Social Development have proved that arts education 
increases students' cognitive development, motivates and inspires 
discipline, enhances confidence and inventiveness, and hones 
communication and problem-solving skills.
  There is no greater example of the benefits of arts organizations for 
local communities than the Geva Theater, which draws over 174,000 
patrons annually--more than 16,000 of whom are students. The Big 
Theater for Little People program allows thousands of students to 
experience original live professional theater. For each of these 
performances, Geva also provides workshops for teachers and 
accompanying study guides to enhance the learning experience. Artists 
also engage in question and answer sessions with students and are 
available to travel to schools to continue the dialogue. This type of 
interactive program has helped provide Rochester-area students with 
unique and well-rounded arts education experience.

  Through its wide variety of educational, outreach and literary 
programs, including Big Theater for Little People, the Geva Theater 
truly accomplishes its goals of enriching and deepening the theater-
going experience for its audience; providing access and affordable 
theater to the Rochester community; developing new plays and 
playwrights; and nurturing the audiences and artists of the next 
generation. And by recruiting talented actors, directors, designers, 
and writers at the forefront of American performing arts from all 
across the country, Geva ensures that it provides its audience with the 
highest quality performance.
  However, given all of the contributions that the Geva Theater has 
given the Rochester community, perhaps nothing is more impressive than 
the atmosphere and energy that characterize each show that graces their 
historic building. From meeting friends at the Geva Cafe, to the 
personable confines of the theaters themselves, it is an experience 
that has thrilled a generation. As Geva moves in to their next 35 
years, it warms my heart to know that more generations will be 
privileged to enjoy the same.

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