Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Encourages Area Youth to Dream Big With Free Theatre Workshops

May 21, 2007

Media Contacts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                         

CONTACT:  Catherine Atack, LTSF

                     775-832-1616

                    Betsy McDonald, RKPR Inc.

                    775-378-0033

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. (May 21, 2007) - Swope Middle School and the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, both in the Reno-Sparks area, are just two of 23 northern Nevada schools and youth organizations that are getting an insider's perspective on the benefits of arts in education from the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival's InterACT workshop series, presented in conjunction with the Nevada Shakespeare Company.  InterACT, a free series of dynamic humanities-based workshops featuring interactive classes designed to instill an understanding of Shakespearean themes and the world of theatre, makes the rounds to schools and youth organizations in northern Nevada from now through Aug. 7, 2007 and are also available for booking year-round.  

Combining the skills of a licensed classroom teacher with that of seasoned theatre professionals, InterACT workshops are carefully crafted to meet the specific needs of the students by engaging them in acting games and discussions, with the culmination of the course being a live performance of selected scenes from the Bard's classic work, Romeo & Juliet.  The workshops are designed to support the Nevada State Learning Standards and serve to enrich the established curriculum of our public schools.

"The InterACTworkshop provided my students with the rare opportunity to experience and learn about Shakespeare first-hand in a fun and comfortable environment," said Christa Brown, English teacher at Vaughn Middle School in Reno.  "The workshop was a great introduction to the world of theatre and arts.  It also provided an opportunity for many students who are normally more withdrawn to relate to and participate with others they normally wouldn't - while also learning. We can't wait to have InterACT back next year!"

Workshops begin by introducing the participants to the theme and setting of the play and then each student is asked to interpret the classic text in his or her own words. This allows each student to contextualize the work and see the relevance of past themes in today's world. Through the workshops, students develop critical and creative thinking skills as they bring Shakespeare's written word to life.

"After producing the free D.G. Menchetti youth performances for the past six years, we wanted to expand our educational outreach efforts to provide an in-classroom, interactive, theatre and acting workshop series," said Catherine Atack, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. "In collaboration with the Nevada Shakespeare Company, we are for the first time, able to offer this program throughout Nevada and northern California, with a focus on the greater Reno/Lake Tahoe region, year-round. Our mission is to educate children about the importance of the arts and through the expansion of our youth outreach program to include the InterACT workshops, we are truly able to get students involved, having them experience first-hand the world of opportunity that lies within creative outlets such as theatre and performance art. We anticipate some of the participants from the InterACT series to be performing in our D.G. Menchetti Young Shakespeare program this summer."

Marilyn Hoffman, 3^rd grade teacher at Jessie Beck Elementary in Reno said, "For the last three years, I've been successfully introducing Shakespeare to my third grade class. This year, however, I feel very fortunate to have discovered the InterACT program because it makes learning fun for the students. The students feel a real sense of accomplishment from working with experienced Shakespearean performers and it's my belief that programs like InterACT help support the educational process."

Other area venues where the workshops will take place include: Reno's Tune Into Kids Fair; Vaughn Middle School, Reno; Mitchell Elementary, Sparks; Natchez Elementary, Wadsworth; Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School, Gardnerville; Carson Valley Middle School, Minden; Yerington High School, Kingsbury Middle School, Zephyr Cove; North Tahoe High School, Tahoe City, Calif.; Boys & Girls Club of Mason Valley, Yerington; Incline Village Library, Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Children's Cabinet, Reno; South Lake Tahoe Parks and Recreation Department, South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Zephyr Cove Library, Carson City Library, Minden Library, Truckee Library and the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada, Carson City.

For schools or organizations interested in requesting an InterACT workshop, visit LakeTahoeShakespeare.com or call 775-832-1616. Private workshops are also available.  

The regular Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival season begins on July 12 and continues through Aug. 19. Tickets start at $22 for open seating tiers and range in options up to the premier Reserved Seating section from $67. For tickets and information about the 2007 Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor, including membership, volunteer and employment opportunities, call 800-74-SHOWS (800-747-4697) or visit online.

The Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established for the cultural benefit and enjoyment of all residents and visitors to Lake Tahoe and Reno. The annual Festival advocates the finest cultural events in the area while educating future generations on the importance of the arts, theater and music.  Presenting sponsors for the 2007 Festival include Harrah's/Harvey's at Lake Tahoe, offering first class accommodations and gaming choices at Lake Tahoe's South Shore, the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) representing Reno-Tahoe, America's Adventure Place and Microsoft Licensing, GP.  

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