DPS Shakespeare Festival & Denver Center Form New Partnership

The Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA) is expanding its involvement in the 2016 Denver Public Schools (DPS) Shakespeare Festival. Held Friday, April 29 at downtown's Arts Complex, the 32-year-old festival will now be a co-production of the DCPA, Denver Public Schools and the Denver Public Schools Foundation.

Plus, to complement the day, the DCPA invites students, parents, educators, residents and the downtown Denver business community to its all-new "Shakespeare After-Fest." The community is invited to sample a variety of Shakespearean acts, scenes and vignettes accompanied by live music and on-site painting - all for free.

Under the leadership of President & CEO Scott Shiller, the DCPA's expanded role will serve teachers and students in all 80 participating schools through in-school workshops, professional development, audition adjudication, and financial support - both in-kind and through fundraising - to produce the event. Under the leadership of Acting Superintendent Susana Cordova, DPS' Arts and Physical Education Department will align all activities with the Colorado State Standards, provide professional development opportunities to participating educators, solicit school participation and manage logistical coordination of both the audition process and the Festival itself.

"The Denver Center for the Performing Arts is delighted to be a co-producer of the nation's largest youth Shakespeare Festival," said DCPA CEO Scott Shiller. "We know that children who are exposed to a live performance are 165% more likely to receive a college degree, so we are more than tripling our in-school workshops in order to ignite a passion for theatre in as many students as possible."

"The DPS Shakespeare Festival is an opportunity for 5,000 K-12 students to perform scenes from the works of William Shakespeare," said Karen Radman, Interim President & CEO of the DPS Foundation. "These students will fill every inch of the Arts Complex with dance, singing and music of Shakespeare's time. We're delighted to welcome the community to this free celebration."

"The DPS Shakespeare Festival has been a centerpiece of our commitment to arts integration throughout the District," said Susana Cordova, Acting Superintendent of Denver Public Schools. "The event is open to children of all backgrounds and uses literacy and the creative arts to boost student achievement and develop critical thinking. Plus, it's just fun!"

TIMELINE

10am..................... Opening Ceremonies in Skyline Park at 15th & Arapahoe

10:15am............... Elizabethan Parade down 16th Street and Curtis

10:45am............. Student Performances begin on more than 18 stages at the Arts Complex

12pm..................... Challenge Bowl school competition begins and student performances continue

For information on the DPS Shakespeare Festival, visit shakespeare.dpsk12.org/

DCPA SHAKESPEARE AFTER-FEST

In an effort to encourage connections between downtown businesses and residents with the Shakespeare Festival, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts is launching an all-new Shakespeare After-Fest.

Held from 4-7pm throughout the open-air Galleria at the Arts Complex, this free event will include a string quartet featuring Tom Hagerman (DeVotchKa, DCPA Theatre Company's Sweeney Todd); live, on-site canvas painting of Shakespearean-inspired art; scenes from Romeo and Juliet by the DCPA's Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, and performances by the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, CULT FOLLOWING, The Catamounts, Stories on Stage, Black Actors' Guild and PHAMALY among other arts groups. Shakespeare After-Fest is generously supported by the Downtown Theatre District.

TIMELINE

4pm....................... Quartet performance (Tom Hagerman of DeVotchka) outside The Ellie

4:15pm................ Shakespearean-inspired painting begins throughout the Galleria

5pm....................... Scenes from Shakespeare are performed outside the Bonfils Theatre Complex

7pm....................... Festival concludes

For information about the Shakespeare After-Fest, visit denvercenter.org/after-fest.

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