Chicago Theatre Companies Including Lookingglass, Second City and More, Offer Classes During CPS Teacher’s Strike

In response to the CPS Teacher's Strike, The Second City, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Prop Thtr, Studio BE and Hubbard Street Dance are all offering special arts programming for students.

Deb Clapp, Executive Director of the League of Chicago Theatres comments, "I would surmise that all citizens of Chicago are hoping for a fair and speedy resolution to the CPS strike. In the meantime, there is a dire need in the City for daytime activities for students. Several theater companies in Chicago with extensive experience at offering arts and education programs to students are opening their doors for a productive, fun and safe way to spend this time during the strike."

The Second City
Second City Day Camp
Ages 8-14
10:00am-3:30pm

As a special offer to assist parents with child care, The Second City Training Center will be offering a free CPS Strike Camp. Students will spend the morning learning Improv games and exercises and the afternoons studying Sketch comedy. Plus while they are in the building, they'll get the opportunity to see a family friendly Second City show!

Registration is free but space is limited and on a first come first serve basis. Lunch is not included but a supervised break will be provided between 12:30-1:00pm. Attending students should bring a sack lunch as students will not be allowed to leave the building during the break.

Register at www.secondcity.com/kids.

Lookingglass Theatre
Lookingglass Theatre is offering day-to-day drama workshop programs, based on its renowned summer camps, for children ages 5-13. Workshops, featuring arts exploration activities ranging from storytelling to physical theatre, will run daily from 9:00am-3:00pm. Rates will be charged on a per day basis. All drama workshops will take place in Lookingglass' classroom and rehearsal room, located in Lookingglass' administrative offices at the John Hancock Building, 875 N. Michigan Ave.

The daily programs will be based on two of Lookingglass' popular summer camp programs, Arts Quest and Summergglass. Kids from ages 5-8 will engage in arts exploration activities, including storytelling, music, and art. Kids from ages 9-13 will engage in theatre activities, including physical theatre. Drop off will take place 8:40-9am, and pick up will take place 3:00-3:15pm; drop off and pick up will take place at the Chestnut Street entrance to the John Hancock building. The drama workshop will cost $65 per day.
For more information and online registration, www.lookingglasstheatre.org. Enrollment is limited and registration will be available on a first come, first served basis. Parents may sign up students for multiple days, one week at a time. Since the duration of a possible strike would be unpredictable, payment will occur on a day-to-day basis.

Prop Thtr
Neurokitchen's Curiosity Club Strike Camp: Similar to the Neurokitchen's art and science summer camp, the Club Curiosity Strike Camp will nurture kids inquisitiveness and encourage them to take initiative for their own learning. The teacher led classes are structured throughout the day with group activities, but the curriculum itself is designed by the class as a group based on each student's interests and areas of challenge. Class takes place daily from 8AM-3PM.

The strike camp is $40/day. Registration and more information is online at www.neurokitchen.org

Brain Surgeon's Make a Movie Camp: Brain Surgeon's Make a Movie Camp offers students the chance to work alongside professional Chicago artists to storyboard a mini-movie (a movie trailer, music video, short film, silent movie, or almost anything else we can think of) and then shoot, act, and edit their final product using Final Cut and iMovie. Fridays students will share a rough-cut of their footage at 3:00PM, and Vimeo links to final edits will be available post-strike.

Make a Movie camp is $45/day. Registration and more information is available online at www.brainsurgeontheatre.org

Both Club Curiosity Strike Camp and Make a Movie Camp will be located at Prop Thtr at 3502 N. Elston.

Studio BE
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Studio BE is an ambitious, non-profit, performing-arts training and development facility available to the public at 3110 N. Sheffield Avenue.

Studio BE is offering workshops for ages 7-16, from 8:30-4:00pm. (Structured learning will be completed by 3:00. Students may be picked up any time before 4pm.) Workshops include plot structure, group work, creative writing, and public speaking coupled with Intro to Dance Technique and Dance fitness!

The workshops are $20/day. Registration and more information is online at http://www.studio-be.org/alternative-arts-programming-registration/

Hubbard Street Dance
Hubbard Street Dance is offering its Dance Explorers camps during the strike for grades K-6. Young dancers will explore the exciting world of contemporary dance through improvisation and structured choreographic activities. Students work with the teaching artists of Hubbard Street to create their own unique choreography. Each day will culminate with a short sharing of student work.

Register by calling 312-850-9744 x139 or email community@hubbardstreetdance.com.
For more information:
http://www.hubbardstreetdance.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15&Itemid=110 (See the "strike camp" tab at the bottom)

The League of Chicago Theatres' Mission Statement
The League of Chicago Theatres is an alliance of theaters which leverages its collective strength to promote, support and advocate for Chicago's theater industry locally, nationally and internationally. The League of Chicago Theatres Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the art of theater in the Chicago area through audience development and support services for theaters and theater professionals.

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