Theater technicians to train in the U.S.

Other news coming out of the Arts Council today is that three young Belizeans will be traveling to the United States for specialized training in Theater Technology. The three technicians have completed an initial course at the Center for Employment Training and are now being offered the opportunity to further that knowledge at a Theater Technology Conference and Stage Expo in Long Beach, California later this month. Accompanying the students will be Peace Corps Volunteer Elizabeth Lee, the Technical Coordinator currently assigned to the Belize Arts Council.

Elizabeth Lee, Technical Coordinator, Belize Arts Council

“While at the conference we will be attending lectures and workshops. In these lectures and workshops basically it’s professionals sharing their experience and information that they have been gathering along the way. Some of the topics will be health and safety, technical production how to build things and what substitute materials to use if you can’t locate or have the money to purchase certain materials. But basically it’s a sharing of information in technology between professionals. I’m hoping when they come back to Belize that they’ll be able to use all the information and knowledge that they have gotten at the conference and bring it to Belize. When I leave in August they will be the ones who will be in charge of doing technical theater in Belize so hopefully that information will guide them through everything that they do around here at the Bliss or in different venues around Belize.”

The young technicians will also participate in the Student Tech Olympics where they get to compete against other students in Knot Tying, Light and Focus, Prop shift and Quick Change techniques. Among the sponsors who have come forward to assist the up and coming technicians are American Airlines, Belize Holdings, Esso, Scotia Bank and Barrow and Company.