New theater equipment gifted from ETC

The theatre arts majors of today will be the theater professionals of tomorrow, and their training in modern technology is an essential tool for success. To ensure the students at Carroll University reach their full potential, Otteson Theatre will be upgraded with equipment valued at $16,000.

A successful grant proposal to the corporate giving office at Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. (ETC) resulted in the in-kind donation of new technology. An Ion lighting control desk and a portable power-control rack will be integrated in Carroll’s Lucia Stanfield Studio Theatre. This black box theater has seating for about 50 people, and up until now, had limited functionality as a classroom or a performance venue due to a lack of proper lighting.

“We are grateful for the generosity of ETC for a ‘technology makeover’ of the Studio Theatre,” said Jennifer Dobby, lecturer in theatre arts. “This rejuvenation will allow more opportunities for students and will improve our recruitment efforts. The Theatre Arts Program at Carroll University offers students consistent directorial, acting and design opportunities throughout the season – which is very rare in an undergraduate setting.”

Dobby and James Zager, head of the theatre arts program, have realized the potential of the Studio Theatre and are eager to take advantage of the upgraded space. When combined with the Otteson Mainstage Theatre, the Studio Theatre will allow for a progression in Carroll’s theatre arts curriculum, and an alignment with the standard model for the education of directors, actors and designers.

Students will first learn in the smaller performance space “that is actually more of an industry reality for burgeoning theater professionals,” Dobby noted, before advancing to the larger Otteson stage. The upgraded technology also will be beneficial for professional guest artists and designers who are invited to collaborate with the Carroll Players.

Corporate Philanthropy at ETC
Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. (ETC) is a global lighting and rigging manufacturer dedicated to providing customers with the best and most innovative products, services and solutions. ETC is committed to providing charitable support to the performing arts; to the education, recognition and welfare of students and professionals employed in the technical production and design of the performing arts; to the education and development of future leaders in technology; to the benefit or betterment of the communities in which ETC operates; and to nonprofit entities selected by ETC’s employees.

About Carroll University
Carroll, Wisconsin’s oldest four-year institution of higher learning, is an independent, co-educational comprehensive university grounded in the liberal arts tradition. Incorporated in 1846, it offers bachelor’s degrees in 57 majors and master’s degrees in business administration, education, exercise physiology, graphic communication, nursing, physician assistant studies and software engineering, as well as a clinical doctorate in physical therapy.