Teaching Artist Nikki Abramson in her graduation cap and gown.

Teaching Artist Nikki Abramson graduated with her masters in K-12 teaching.

Our Teaching Artists and Staff are involved in a wide range of professional projects outside of their work with Upstream Arts. Each month, we post opportunities to see their performances, exhibitions, and other events as well as notable accomplishments.

Nikki Abramson graduated with her masters in K12 Education on December 15, 2017! Her thesis was in the transformative power of theatre arts in education in the 21st century, and she studied how to merge education and theatre arts in order to incorporate more theatre into the classrooms.

On January 25, 27, and 28, students from Matoska International Elementary will perform The Music Man KIDS, presented in partnership with Lakeshore Players Theatre, where Aaron Fiskradatz serves as Education Director. Come see the results of their hard work (and play)!  Tickets are available at lakeshoreplayers.org today.

Dylan Fresco was awarded a 2018 Artist Initiative grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. He will develop a repertoire of ten Sephardic Jewish folk songs by studying the Judeo-Spanish language with a scholar and training in guitar and vocal performance with two expert musicians.

Pedro Lander and Masanari Kawahara will feature in this month’s Drag Story Hour at Pillsbury House Theater, benefitting the Chicago Avenue Project.

Sara Richardson is starting up her final year of the Masters of Graphic and Web Design at MCAD, slated to finish in December 2018!

And here are some things we missed from last month in the excitement of the holidays: 

Matt Sciple was part of A Very Die Hard Christmas, at the Bryant Lake Bowl. This annual classic combines the action and suspense of Die Hard with the sentiment of everyone’s favorite TV Christmas specials. “A holiday treat with all the trimmings: singing, dancing, and bloodshed!”

Abby Magalee and Brian Bose both performed in Light the World, a holiday cabaret of 10 extraordinary performers – singing, dancing, tapping, flying (circus-style) & waxing poetic.

Pedro Lander presented a solo at the Walker Choreographer’s Evening and performed as Doña Pepa Ladybeard at dance and performance night Daddy.

Nikki Abramson hosted Patrick’s Cabaret CabarABLE at the Pangea Theatre, showcasing artists with disabilities sharing their talents and talking about disabiltiy.