The Educational Theatre Foundation’s (ETF) Craig Zadan Pathway for Equity in the Arts Grant aims to increase access to resources for theatre programs across the country. To accomplish this, ETF and its partners award schools funding with the goal of producing a show that encourages dialogue on diverse perspectives and experiences, opportunities to bring in diverse teaching artists, and a culminating community event that helps expand the reach of theatre.
In 2025, Brooklyn High School of the Arts was one of those recipients, and their production of Footloose did more than entertain. ETF chatted with theatre director Hayley Adler to learn more about the experience and the long-term impact it’s poised to have
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From Hesitation to Empowerment: Why Footloose?
After productions of The Addams Family and Urinetown, Adler knew her program and students were ready to pivot from dark comedies to something more vibrant, yet still meaningful, particularly in what would be her first show back from maternity leave.
“Footloose can be a campy, jukebox-y type show, which is something that’s different,” Adler said. “My co-director, Justin Gray, and I really wanted to juxtapose the campy song aspect and the ‘you can’t dance,’ against the heavy subject matter presented at the same time. It really has a lot of subtextual work for the actor that sometimes gets overlooked when you’re thinking about the show.”
Though some students were initially unsure about the choice, the story began to resonate as rehearsals progressed. Themes of challenging authority and standing up for change felt timely and personal.
“As teenagers, they want to speak their minds. They come to us with all these huge ideas and want to make them happen. But in Beaumont, Ren does make them happen, and not in a way that completely shuts down a conversation with adults,” Adler said. “He’s done his research and ultimately, changes their minds. That’s really empowering and what we wanted our kids to see. You can speak your mind and make a difference with the right tools and mindset.”
A Standout Journey
While there were plenty of instances of growth amongst cast and crew, one of the most powerful transformations came from Thespian Shanice Ellis, who was cast as Ren, a male lead she was reluctant to play.
“She wasn’t thrilled. She wanted to be Ariel or Rusty,” Adler said. “It took some convincing…but we had all the faith in the world that she could do it.”
What followed was a breakthrough performance not in character, but in leadership.
“She took on the role of Ren as not only the lead of the musical, but the leadership amongst all the kids,” Adler said. “Her growth, especially in acting and taking every single note we gave her, was phenomenal. I saw her mature from the little 10th grader when I met her to just owning every element and time she was on stage and becoming a role model for the younger students.”
How Pathway Helped
The Craig Zadan Pathway for Equity in the Arts Grant was launched in the 2021‑22 school year, following a 2018 tribute fundraising event. Zadan (April 15, 1949 – August 20, 2018) was an American producer, director, and writer—known for producing feature films like Chicago, Hairspray, Footloose, and iconic live televised musicals such as Cinderella and The Wiz—who championed expanding access to musical theatre across racial and socio-economic lines.
The grant provides $10,000 in funding to high school theatre programs in under-resourced communities, with each participating school hiring several professional artist-mentors mirroring their student population. Additionally, schools create community events or conversations centering around equity within both the show and their school. In the case of Brooklyn High School of the Arts’ production, both raving successes.
The Power of a Shared Meal
Because of the diverse nature of the school, Adler had the idea to host a potluck, inspired by the show’s church scene. And while there were initial concerns over turnout, families and supporters came out in full force.
“Trays of food and parents just kept showing up,” she said, “We had so much left over it was ridiculous…we were feeding the kids into the next week.” However, it was more than just food—the potluck deepened the understanding of the program.
“After COVID, our parent-teacher conferences are all virtual. We usually just see [parents] at the show, say hi, and that’s it,” said Adler. “This gave us real time with them. We opened the floor to questions and the parents started asking thought-provoking questions about the power of the arts for them in their high school careers. And they got answers that were not just from their own children but got to hear why this program and what we do is so important.”
From students explaining how vital it was to their success in school to the impact of finding community in a shared passion, the conversation with families was such a success Adler has already planned to make it a routine part of future productions.
“My favorite part of attending the community potluck was when teachers asked students to introduce their adults to each other,” said Janie Slavens, ETF Director. “I watched so many students walk their parents and caregivers up to the families of their friends and make really sweet connections. It was a simple, yet powerful moment. These connections go a long way to building authentic communities in schools, a real goal of the Pathway program.”
Real-World Skills and Student Autonomy
Additionally, as a performing arts high school, many students already plan to pursue careers in theatre. However, the production and a partnership with industry professionals gave them hands-on training that extended far beyond acting, with some of that training focused on problem areas the school has encountered previously.
“We had 40 kids learn how to mic themselves, whether they were crew or actors,” Adler said. “It gave them ownership and autonomy… It lets us as adults back away and do all the other million things, and it’s all becoming more student-run, which is awesome.”
Students also took over the light board, sound board, QLab, and spotlight operations, many for the first time, with tech students also joining run-throughs of the show to help them prepare. The result was a fully student-run show that modeled professionalism at every level. “It set an example for all the kids that no matter where they are and what career path they want to take. You can’t show up and just do your job. Every single element matters,” she said
Why Theatre, and This Support, Matters
As Adler looks ahead to next year’s show, In Transit, Broadway’s first a cappella musical, she carries forward the lessons of Footloose: trust the students, build community, and let the process breathe.
“I came back in the middle of the year and felt a little removed. But the community aspect reminded me why I do what I do,” she said. “I love making theatre with kids and I love feeling inspired by them.”
As for others considering applying for a grant? Adler has one message:
“Just do it. You never know what could happen. The worst they can say is no, but the best they can say is yes—and then your kids get an unforgettable experience.”
And to the donors who made it possible?
“Thank you. The support that you give… does and will continue to serve our students in ways that are magical.”