When the St. Thomas More High School theater was built in 1967, it was one of the foremost theaters in the Milwaukee area, and drew school and performance groups from around the city. While it was state-of-the-art for the 1960s, few updates have been made to the theater, and it has become outdated and in need of renovation.
The school’s “Art. For All Seasons” campaign demonstrates its commitment to revitalizing the fine arts at STM, creating a legacy of support for its students, and fostering a thriving arts community.
According to Kayla Williams, Content and Digital Marketing Coordinator, and Kevin Russell, Director of Annual Giving and Stewardship at St. Thomas More, the initiative focuses on three main areas: modernizing the theater, enhancing the fine arts curriculum and establishing an endowed fine arts department advisor.
“There were no large investments in the theater, just some small sound updates. Mostly everything done was more of a bandage rather than coming up with solutions,” Williams said. “We really want to get things up to speed with AV and bring the theater to a higher level so more students become involved.”
Architectural renderings show modernized seating, upgraded acoustics, advanced lighting and enhanced design elements to improve the theater experience. The new space will allow for theater productions, concerts, community engagement and special events.
“Updating our theater will provide a better opportunity for students to prepare for college acting and professional careers,” said Russell. “Another aspect of this is we hold Masses and other assemblies in the gym and learning commons, and it is not as personal a space as the auditorium/theater. We would like to do larger presentations in there.”
In addition to modernizing the theater, STM is expanding its curriculum to include music ministry, which aims to cultivate a deep understanding and practical application of music within the context of ministry and worship. The course empowers students to use music as a powerful tool for spiritual expression, community building and enhancing the worship experience.
Additional curriculum upgrades will include digital arts, dance and digital photography.
“We didn’t have the digital arts class until this year, and it requires a big investment with Adobe programs and graphic design programs that students need,” said Russell. “With modernized digital photography, we need digital cameras, which require a bit more than the analog darkroom type photography.”
The dance courses will also expand, said Williams.
“We are working on adding more to our curriculum to include jazz, tap and other types of dance,” she said. “We met with our new fine arts director, Betsy Corry, about our past partnerships, such as Danceworks and other connections. We are very excited for all these updates.”
Corry’s role as a dedicated fine arts advisor will oversee the development of fine arts programming, advocate for resources and guide the future of arts education at STM. The fine arts advisor will be instrumental in connecting students, faculty and the community, ensuring fine arts remain integral to the STM experience for generations to come.
The entire plan for the fine arts upgrades will need approximately $1-1.5 million to complete. Currently in the silent phase to solicit donations, Williams and Russell are reaching out to their campaign committee to get commitments and referrals from them.
“We expect to go public with an appeal as part of our annual fundraiser this month,” said Russell. “We will be fundraising through the end of the school year and hope to begin renovations in the next year. We are already at capacity with regard to resources in our liberal arts courses. We are hoping to draw more students as this department grows.”
Williams is excited about the new theater and looks forward to grade school students utilizing it for shows and other performances.
“It is possible we may be able to accommodate other groups as well,” Williams said. “I am excited about the campaign and how it will benefit the students. We have looked at the statistics and found that students who are involved in arts are more likely to be recognized for academic achievement.”
As part of the renovations, the auditorium/theater will be renamed the “Guszkowski Fine Arts Center” in recognition of Glen Guszkowski, a 1972 graduate of Don Bosco High School, and his wife, Nancy, who graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in 1972.
The Guszkowskis sponsor the annual Guszkowski Scholarship Fund at STM. The scholarship is awarded to students who have displayed persistence and determination when faced with personal or familial hardships.
Russell explained that STM recently received an unprecedented gift of $150,000 from the Guszkowskis.
“This generous contribution furthers STM’s commitment to creating opportunities for students through enhanced arts facilities and programs, as well as scholarship support to fund educational opportunities for students to attend St. Thomas More,” Russell said.
“The Guszkowskis’ gift will provide critical funding to fully enhance and renovate STM’s auditorium, as part of STM’s Arts. For All Seasons fundraising campaign. Nancy and Glen have long supported STM’s fine arts initiatives, and Glen currently serves on the ‘Art. For All Seasons’ campaign committee.”