Spring break is for making memories and forging connections that can launch careers. This was the experience for six Theatre Design and Technology
students from the University of Northern Colorado, who spent their 2024 spring break in the Big Apple. They were accompanied by Assistant Professor DJ Pike and an anonymous donor — an alumnus who not only funded the trip but also joined them on their journey.

The donor didn’t miss a moment: walking alongside the students in New York, opening doors of possibility to further their experience and giving them insights into how much farther their degree can take them. “Their career choices are much broader than [the students] think. The talents and the skills that are necessary in theatre can apply across a wide range,” said the donor.

Inspired to support the Theatre Tech students at UNC creatively, the donor responded eagerly when Anne Toewe, director of the School of Theatre Arts and Dance, mentioned the students’ desire to visit New York. “I thought, ‘I can do that. I have friends who work there, and I can show them the different career opportunities,’” the donor explained.

“I think we walked about 20,000 steps every day,” Thomas Woolner, a senior Theatre Tech student said. “We wanted to see everything we could.”

The students made the most of their trip. With only five days to spend in the city, they made it to iconic places like the Museum of Broadway — and toured it with John Lee Beatty, whom the donor worked closely with at Circle Repertory Company in the 1980s. Beatty is a Tony award- winning scenic designer, who has designed sets for more than 100 Broadway shows.

“It was interesting having a more commercialized experience to show the grandstand of the production of these Broadway shows, and John Lee Beatty bringing in the realistic experience,” said Woolner.

Liv Nortnik, another senior Theatre Tech student, talked about her experience touring Scenic Art Studios, which specializes in producing theatrical backdrops, built scenery, architectural and decorative treatments, and more. The shop is housed in an old warehouse full of backdrops.

“You can’t picture the size [of the backdrops],” Nortnik said. “I talked to the owner a little bit and the charge artist ... I got an opportunity to connect and learn more skills.”

That’s exactly what the donor hoped to accomplish when they funded the New York trip. “You get out of school and realize you have to make enough money to live ... I thought, I could give them some options,” the donor said.

When in New York, it is almost a requirement to see a Broadway show, and each student did. Dylan Scott, another senior Theatre Tech student, saw Sweeney Todd and Doubt. “Broadway is the big thing to work toward. [The theatres] were small but so beautiful,” Scott said.

Scott and Woolner agreed that being in a Broadway theatre, seeing the stages and experiencing the shows helped demystify the world-renowned theatre district. Currently, there are 41 Broadway theaters in New York City. The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where Scott saw Sweeney Todd, was built in 1910 and seats about 1,500 people. “... It was no longer something I didn’t understand. It’s above the level I’m capable of, but it’s a level I could be capable of,” said Woolner.

Beyond the theatrical stage, there was also the television stage. The students toured NBC Studios, watching the donor interact with people in the industry and assisting the students in making connections.

“When we were at The Tonight Show, [a few people] recognized the donor. It proves how much your connections matter,” said Pike.

The donor also took the students to Costume Armour, a studio located in Cornwall, New York, that creates theatrical armor, props and sculptures — including Star Wars replicas for use in theme parks all the way down to stage safe bottles. “The students were surprised ... it’s something they never would’ve gotten [to see] any place else,” said the donor.

Having the donor alongside them for portions of the trip made it a defining experience. Time spent making connections can jumpstart students’ professional careers and inspire them to think big. When starting as a new college graduate, a foot in the door makes a huge difference, especially in industries that put a lot of weight on practical experience.

For this donor, and the students who embarked on the trip to New York, opportunity truly starts with a knock on the right door.