Auditorium Theatre's Creative Engagement Department Sets Summer Community Initiatives

Closing out the celebration of the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University's 125th Anniversary Season, the Auditorium's Creative Engagement Department announces community initiatives that will continue through the entire summer. The award-winning summer camp "Hands Together, Heart to Art" ("HTHTA") returns for the 11th year July 6 - 31, allowing children ages 7-14 who have experienced the loss of one or both parents the opportunity to use the performing arts to encourage communication, foster emotional growth and provide young people with the consolation of friendship and compassion from their peers and instructors. The theatre will also introduce the new "Brave Face Project," a devised play created to shine light on women's roles in society with performances June 26 - 28 in the Katten/Landau Studio. In a continuing effort to encourage young talent, the Auditorium's "Made in Chicago" Summer Dance Intensive invites dancers (ages 11-18) to take part in a unique opportunity to train with some of the best professional dancers in the city June 29 - July 3 at the Auditorium.

"Not only do the arts provide a genuine sense of entertainment and escape, they can also heal, teach and motivate in various ways," said Auditorium Theatre Executive Director Brett Batterson. "There is nothing more important than instilling that message to our youth as well as the entire Chicago community and with these incredible educational initiatives we continue our mission to provide the best in arts and entertainment while at the same time, developing and encouraging the talent of the future."

"Hands Together, Heart to Art" Summer Camp

The award-winning summer camp, "Hands Together, Heart to Art" ("HTHTA"), returns July 6 - 31. Children ages 7-14 who have experienced the loss of a parent have the opportunity to experience the unique personal benefits provided by participation in the performing arts.
Having served more than 900 kids since its founding, "HTHTA," now in its 11th year, celebrates the healing power of creative play, allowing campers the ability to share their stories through acting, music and multiple forms of movement. As they participate in drama, music and dance classes, campers are able to find alternative methods of expressing their emotions while building their confidence and self-esteem.

Led by Auditorium Theatre Director of Creative Engagement, Christina Bourné, the camp utilizes various techniques to work with campers. "Sharing Time," where campers are divided into small groups facilitated by professional healing counselors, offers campers a comfortable, safe time and space to express and share their feelings both with peers and one-on-one, allowing them to realize that they are not alone in this tragedy. Campers hear from arts professionals, grief specialists and adults from all walks of life who have experienced the loss of a parent at a young age showing them that there is hope for the future and that they too will be able to move forward and achieve great things. A full-time counselor is on hand throughout the entire duration of camp to give campers one-on-one counseling as needed. Using their own stories and the stories of others, campers work together to create, stage, rehearse and execute a performance culminating in a final showcase at the end of each session.

Camp is divided into two, two-week sessions: July 6 - 17 (ages 7-10) and July 20 - 31 (ages 11-14). The application deadline is Monday, June 22. For more information on "HTHTA," visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

"Hands Together, Heart to Art" is made possible in part, through the generosity of the Helen Brach Foundation.

"Brave Face Project"

As part of its milestone Anniversary Season, the Auditorium Theatre presents the "Brave Face Project," a bold new endeavor aimed to shine light on women's roles in society. This innovative project seeks to examine the roots of societal expectations that have been set upon women and that are at times both unattainable and unrealistic. The project, led by Auditorium Theatre Director of Creative Engagement Christina Bourné, Chicago artist and arts education specialist Annie Rezac and playwright Scott Woldman, called upon everyday women in the community to submit their own life stories. After compiling various submissions, Woldman carefully crafted a series of vignettes that will be workshopped and presented June 26 - 28 in the Auditorium's Katten/Landau Studio (425 S. Wabash, 4th Floor). Reflecting the lives of women from teenagers to mothers to seniors and all other stages and ages in between, the voices are portrayed by Chicago actresses Mo Allen, JoVia Armstrong, Becky Blomgren, Sindy Castro, Angela DeMarco, Daria Harper and Katrina Richard. For more information and cast bios, please visit bravefaceproject.com.

"Brave Face Project" Performances

Friday, June 26 | 7:30 pm
Saturday, June 27 | 7:30 pm
Sunday, June 28 | 2:00 pm

For tickets, visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

"Made in Chicago" Summer Dance Intensive

The Auditorium Theatre welcomes back its "Made in Chicago" Summer Dance Intensive June 29 - July 3. This five day intensive offers young dancers, ages 11-18, an incredible opportunity to learn from and train with some of the best dancers and teachers Chicago has to offer. The intensive will feature classes taught by dancers and artists from leading Chicagoland dance companies including The Joffrey Ballet's Erica Edwards, Thodos Dance Chicago's Kyle Hadenfeldt, Giordano Dance Chicago Artistic Director Nan Giordano and River North Dance Chicago's Ahmad Simmons. These classes will allow aspiring dancers the opportunity to gain knowledge of dance techniques from the professional industry while being challenged to grow and improve. New this year, DanceWorks Chicago is presenting an afternoon workshop series on the profession of dance. The workshop will lead participants in exploring their own unique gifts as individual dancers and how they can be highlighted as they look to audition for university programs and dance companies.

Intensive days run 9am - 5:30pm, Monday-Thursday, with a final presentation highlighting the work done throughout the week for dancers' family and friends on Friday, July 3, 9am - noon. 2015 Registration has been extended through June 12. To apply, please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

125th Anniversary Season Sponsors

The Auditorium Theatre would like to thank their 125th Anniversary Season Sponsors: Lead Corporate Sponsor Nicor Gas, Lead Foundation Sponsor Robert R. McCormick Foundation and David D. Hiller, International Dance Series Sponsor NIB Foundation, and "Made in Chicago" Dance Series sponsor The Boeing Company. Media sponsors include Chicago Magazine and WXRT, and the Pasquinelli Family Foundation is the Gala Dinner Celebration Sponsor. Student Matinee Series Sponsors for the 2014 - 15 Season include The Private Bank and The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation.

About the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University

The Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, located at 50 E. Congress Pkwy, is an Illinois, not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community and educational programming to Chicago, and to the continued restoration and preservation of the National Historic Landmark Auditorium Theatre. In September of 2014, the Auditorium Theatre was awarded the inaugural Fifth Star Award by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. On December 9, 2014, the Auditorium Theatre celebrated its 125th Birthday with a proclamation from the City of Chicago declaring it "Auditorium Theatre Day." For the first time in over 50 years, the NFL Draft returned to Chicago, which took place at the Auditorium Theatre April 30 - May 2.

The Auditorium Theatre is generously supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the Illinois Arts Council, the Sage Foundation, and the Palmer House Hilton. For more information about programming, volunteer and donor opportunities or theatre tours, call (312) 341-2310 or visit AuditoriumTheatre.org

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