Goodman Theatre's General Theatre Studies Prgram Begins It's Sixth Summer 6/21

For the sixth consecutive summer, Goodman Theatre welcomes 86 students from Chicagoland public, private and parochial schools as participants in its General Theater Studies (GTS) program, a free, six-week intensive introduction to the theater arts. GTS provides 14-19-year-old students the hands-on opportunity to learn from local professional theater mentors including Megan Carney, Amanda Delheimer, Kevin Douglas, Khanisha Foster and Tony Sancho. Participants will engage in all elements of the theater-both on stage and behind the scenes. GTS culminates July 31 with a show of the participants' work on the Owen stage.

The performance is free and open to the public; for more information or to make a reservation, call 312.443.3800 ext. 1432. Generous support of GTS is provided, in part, by the Field Foundation of Illinois and the Colonel Stanley Reed McNeil Foundation. Additional education and community engagement gifts partially allocated to GTS are provided by The Irving Harris Foundation and Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Principal support of Artistic Development and Diversity Initiatives is provided by The Joyce Foundation.

"We are especially thrilled to welcome 86 of Chicago's most creative young people to GTS-and excited that the first time in GTS history, the final performances will take place on the Owen Stage, where so many incredible productions-including Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning Ruined-have been staged," said Willa Taylor, Director of Education and Community Engagement. "There has been such a great deal of success from the students who have come through our programs and I am sure that we will see more of these young talents performing on the Goodman stages in the future."

This summer's program explores the themes of evolution and revolution-the gradual change and growth within the student's lives as well as the sudden, dramatic events that propel them to new life experiences. The student participants, selected through an audition process, partner with GTS Teaching Artists and use techniques from oral history and personal storytelling from their own life experiences to create short performance pieces. GTS participants also interact with and learn from the Goodman's artists, including resident designers, directors and staff.

About the 2010 GTS Teaching Artists

Khanisha Foster (Lead Teaching Artist) is a Chicago actor, writer, director and teacher, and formerly a teaching artist in the Goodman's Yollocalli program at the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. This is Foster's fourth year as lead teaching artist for GTS. Kevin Douglas is in his sixth year as a teaching artist at the Goodman. An actor, sketch comedian and writer, Douglas performed in Steppenwolf's Traffic Series with his sketch group kevINda and Lookingglass Theatre Company's production of Lookingglass Alice.

Megan Carney, director, playwright and educator, served as the Associate Artistic Director for About Face Theatre until 2005. She was a founding director of the About Face Youth Theatre (AFYT), an arts and
leadership development program in Chicago for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer youth and their allies. This is her third year with GTS. Amanda Delheimer is the Artistic Director of Serendipity Theater Collective where she runs their flagship project, 2nd Story. She is a teaching artist for both Pegasus Players and Adventure Stage. Tony Sancho is an ensemble member of Teatro Vista and taught for six years in Goodman's Yollocalli summer program at the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum.

In addition, Liz Gottmann and Marshewn Marcus return to GTS as teaching assistants, having participated as students, while Paul Whitehouse and Yasmine Simone both come to the program as former Goodman interns.

About Goodman Theatre

Currently on stage is Hephaestus, a Lookingglass and Silverguy Entertainment production at Goodman Theatre (through June 20; Owen Theatre; for press inquiries, call 773.564.9564). Upcoming productions in the 2009/2010 Season include: The Sins of Sor Juana by Karen Zacarías, directed by Henry Godinez (June 19 - July 25; Albert Theatre) which launches the Goodman's 5th Latino Theatre Festival.-including the U.S. debut of Teatro Buendía, Cuba's acclaimed theater company.

Goodman Theatre has been internationally recognized for its artists, productions and programs since its founding in 1925. Celebrating 10 years in the North Loop Theatre District, Goodman Theatre is a major cultural, educational and economic pillar in Chicago. Named the nation's "Best Regional Theatre" by Time magazine, Goodman Theatre has garnered hundreds of awards for artistic achievement and community engagement, including numerous Tony Awards and two Pulitzer Prizes. Under the leadership of artistic director Robert Falls and executive director Roche Schulfer, Goodman Theatre's priorities include new plays, re-imagined classic productions, culturally specific work and musical theater. Over the past thirty years, the Goodman has produced more than 100 world or American premieres. Robert Falls' contemporary versions Death of a Salesman, Long Day's Journey into Night and King Lear have been celebrated nationally and internationally, along with his artistic collaboration with actor Brian Dennehy. Cultural diversity stands at the forefront of the Goodman's mission; over the past two decades, one-third of Goodman productions have featured artists of color (including 21 world premieres) and the Goodman was the first theater in the world to produce all 10 plays in August Wilson's 20th Century Cycle. Since 2003, the Latino Theatre Festival has been a biennial celebration of Latin theater companies from Chicago and around the globe. Over the past two decades, the Goodman has produced 25 musical theater works, including 10 world premieres. Each year Goodman's numerous education and community engagement programs, including the highly praised Student Subscription Series, serve several thousand Chicago Public High School students. In addition, for 33 years the annual holiday tradition of A Christmas Carol has led to the creation of a new generation of theatergoers in Chicago. Goodman Theatre's leadership includes the distinguished members of the Artistic Collective: Brian Dennehy, Frank Galati, Henry Godinez, Steve Scott, Chuck Smith, and ReGina Taylor. The chairman of Goodman Theatre's Board of Trustees is Patricia Cox and Karen Pigott is President of the Women's Board, and Joan Clifford is the President Elect. American Airlines is the Exclusive Airline of Goodman Theatre.

Visit us virtually at GoodmanTheatre.org; discover the 2010/2011 Season at ExploreTheGoodman.org; catch the latest news on the Goodman's Blog; Like us on Facebook; Follow us on Twitter; and peek behind-the-scenes on the Goodman's YouTube Channel.

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