Cristo Rey Community Center and Williamston Theatre Partner on New Drama@CristoRey Program

Cristo Rey Community Center and Williamston Theatre have announced that, with the support of the Arts Council of Greater Lansing and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, they're partnering on a new educational program called Drama@CristoRey.

Instructors Aral Gribble and Lynn Lammers will introduce 6th­-9th graders to acting and writing for the theatre. The class will include high­energy theatre games, scene work, monologues, acting exercises, and a framework for the students to create stories based on their own lives and interests. The class experience will be tailored to building the particular skills each student is interested in, as well as fostering an inclusive, positive, ensemble­based environment in which to create and learn.

Drama@CristoRey will be funded in part with a grant of $1,750.00 from the State of Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA). The grant was awarded through the MCACA fiscal year 2012 funding.

Organizations receiving a MCACA grant award are required to match those funds with other public and private dollars. Local support of the project include a gracious donation from Lansing area residents Joan and Jerry Mattson. CRCC also receives significant volunteer support from the Williamston Theatre, as Artistic Associate Lynn Lammers is donating her time as coordinator and co­instructor of the class. The MCACA peer review process allows for each grant application to be competitively considered by a panel of in­state and out­of­state arts and culture professionals. This ensures the taxpayers, who support this project through legislative appropriations, and all other visitors or residents in Michigan will have access to the highest quality arts and cultural experiences. A complete list of grant awards around the state is available by contacting MCACA at (517) 241­4011, or by visiting the MCACA website at www.michiganadvantage.org/arts.

Located at the Cristo Rey Community Center, the classes will be held Monday evenings from 4:30 until 5:45pm, beginning March 3rd and ending in a final performance on May 5th. Students must be able to commit to being present at all ten classes. The class will have no cost associated with it and will include an after­school snack. Instructor Aral Gribble, a professional actor who has worked at Williamston Theatre, Purple Rose Theatre, Performance Network Theatre, and many more across the state of Michigan, is looking forward to using his talent where lives, in Lansing. Of the class, Mr. Gribble says, "Drama@CristoRey is going to be a great way for young people to develop their skills and show their community all the talent they've got!"

To sign a student up or for more information, visit Cristo Rey Community Center at 1717 N High St, Lansing Charter Township, MI 48906 or call Williamston Theatre at (517) 655­7469.

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