Our Stories

Amcor helps inspire creativity in students through live performing arts experiences by supporting the Amcor Education Series as the Series Title Partner. Thanks to Amcor and other Center contributors, more than 2,000 students filled Thrivent Hall in December 2002 to experience the education series for the first time. Since then, the series has grown exponentially, welcoming more than 465,000 students from pre-K to 12th grade. Reflecting on the partnership with the Center, Amcor’s Vice President and General Manager of Liquid Packaging, Ethan Haas highlights the impact the Amcor Education Series has on students in our community.

At Amcor’s Oshkosh location, Ethan is responsible for all manufacturing and future innovations in liquid packaging. Originally founded as Bemis in the mid-1800s, Amcor purchased the company in 2019. Amcor manufactures basic materials used in packaging items including glass, plastic and everything in between. “When people think of plastic packaging, they think of the environment,” Ethan remarked. “It extends the shelf-life of products by days, and we’re continually evolving our packaging to be more recyclable, even incorporating recycled materials so it continues reducing the footprint on our planet.”

As a global company, Amcor has employees from around the world who move to the Fox Cities. “The Fox Cities P.A.C. is one of the things employees talk about that drew them to Appleton,” Ethan said. “They’re amazed by the location, the impact the Center has on the community and the quality of programming.”

Ethan, his wife, Ilana and son, Theodore shared their experience of attending TheaterWorksUSA production of Dog Man: The Musical on May 3. They saw students and educators dancing, clapping and having a great time. “It’s the loudest space I’ve been in since Taylor Swift’s concert,” Ethan joked. “This was my first time attending an Amcor Education Series performance. The students brought their energy, and you could feel it. There were lots of smiles and laughs. And the cast of Dog Man: The Musical raved about the Center and its quality.”

While this was the first Amcor Education Series performance the Haas family has attended together, they have experienced a variety of shows including The Hip Hop Nutcracker in the fall of 2023. “There’s a lot of energy when it comes to attending a show or event at the Center,” Ethan shared. “The audience is enthused and it’s a natural pick-me-up. We sat in the front row, which was the first time sitting in the front row for anything. We really got into it and Theodore really enjoyed it.” Ilana added, “I didn’t know what to expect because I’m used to the regular The Nutcracker story, but it was amazing!”

At the end of April, local educators enjoyed an Educator Appreciation event and the announcement of the 2024-25 Amcor Education Series. “We’re hoping that next season will bring in more kids, allowing them more interaction with the arts,” Ethan said. Ilana added, “The Make a Day of It Program was a really great addition this past year, allowing students to extend their learning to a full day out of the classroom.” Due to the success and popularity of the Make a Day of It Program in the 2023-24 Season, the program has expanded and will continue enhancing conversations with students sparked by the themes in 2024-25 Amcor Education Series performances. “It’s helpful to many kids,” Ilana remarked. “We homeschool, so it’s great to have those experiences add to the performances they’re seeing.” Ilana also noted that she appreciates how the Center works to be inclusive, helping anyone with accessibility needs enjoy the same performance.

Written by Philomena Dorobek, Brand Storyteller
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center