Park City Institute to Host THIRD ANNUAL SAINTS & SINNERS BALL at St. Regis Deer Valley, Today

Heroes, gangsters, despots, do-gooders, villains, cherubs... all will gather at St. Regis Deer Valley for the impishly delightful, Third Annual Saints & Sinners Ball on Saturday, March 15. Proceeds from this St. Paddy's celebration benefit Park City Institute's Student Outreach Program. The revelry begins at 6 p.m. Dressing the part is encouraged, but not required.

A sprightly affair, the Saints & Sinners Ball includes cocktails, dinner, an auction (with devilishly clever and positively heavenly goods on the block) and dancing to live music. And there will be shenanigans...

But in the end, it's all about the kids. Student Outreach has been a vital part of PCI's mission since the organization's inception. Bill Cosby was the first artist to perform as a part of program in 1998. Since then, hundreds of world-renowned dancers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, tech-savvy production artists, comedians, authors and cultural groups have worked with students in Summit County. These performers and innovators put on workshops, classes, lecture-demonstrations and student-only performances.

"Without the support of saints and sinners among us -and we put the St. Regis in the 'saints' category for countless reasons - we couldn't offer the free, student outreach events, which are integral to our organization," says PCI executive director Teri Orr. "Student outreach is about introducing young people to the arts - the magic, the hard work, the inspiration, the limitlessness of creativity. It's transformative. And it's necessary. We can't thank our supporters enough for keeping this program going strong for 16 years."

This year alone, students have experienced theatrical workshops with Griffin Theatre's "Letters Home" actors. They've jammed with jazzman Jon Batiste; chatted with Sundance filmmakers; and they have been dazzled by the acrobatic athleticism of All Wheel Sports. In the past, students have taken master dance classes from Ailey II professionals; watched Tibetan monks create a sand mandala; learned ribbon dancing from Chinese dancer, Lily Cai; jammed with The Bacon Brothers (Kevin and Michael); brainstormed songwriting techniques with rock band Delta Rae; conducted a Q&A with actor Jeff Daniels; and glimpsed the gravity-defying art of cirque acts.

Another aspect of PCI's Student Outreach Program, The After-School Tech Program, allows students to learn the backstage ropes from experts in the field. In some cases, the weekly program has given those "at risk" a creative outlet and a sense of belonging. For others, it has led to college scholarships and career opportunities. Working towards a journeyman's certification, many technical theater students leave the program equipped to work the lights, sound and stage management of theaters around the country. Today, these former tech program students are some of PCI's most valued crew members.

Student outreach may inspire a career or simply capture a child's imagination for an hour. As luck would have it, joining in the merriment with fellow lads and lasses on March 15 at the lovely St. Regis is a wickedly fun way to keep this program going strong. Cheers.

Tickets to the Saints & Sinners Ball are $175 per person or $1,750 for a table of 10. Please call The Eccles Center box office at 435-655-3114 or purchase tickets online at www.ecclescenter.org.

Park City Institute is a non-profit organization, dedicated to bringing world-class performances and new ideas to the community. Since 1998, PCI has presented internationally renowned and cutting edge musicians, actors, authors, comedians, dancers, speakers and film at The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center for the Performing Arts (a joint-use facility with the Park City School District). The organization will present its 11th season of headliner concerts at Deer Valley Resort in the summer of 2014. PCI is dedicated to introducing young people to the arts through free student outreach workshops, shows and demonstrations. They proudly launched the Mega Genius Supply Store and IQ HQ - an after school literacy program and very thinky retail store - in January 2010. And the organization continues to illuminate with TEDx events and Curiosities evenings.

Photo Credit: Eccles Center