Court Theatre Presents 11th Annual South Side Performance Fest

Court Theatre proudly presents the 11th Annual Exelon South Side Youth Performance Fest, featuring the dramatic and design work of area students. The Exelon South Side Youth Performance Fest will be presented Tuesday, January 23, 2018, beginning with a scenic design exhibition in Court's lobby at 6:15 p.m., followed by student performances at 6:30 p.m. The annual celebration will take place at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave, and is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. with a reception immediately following the performance.

According to Teaching Artist Patrese D. McClain, "The festival showcases and celebrates the progress students have made while participating in Court's Artists-in-the-Schools initiative. For many students, it is also the first time they perform on a stage of any kind. We are thrilled to give them that opportunity.

The Exelon South Side Youth Performance Fest is the culmination of Court Theatre's Artists-in-the-Schools program, during which students work with Court Teaching Artists in-class and after school to explore classic texts with a contemporary mindset. A select number of students participating in Court Theatre's educational program will perform scenes and monologues or present scenic design work developed during the fall and winter school semesters. The festival affords students the chance to demonstrate skills learned during these in-school residencies, and also connect with their peers and venture outside their immediate social circles.

The Fest will feature content from Court's Partner Schools including student performances from William Rainey Harper High School, Kenwood Academy High School, and Wendell Phillips Academy High School, as well as work by students from Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts and John M Harlan Community Academy High School.

The 11th Annual Exelon South Side Youth Performance Fest is sponsored by Exelon with additional support from Allstate, Willam D. and Diane S. Anderson, the Betty Lou Smith Fund, the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust, Hyde Park Bank, the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, and the Polk Bros Foundation. The Exelon South Side Youth Performance Fest is part of Court Theatre's Education Initiative that includes high school matinees and in-school residencies.

For more information or to reserve a free ticket to the Exelon South Side Youth Performance Fest please contact the Court Theatre Box Office at (773) 753-4472 or visit www.courttheatre.org.

Now in its 63rd season, Court Theatre is guided by its mission to discover the power of classic theatre. Court endeavors to make a lasting contribution to American theatre by expanding the canon of translations, adaptations, and classic texts. Court revives lost masterpieces, illuminates familiar texts, and distinguishes fresh, modern classics. Court engages and inspires its audience by providing artistically distinguished productions, audience enrichment activities, and student educational experiences.

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