Inaugural Summer Theater Festival Ready to Take Center Stage in St. Charles

St. Charles visitors and residents will have the opportunity to fill their July weekends this summer by attending the Inaugural Summer Theater Fest taking place July 14 - 31, 2011. Comedies, dramas, new play readings, concerts and artists in action are all coming together for a one-of-a-kind event, all happening in the naturally charming community of St. Charles.

The event, ST. CHARLES SUMMER THEATER FESTIVAL, encourages the Fox Valley Area to Applaud, Create and Get Away, by spending multiple days in St. Charles experiencing theater and other arts-based activities presented in a hands-on, interactive format.

The concept is the brain-child of John Gawlik, Artistic Director for Fox Valley Repertory, housed at Pheasant Run Resort. John recognized that having four top-notch performance venues in St. Charles makes this Fox Valley community unique to any Illinois town outside the Windy City.

"St. Charles has all the pieces needed to host an annual, multi-weekend theater event," explains Gawlik about his vision. "The idea is for arts-lovers to enjoy a weekend where they can see as many of 5 or 6 performances or events here in this great town. And the theater programming is very diverse, from an Adventure Comedy like Around the World in 80 Days and the innovative drama At Home at the Zoo, to celebrating Charlie Chaplin's rare films and the first-of-its-kind "Collider New Play Project" - this kind of programming makes it perfect for families, couples, and avid theater goers."

Theaters participating in this inaugural event are Fox Valley Repertory, Steel Beam Theatre, Arcada Theatre, Norris Cultural Arts Center, along with special events from St. Charles Singers, Fox Valley Concert Band, Fine Line Creative Arts Center, St. Charles Park District with support from the City of St. Charles, the St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of St. Charles Visitors Cultural Commission, St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, St. Charles Arts Council, and St. Charles Downtown Partnership. The event is sponsored in part by Comcast, WNIJ Radio, and Modus Marketing of St. Charles.

St. Charles Summer Theater Festival events are as follows:
Thursday, July 14, 2011
7pm Concert in the Park with "On the House" at Lincoln Park; presented by St. Charles Park District
8pm Bad Dates at Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage, produced by Fox Valley Rep (FVR)

Friday, July 15, 2011
9:30am StaiNed Glass and Ply-Split Cord Dye Art Classes at Fine Line Creative Arts Center
10am-2pm Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
7:30pm At Home at the Zoo at Steel Beam Theatre
7:30pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR 8pm 3 Faces of the King (ELVIS tribute) Performance, presented by Arcada Theatre

Saturday, July 16, 2011
9:30am StaiNed Glass Art Class at Fine Line Creative Arts Center
10am Ply-Split Cord Dye Art Class at Fine Line Creative Arts Center
10am-4:30pm Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
10:30am Little Shop of Horrors at Pheasant Run, Produced by FVR Youth Ensemble
1pm Collider New Play Project Staged Reading of Reina Hardy's Stars and Barmen at Pheasant Run Mainstage, presented by Fox Valley Rep
4pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR
8pm Bad Dates at Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage, produced by FVR
Sunday, July 17, 2011
12pm-7pm Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
2pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR
3pm At Home at the Zoo at Steel Beam Theatre

Thursday, July 21, 2011
7pm Concert in the Park with "Gina Glocksen Band" at Lincoln Park; presented by St. Charles Park District
7pm "SING" Teen Workshop Recital at Baker Memorial Church, presented by St. Charles Singers
7:30pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre

Friday, July 22, 2011
12pm-8:30pm Chaplin Expert Hooman Mehren hosts Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
7pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre
7:30pm Bad Dates at Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage, produced by Fox Valley Repertory

Saturday, July 23, 2011
10am Intro to Ply-Split Braiding Art Class at Fine Line Creative Arts Center
10am-4:30pm Chaplin Expert Hooman Mehren hosts Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
1pm Collider New Play Project Staged Reading of Garret Schneider's Clockwork Child at Pheasant Run Mainstage, Presented by Fox Valley Rep
2pm Twist Ply-Split Cord Art Class at Fine Line Creative Arts Center
3pm & 7:30pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre
4pm Bad Dates at Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage, produced by Fox Valley Repertory
8pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR

Sunday, July 24, 2011
12pm-7pm Chaplin Expert Hooman Mehren hosts Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
1pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre
2pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR
TBD Fox Valley Concert Band Performance, presented by Norris Cultural Arts Center

Thursday, July 28, 2011
2pm Bad Dates at Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage, produced by Fox Valley Repertory
7pm Concert in the Park with "How Far to Austin" at Lincoln Park; presented by St. Charles Park District
7:30pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre

Friday, July 29, 2011
10am-3:30pm Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
7pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre
7:30pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR
11pm Special Screening of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," presented by Arcada Theatre

Saturday, July 30, 2011
9am Glass Tiles Art Class at Fine Line Creative Arts Center
1pm Collider New Play Project Staged Reading of K. Frithjof Peterson's A Scientist Guide to Love and Poetry at Pheasant Run Mainstage, presented by Fox Valley Rep
3pm & 7:30pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre
4pm Bad Dates at Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage, produced by Fox Valley Repertory
8pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR
8pm BrIan Wilson's Greatest Hits Tour, presented by Arcada Theatre

Sunday, July 31, 2011
12pm-7pm Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, presented by Arcada Theatre
1pm Willy Wonka Jr at Steel Beam Theatre
2pm Around the World in 80 Days at Pheasant Run Mainstage, produced by FVR

The inaugural St. Charles Theater Festival will take place July 14 - 31, 2011 throughout the city of St. Charles. For more information, visit www.summertheaterfest.org or call 800-777-4373.

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