Lookingglass Young Ensemble Performs WAGING PEACE, SEVEN MOONS In April

Lookingglass Theatre Company presents two world premiere productions created and performed by the Lookingglass Young Ensemble; both pieces deal with the theme of peaceful conflict resolution, a relevant subject to students in Chicago schools. The productions, written by a member of Lookingglass Theatre Company and the Young Ensemble, ages 8-18, are open to the public in the Lookingglass Studio, located inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave.

The World Premiere of
Waging Peace
Written by The Young Ensemble and Sarah Gmitter
Directed by Ensemble Member David Kersnar
April 18-19, 25-26, 2009

Can something as small as a broken pencil start a deadly conflict? Could it stop one? Under the guidance of Lookingglass Company Members David Kersnar and Sara Gmitter, the Lookingglass Young Ensemble explores the impact of actions both large and small on the conflicts in their lives and in the larger world. They dig into the issue, and ask their audience to consider the question: whether between warring nations, or rival schools, or within ourselves: is peace possible?

This pivotal piece comes at a time when youth violence is at an all time high within the Chicago Public School system. Unfortunately since rehearsals began, the writers have had to update lines in the script to keep up with the heartbreaking statistics.

The World Premiere of
Seven Moons
Written by The Young Ensemble and Ensemble Member Tracy Walsh
Directed by Tracy Walsh
Assistant Directed by Julia Rigby
April 16-17, 23-24, 2009

War between the Quarks and the Fiore has been raging on a distant planet for as long as anyone can remember. Nobody knows for sure why they started fighting in the first place; the royal family that has been ruling the planet for hundreds of years would like to keep it that way. This Lookingglass Young Ensemble original science fiction rock musical examines war: What causes people to start fighting? Why do generations keep a fight going? And what happens when children start to ask questions?

Young Ensemble - Times and Ticket Information
Show times for all Youth Ensemble performances are 12:00 p.m. and 1:30pm. Student/senior tickets $5, adult tickets $10. To purchase tickets, call the Lookingglass Theatre box office at (312) 337-0665.

Lookingglass Theatre Company is located in the heart of the Magnificent Mile shopping district inside Chicago's historic Water Tower Water Works, 821 N. Michigan Ave. at Pearson. Discounted parking is available for Lookingglass patrons at nearby Olympia Centre Garage (161 E. Chicago Ave.).

In an effort to better nurture and support talented and focused young artists from throughout the Chicago community, Lookingglass formed its Young Ensemble Program in the spring of 2006. Selected from an open audition, a diverse group of 24 students aged 8-18 were chosen for the original group, which has since expanded to 32 members. Participation in the Young Ensemble is based on an annual audition, and all training is free of charge to the participants.

The Young Ensemble season is geared toward developing new work in a process that mirrors the artistic process of the Lookingglass main stage, emphasizing skill building, material generation, rehearsal, and performance. Throughout the fall quarter, students receive instruction in various aspects of Lookingglass technique. This year, students wrote and directed their own adaptations of Russian folk stories. Winter and spring quarters are devoted to creating two original works of theatre: Waging Peace and Seven Moons. In addition to the work at Lookingglass, the Young Ensemble engages the community at public events and workshops, and by touring their performances to schools, park districts, and other community centers. For more information, visit www.lookingglasstheatre.org/education.

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