The Florida Theatre Performing Arts Center partnered with the Women’s Committee of IATSE Local 115 and Junior Achievement of North Florida to provide 18 young women from PACE Center for Girls with a technical theatre experience as part of Career Day 2018.

Sponsored by EverBank, this was the first- ever career day hosted by the Florida Theatre.

For career day, PACE Center participants received a unique behind the scenes tour of the historic Florida Theatre. During the tour, female members of IATSE Local 115 gave presentations about various technical positions that support live cultural performances.

IATSE Local 115 President Susan Phillips said, “Members of the local’s newly formed Women’s Committee were thrilled to be asked to participate in this event. Twelve female members, with experience in the various areas of stage and wardrobe work, participated in the Career Day, and all felt it was a positive experience not only for the girls but also for those members of Local 115 who participated.”

Participants also met with Florida Theatre staff members to learn about the front of house duties that sustain the operation of a performing arts center.

Women lead the majority of the business functions at the Florida Theatre (marketing, box office, development, finance, house management). Women members of the IATSE Local 115 make up 19 percent of the membership, and are a part of the technical crew that loads in, builds and works shows at the theatre.

“It is extremely special to be part of a community that works hard at supporting and providing opportunities to those who are driven to make their dreams a reality,” said Christina Estrada, Chief Human Resources Officer of TIAA, FSB, the successor to EverBank. “We’re proud to be supporting Florida Theatre’s Vocational Career Day and help build a brighter tomorrow for our community.”

Following the theatre tour, participants watched a moving video about jobs held by women in the Northeast Florida area through IATSE Local 115. After viewing the video, the girls lunched on stage with members of the Women’s Committee.

Following lunch, they were given a hands on experience in three different technical stations including: back of House (for sound, AV/projection and stage management), onstage (lighting, Backstage/fly rail, spotlight) and props & wardrobe.

“Junior Achievement of North Florida’s JA Girl$ program is honored to partner with Florida Theatre and EverBank to provide this dynamic opportunity for career exploration,” said Sabrina Kinslow, JA Girl$ Program Manager. “Cultural Arts programs and careers are an integral part of not only Jacksonville, but the world at-large. Seeing women ‘run the show,’ literally and figuratively, will inspire creativity, critical thinking and curiosity — skills that make for an educated, well-rounded and innovative workforce.”

“Not everyone has the talent required to make a living as a performer, but there are so many other career options in the arts. Performers can’t perform without the hard work of the backstage and management teams.” said Numa Saisselin, President of the Florida Theatre. “Thanks to funding from EverBank, we were excited to pull back the curtain and reveal for these young women the world of other career opportunities for them in the performing arts.”

About Junior Achievement of North Florida

Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. Junior Achievement of North Florida has been operating in Jacksonville since 1963 and now includes a satellite office in Tallahassee. Through an innovative partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers, Junior Achievement of North Florida helps young people connect with relevant learning and the importance of staying in school. This collaboration resulted in 58,777 students reached during the 2016-2017 school year. To learn more about Junior Achievement of North Florida, visit www.janfl.org.

About JA Girl$

JA Girl$ is a Junior Achievement of North Florida initiative that positively impacts young women in this community by teaching girls about money. The major areas of impact include developing financial literacy skills in girls and young women. Since its inception in 2006, the program has served over 19,000 girls, averaging 3000 girls each year. JA Girl$ mission is to prepare girls and young women for economic success by providing hands-on experiences and educational opportunities that honor, value and celebrate the female perspective, experiences and unique development. Learn more about JA GIrl$ at www.janfl.org.

About IATSE Local 115

Since 1904, The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local Union 115 has been behind the scenes of entertainment. The stagehands of IATSE Local 115 work in all forms of live theater, trade show and exhibition, audio-visual, projection, sports broadcast and concerts as well as the equipment and construction shops that support all the areas of the entertainment industry. IATSE Local 115 represents more than 400 workers in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Gainesville and St. Augustine. To find out how to work and become a member of IATSE Local 115 visit iatse-115.com.