Victory Gardens' Teen Arts Council to Present SHOTS HEARD ROUND THE WORLD

Victory Gardens Theater's Teen Arts Council presents Shots Heard Round the World, an evening of spoken word poetry and performance in response to the state of the world and how it affects our youth.

Shots Heard Round the World will feature performances on a range of topics, including responses to the tragedies in Orlando and Dallas, the epidemic of police brutality, political controversies of the 2016 election, and the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

The event takes place on Monday, August 15th at 6:00 p.m. at Victory Gardens, located at 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue. Victory Gardens is currently accepting performance submissions from young artists interested in participating. More information can be found at www.victorygardens.org. This event is free and open to the public.

"With all the chaos in the world, it is important to hear the voices of young adults about how all of it will affect them and their futures in a safe space," remarks Robert Cornelius, Victory Gardens Theater's Director of Education. "VG's Teen Arts Council is proud to be able to help provide these young people the opportunity to speak their minds."

The Teen Arts Council is a diverse group of teens from in and around Chicago who are motivated and passionate about the performing arts. The Council provides the opportunity for high school students to explore one of the most celebrated theaters in Chicago, see new and exciting shows, and have a unique perspective of the Chicago theatre community. With the support of Victory Gardens Theatre, the Teen Arts Council provides the resources to grow as the next generation of theatre artists and audiences.

Under the leadership of Artistic Director Chay Yew, Victory Gardens is dedicated to artistic excellence while creating a vital, contemporary American Theater that is accessible and relevant to all people through productions of challenging new plays and musicals. Victory Gardens Theater is committed to the development, production and support of new plays that has been the mission of the theater since its founding, set forth by Dennis Za?ek, Marcelle McVay, and the original founders of Victory Gardens Theater.

Victory Gardens Theater is a leader in developing and producing new theater work and cultivating an inclusive Chicago theater community. Victory Gardens' core strengths are nurturing and producing dynamic and inspiring new plays, reflecting the diversity of our city's and nation's culture through engaging diverse communities, and in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, bringing art and culture to our city's active student population.

Since its founding in 1974, the company has produced more world premieres than any other Chicago theater, a commitment recognized nationally when Victory Gardens received the 2001 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre. Located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Biograph Theater includes the Za?ek-McVay Theater, a state-of-the-art 259-seat mainstage and the 109-seat studio theater on the second floor, named the Richard Christiansen Theater.

Victory Gardens Ensemble Playwrights include Luis Alfaro, Philip Dawkins, Marcus Gardley, Ike Holter, Samuel D. Hunter, Naomi Iizuka, Tanya Saracho and Laura Schellhardt. Each playwright has a seven-year residency at Victory Gardens Theater.

The Playwrights Ensemble Alumni includes Claudia Allen, Lonnie Carter, Steve Carter, Gloria Bond Clunie, Dean Corrin, Nilo Cruz, Joel Drake Johnson, John Logan, Nicholas Patricca, Douglas Post, James Sherman, Charles Smith, Jeffrey Sweet and Kristine Thatcher.

For more information about Victory Gardens, visit www.victorygardens.org. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/victorygardens, Twitter @VictoryGardens and Instagram at instagram.com/victorygardenstheater.

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