A.C.T.'s Young Conservatory to Host Summer Young Conservatory Festival

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Young Conservatory Director Craig Slaight is proud to announce the summer Young Conservatory (YC) Festival, featuring the world premiere of Snakes, a collaboration with A.C.T.'s Young Conservatory, A.C.T.'s Education and Community Program and Oakland's Destiny Arts Center, and I'm Still Standing, a celebration of the music of Elton John. Snakes will perform August 11-23 at The Rueff at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater (1127 Market Street, San Francisco) and August 20-23 at Oakland's Destiny Arts Center (970 Grace Ave, Oakland). I'm Still Standing will perform at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater from August 18-30. Tickets for individual productions are $20 and two-show packages are available for $24 (a 40% savings). Both are available now by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or online at www.act-sf.org (select "Conservatory Performances" tab on the main page). Tickets to performances at Oakland's Destiny Arts Center are available online at www.destinyarts.org.

The world premiere of Snakes, a Collaborative Youth Arts Project, brings together a diverse group of young actors from A.C.T.'s Education & Community Programs (Elizabeth Brodersen, Director), the Young Conservatory (Craig Slaight, Director), and Oakland's Destiny Arts Center (Sarah Crowell, Director) in the creation of a play about race, bigotry, and the very meaning of the American dream. In the wake of a cataclysmic earthquake, a newly discovered island that is home to a race of silver-skinned people captures the world's attention. Infused with spirited poetry and movement, Snakes is a thought-provoking new play that asks timely questions about tolerance, justice, and community in a rapidly changing America.

Written by Chris Webb and directed by Tyrone Davis, this provocative play features a talented young cast from across the Bay Area including Joseph Givens, Kevin Rangel, Erica Rogers, Monique Salazar, Makhissa Sano, Danielle Tucker and Naia Young. Additional cast members will be announced at a later date.

I'm Still Standing celebrates Reginald Kenneth Dwight, known throughout the world as the incomparable musical icon Elton John. With more than 40 years as a singer-songwriter, Sir Elton John has given the world an astonishing body of work-from haunting ballads to whimsical musical romps-that has delighted and moved generations of listeners. With a book by Craig Slaight, this unique theatrical production explores the journey of growing up in word and song, including such hits as "Your Song," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," "Rocket Man," "Someone Saved My Life Tonight," "Bennie and the Jets," "I'm Still Standing," and more.

Featuring direction by Domenique Lozano and Craig Slaight-with choreography by Vivian Sam-the cast of I'm Still Standing includes Lyle Belger (Tina), Sydney Kistler (Jeanie), Ian DeVane (Kyle), I'Shanee Ford (Aunt Rosi), Ross Graham (Vince), Haleyann Hart (Bennie), Sarah James (Jet), Helen Lahey (Jet), Mary Shay McWeeney (Crystal), Cooper Miller (Tyler), Caroline Pernick (Lisa), Tobiah Richkind (Wayne), Sophie Rose (Judy), Genevieve Saldanha (Jet), Eleanor Sloan (Jet) and Kaitlyn Tom (Quitina). Music direction for I'm Still Standing is provided by Krista Wigle. The band for I'm Still Standing will feature students from San Francisco's Bird School of Music (Lane Marchinson, Director and Laurie Ubben, Music Producer).

Says Slaight: "With the thrilling opening of the new Strand Theater, it seems the perfect opportunity to celebrate the multiple community collaborations that have brought such vitality to young people in the Bay Area. From our own connection within the A.C.T. family between the Young Conservatory and the astonishing Education and Community Programs, to those groups in the area that we have forged rich partnerships, Destiny Arts in Oakland and San Francisco's Bird School of Music, this mini-festival celebrates the amazing fireworks that can happen by collaborating. It is exhilarating."

The YC Festival is made possible by a generous grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation. Additional support provided by The William G. Gilmore Foundation; The Craig Slaight Young Conservatory New Plays Fund, an endowed fund of The Next Generation Campaign; the van Löben Sels/RembeRock Foundation; and donors to A.C.T.'s season gala and YC Homecoming Celebration.

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