Park City Institute Hosts The 7th Annual Saints And Sinners Ball, Benefitting PCI's Student Outreach Program

Celebrating the naughty, the nice, and everything in-between, the Park City Institute hosts the seventh annual Saints & Sinners Ball. The delightful soiree entices angels, villains, cherubs, despots, devils and gangsters to gather at the St. Regis Deer Valley, Saturday March 17, 2018. Proceeds from this celebration benefit Park City Institute's Student Outreach Program. The revelry begins at 6 p.m. Dressing the part is encouraged, but not required.

"The Saints and Sinners Ball is a fiendishly good time," says PCI Executive Director, Teri Orr. "Our Student Outreach programs are at the core of our mission to entertain, educate and illuminate. This year alone, the Park City Institute has already served thousands of students through outreach programs connected to Monica Lewinsky, MOMIX, and the Sundance Film Festival. This is all made possible because of support from our community."

The evening's alchemy includes cocktails, dinner, and an auction, filled with devilishly clever experiences, goods, and adventures that are curated, exclusively, for the Park City Institute. You won't find most of these items at any other fundraiser in Utah. And, yes, there will be shenanigans . . .

Student Outreach has been a vital part of PCI's mission since the organization's inception, 20 years ago. Bill Cosby was the first artist to perform as a part of the 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.

"For two decades, our community of both saints and sinners has united around the opportunity to provide these free, student outreach events. Without sponsors like the St. Regis, and so many private donors, we couldn't create these programs, which are integral to our organization," said Orr. "Student outreach creates a connection between young people and 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 20 years."

Over the years, students have learned about criminal justice reform from Van Jones, received anti-bullying coaching from Monica Lewinsky, become versed in the law from Edward Snowden's ACLU attorney, Ben Wizner, studied master classes with dance companies like Grupo Corpo, and Bill T. Jones, MOMIX, Ailey II and Parsons. Drama students have gleaned insights from the actor-writer-composer team of "Invisible Thread." Green River Ordinance jammed with high school jazz students. They have watched Tibetan monks create a sand mandala; brainstormed songwriting techniques with rock band Delta Rae; learned ribbon dancing from Chinese dancer, Lily Cai; rocked out with The Bacon Brothers (Kevin and Michael); conducted a Q&A with actor Jeff Daniels; and glimpsed the gravity-defying art of cirque acts. These experiences continue to inspire our students toward bigger dreams, and larger leaps of faith.

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.

PCI's Student Outreach captures imaginations, broadens horizons and inspires careers. The Saints & Sinners Ball on March 17, is a wickedly fun way to keep this program going strong.

Tickets to the Saints & Sinners Ball are $200 per person or $1,800 for a table of 10. Please call The Eccles Center box office at 435-655-3114 or purchase tickets online at www.ecclescenter.org.

ENTERTAINING, EDUCATING AND ILLUMINATING SINCE 1998

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 embark on its 15th season of headliner concerts next summer. PCI is dedicated to introducing young people to the arts through free student outreach workshops, shows and demonstrations. Since 2010, PCI has offered a free after-school literacy program to students in grades one through 12 at the thinky and fun retail-fronted tutoring hub, the Mega-Genius Supply Store and IQ HQ (located at 435 Swede Alley in Old Town).

ENTERTAINING, EDUCATING AND ILLUMINATING SINCE 1998

Park City Institute 2017-18 Main Stage Season at the Eccles Center :

March 24 Shane Koyczan
March 31 LA Theatre Works THE MOUNTAINTOP
April 3 Anthony Romero
April 7 OK Go