Woodruff Arts Center Continues Free Family Fun Initiative with BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD & More

The Woodruff Arts Center presents free programming on November 12 from 1 - 4 PM as part of the Family Fun at The Woodruff Arts Center initiative. Attending families will experience a variety of educational and artistic programming for free at The Woodruff.

Highlights include: at the ALLIANCE THEATRE, young audiences may learn how true beauty comes from within during a performance of Beautiful Blackbird, a rhythmic play inspired by the award-winning Ashley Bryan folktale.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will showcase the skills of their Talent Development Program during the Fall Musicale and invite young musicians to tap into their own talent with the Instrument Petting Zoo.

Families may also explore art from all over the world at the High Museum of Art with tours tailored for each age group.

ALLIANCE THEATRE has taken their 2017/18 season On the Road but returns to the Rich Auditorium on November 12 for a special performance of Alice Between (best for children ages nine and up). Directed by Rosemary Newcott and written by Alliance/Kendeda Playwriting Competition finalist Neeley Gossett, this modern take on the classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland finds Alice as a 7th grader on her first day of school. Written for and with middle schoolers, Alice Between finds a strong connection between Wonderland and middle school. Preregistration is required to attend this performance; visit woodruffcenter.org/familyfun to register for this event.

For younger audiences, free performances of Beautiful Blackbird will bring Ashley Bryan's inspired artwork to life in visceral and moving ways. Admission to Beautiful Blackbird will be first come, first served in person on the day of the event.

Families with young musicians and music-lovers alike will enjoy Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's Fall Musicale in Symphony Hall. This afternoon performance highlights the Talent Development Program, a program designed for musically gifted African-American and Latino students committed to pursuing a career in orchestral music. For children ready to make some noise on their own, the Instrument Petting Zoo is the perfect place to try out a violin, cello, trumpet and so much more!

The High Museum of Art's programming, presented as part of Second Sundays, features the November theme Around the World in Thirty Days, which invites families to explore art from around the world...all inside of the High! For those ready to get moving, Art Movers (best for ages five and up) is the perfect way to view artwork in the galleries while making connections with movement. Young artists will also enjoy working with High Museum of Art teaching artists to create their own masterpieces. In addition, families may explore Painter and Poet: The Wonderful World of Ashley Bryan. The exhibition celebrates the decades-long career of the prolific author and artist who has published children's books in a dizzying array of styles that reflect a wide variety of influences, from African folktales to jazz and poetry.

To register, visit woodruffcenter.org/familyfun or call The Woodruff Arts Center Box Office at 404.733.5000.

The Sunday, November 12 programming is part of the larger Family Fun at The Woodruff Arts Center initiative, in which families can participate in art making, interactive musical story times, composers-in-training sessions, instrument making, drop-in acting classes and more, for free, every Sunday from 1 - 4 PM. In addition, families can experience world-class productions and exhibitions at The Woodruff Arts Center. For more information about each Sunday's activities and for a full list of the programming, visit woodruffcenter.org/familyfun.

Founded in 1968, the ALLIANCE THEATRE has become the leading producing theatre in the Southeast, creating the powerful experience of shared theatre for diverse people. The Alliance values excellence, pursued with integrity and creativity, and achieved through collaboration. Reaching more than 165,000 patrons annually, the Alliance delivers powerful programming that challenges adult and youth audiences to think critically and care deeply. Under the leadership of Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director, the ALLIANCE THEATRE received the Regional Theatre Tony Award in recognition of sustained excellence in programming, education and community engagement. Visit alliancetheatre.org for more information.

Beginning its 72nd season, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra continues to affirm its position as one of America's leading orchestras with excellent live performances, renowned guest artist features and engaging education initiatives. As a cornerstone for artistic development in the Southeast, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs a full schedule of more than 150 concerts, including educational and community concerts, each year for a combined audience of more than half a million. Go to atlantasymphony.org for more.

The High is the leading art museum in the southeastern United States. With more than 15,000 works of art in its Permanent Collection, the High Museum of Art has an extensive anthology of 19th- and 20th-century American art; a substantial collection of historical and contemporary decorative arts and design; significant holdings of European paintings; a growing collection of African American art; and burgeoning collections of modern and contemporary art, photography, folk and self-taught art and African art. The High is also dedicated to supporting and collecting works by Southern artists. Through its education department, the High offers programs and experiences that engage visitors with the world of art, the lives of artists and the creative process. For more information about the High, visit high.org.

The Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, GA is the third largest arts centers in the country, home to the Tony Award-winning ALLIANCE THEATRE, the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and the High Museum of Art, the leading art museum in the Southeast. One of the only arts venues in the United States to offer both visual and performing arts on a single campus, The Woodruff produces outstanding theater, music and exhibitions for nearly one million patrons each year. Through the combined efforts of the Alliance, the ASO and the High, The Woodruff also offers remarkable educational programming, with close to 200,000 students taking part annually, making The Woodruff the largest arts educator in Georgia. Learn more at woodruffcenter.org.

Photo Credit: Alphonso Whitfield

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