Beverly Blanchette, Dean of Theatre @ AW Dreyfoos School of Arts

We, at the AW Dreyfoos School of the Arts Theatre Department, couldn’t be happier with the work produced by Rain Anya of the Paper Doll Militia on our recent production of a new musical called MIDSUMMER that combined the work of Shakespeare with rock legends, The Moody Blues.

Ms. Anya was a vital part of our collaborative team as we created this new work with our young students. The addition of aerial choreography to the production raised the value to a professional level. Anya spent two months with us and carefully instructed our young performers in aerial artistry. Our audiences raved about the aerial work in the show and could not believe that the students had only been rehearsing for two short months.

Anya was always especially mindful of safety with regard to the aerial work. Absolutely nothing was left without checking and double-checking the equipment so that the students were always safe. She was kind and gentle with the students and they respected her. Of special note is the fact that Ms. Anya invited the parents of the aerialists to witness rehearsals as she explained every move made on the silks. She wanted to make sure that the parents felt comfortable with their children as they performed the various intricate, aerial maneuvers.

Our show was a hit partly due to the work of Rain Anya. The aerial artistry enhanced the production and did not detract from it. With Ms. Anya’s help, we truly created a new piece of art!

Without hesitation I recommend that other school groups and/or professional theatrical organizations work with Rain Anya and the Paper Doll Militia for any aerial artistry needed.