Great Press -South Potomac Pilot

Thursday, July 3, 2008 - South Potomac Pilot

Scientists and engineers sought to help Black Box Project

By Doug Davant

Science, technology, engineering and math would seem to mesh with playtime like a Saturday bath.

But Indian Head’s children who will attend Smallwood Middle School this autumn are going to find that those STEM subjects do have fun attached when they are mixed in a ‘‘play”. And that’s what the town’s Black Box Theater group intends to do, along with looking for some science, technology, engineering and mathematics volunteers from Naval Support Facility Indian Head to help.

The Black Box Theatre Group recently was awarded some grant money from the Energetic Technological Center for such a project. Succinctly, a playwright will be hired to help Smallwood’s students write and produce a play based entirely upon science, technological, engineering and mathematical themes and this is where the base’s STEM community can help, according to Peggy Palmer who is the Black Box’s spokesperson as well as Indian Head’s economic developer.

‘‘We’re looking for scientists and engineers...people who want to work with children to help them understand about science and technology in helping create this play,” she said.

Palmer said the theater is working with the school to develop a ‘‘love for the arts” and to provide the school’s children with an outlet they ordinarily wouldn’t get in a small town environment.

‘‘Right now we’re committed to Smallwood Middle School to pilot our program until we perfect it. Then we hope to move out to the other elementary and middle schools in the local Charles County area,” she said.

The theater will also be collaborating with Naval Support Facility Indian Head and its Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division tenant on the annual ‘‘Autumnfest” program as it will bring the ‘‘Blue Balkony Festival” to the Village Green and Pavilion. The Blue Balkony Festival is featuring KAL, a touring group from Serbia which features gypsy, and will also feature blues music along with dance and ethnic food.

Palmer, who has Navy roots (she was born in Newfoundland when her father was stationed in the Navy there), describes herself as a ‘‘nexus person who connects the dots” and the town’s economic advocate for future development rather than the theater’s director.

‘‘I love theater and attend all the plays,” she said of Black Box. ‘‘I believe it’s important for small towns to have arts ... and programs which expose children to arts where they can learn about science and technology too.”

The Black Box Theater typically produces eight to 10 shows per year with a mix of drama and comedy themes for both adults and children. It is funded through grants from the Charles County government, the Maryland State Arts Council, Charles County Arts Council, the Chaney Foundation, Target Store Group, Mirant MidAtlantic, and other donors. (my additions in Blue)