“The Science of Light & Sound” returns to the Palladium
A generous gift is supporting the return of the Center for the Performing Arts’ free science presentations for local school groups.
“The Science of Light & Sound” is a fun and interactive 60-minute experience in which the Center’s skilled production technicians use the Palladium concert hall’s lighting and PA systems to demonstrate key terms and concepts in physics, reinforcing lessons from the classroom.
“This presentation really covered our standards in ways we have not been able to, given the materials we have on hand,” said teacher Elizabeth Bruder, who recently attended the program with the fourth graders of Allisonville Elementary School in Indianapolis. “It was also just an amazing opportunity for the students to be in the theater space, some of whom haven’t had the chance to experience that before.”
Designed to accommodate an entire grade level at once in the unique acoustic setting of the Palladium, the Science of Light & Sound was placed on hiatus when the pandemic led to limits on public gatherings. With the program’s revival in February, local schools already have booked a dozen of the available dates this spring.
The program’s updated content aligns with the Indiana Academic Standards for Grade 4 Science, exploring basic properties of light and sound as forms of transferable energy, though presentations can be adapted for older students. Currently delivering the material onstage – dressed comically in white lab coats and safety goggles – are Lead Audio Engineer “Dr. Rob” Glass and Technical Director “Dr. Brian” Coon, a former high school teacher. Colleagues assist from the lighting booth.
Amid the relaunch, the Science of Light & Sound has received a boost in the form of a $5,000 grant from the Scientech Foundation of Indiana, a public charity that supports nonprofit educational efforts in science, technology, engineering, medicine, and related fields.
“Awarding grants to arts organizations is not common for us, but we were impressed by the innovative nature of this program,” said Dr. Robert Yee, secretary for the Scientech Foundation of Indiana. “The Center is doing important work in making science principles and STEM career fields more compelling for local students.”
To make its educational offerings more accessible to students throughout central Indiana, the Center for the Performing Arts operates a Transportation Grant Program, funded by contributions from individual donors, to which school groups can apply for funding to reimburse the cost of bringing students to events.
More information on the Science of Light & Sound and the Transportation Grant Program is available at TheCenterPresents.org or by emailing SchoolPrograms@TheCenterPresents.org.