Lehigh Valley Charter High School For The Arts to Present THE BROKEN WINDOW By Diane Wagner

The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts (Charter Arts) Theatre Department will present The Broken Window, written and directed by Diane Wagner, October 20-22, 2023.

The original play is written and directed by Wagner, who has been a theatre faculty member at the school since 2003 and has written various works including her novel, The Almighty Father, which was a finalist for the Foreword Reviews Indie Book of the Year in 2020.

The Broken Window production features an exceptional cast of young actors, crew and designers. Professional design credits include: set and lighting design by Ellen Schmoyer, costume design by Amy Handkammer, and sound design by Carlo Acerra.

The plot centers around a group of former friends who find the same note in their lockers telling them to go to an abandoned house in the middle of the night. They all show up, against their better judgment, and each admits to feeling pulled by the spirit of their friend, Dani, who lived and died in the house three years prior under suspicious circumstances. But it's Ronnie (formerly known to his friends as Veronica) who called them together, desperate for their help in finding his mother who, he claims, is missing. Old wounds reopen and new challenges arise with the appearance of some uninvited guests, as the teens work together to unravel the mysteries of the past and present.

Wagner shares: "My hope with The Broken Window was not only to tell a story I thought would appeal to our students, but one that would explore issues that most American teens contend with, like peer conflicts, mental health challenges, and the overwhelming desire to be included and accepted. I set out to create characters they could truly relate to that accurately represent their identities and diversities. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with the talented actors at Charter Arts who informed the development of this play every step of the way."

Evening performances will be held October 20 & 21 at 7 PM and a matinee performance will be held October 22 at 2 PM. Tickets are $6-$11 and are available for purchase online at www.CharterArts.org or at the door. Content advisory: Appropriate for 13+, due to some mature content and some profanity.

The Charter Arts Theatre Department offers a pre-professional training program for high school-aged performers. The goal is to provide students with the skills they will need to move on to competitive college programs as well as professional theatre experiences.

Classes are designed to encourage students to create imaginative and compelling characters, to regard their voices and bodies as creative instruments, to expose them to theatrical literature and to instill in them a sense of respect and professionalism for the art form that will stay with them throughout their lives.

ABOUT THE LEHIGH VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS (Charter Arts):

Charter Arts is an audition-based public charter school that provides a comprehensive curriculum for high school students, grades 9-12, who have a dedicated passion for the creative and performing arts. Students major in one of seven artistic areas: dance, instrumental music, literary arts, production arts, theatre, visual arts, or vocal music.

Recently, Charter Arts was ranked #2 Best Public High School Teachers in PA and #1 Best Charter High School in PA on Niche's 2024 Best Schools in America Rankings. In addition, Charter Arts was one of only seven Lehigh Valley schools to be ranked in the Top 100 Public High Schools in PA on U.S. News & World Report's 2024 Best Schools in America.

To learn more about Charter Arts, prospective students and their families are encouraged to attend one of the school's fall open house events. To find out more or to RSVP, visit www.CharterArts.org.

Charter Arts is located at 321 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem PA 18015.

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