RAVEN
THEATRE TAKES ACTION AGAINST SCHOOL VIOLENCE
A
Bird of Prey
Written by Jim
Grimsley, Directed by Teaching Artist Mechelle Moe and
Sullivan High School
teacher Stefanie Rivera
Presented in coordination
with students from Sullivan High School
Wednesday, December 16 at
6:00 p.m.
No
charge for admission
Free parking is provided
in a lot adjacent to the theatre;
additional street parking
is available
Raven Theatre is
handicapped accessible
Tickets/information:
www.raventheatre.com
or 773-338-2177
CHICAGO - In a groundbreaking
community event, Raven Theatre and students from Sullivan
High School join forces to take a stand against school violence
with the one night show, A Bird of Prey. Over
twenty students are participating in this production in a brave step
toward neutralizing the violent forces lurking in their own school in
Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood.
A Bird of Prey is an educational
theatre piece that discusses the lives of today's youth and the harsh
realities they face every day. From difficult situations at home to
blatant cruelty from their peers, this play brings to light the
extreme danger and inevitable isolation felt by teenagers.
In a
tumultuous and frightening year for Chicago
Public School students, this Raven Theatre outreach event
gives a voice to students whose everyday lives are effected by school
violence. Sullivan students present scenes from the play A Bird
of Prey, as well as pieces they've written on topics of
exclusion, violence and community.
The primary goal of this outreach is to
shift the source of dialogue from parents and local politicians to
the teenagers who are directly effected by violent events -
discussing their fears in a safe environment and empowering them to
be proponents for change in their own neighborhoods. The evening's
events are sure to resonate throughout the community, not only
bringing awareness to this horrifying situation but elevating these
students past the label of "victim", giving them the
support they need to play a part in a positive, proactive solution.
About Raven Theatre's Education and
Outreach Program
For nine years, Raven Theatre's Education and Outreach program has
partnered with Chicago Public
Schools to bring theatre arts education to students in
low-income schools with little access to the arts. Raven's
in-classroom outreach program,"Take Flight", serves over
350 students annually in the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods.
In 2008, Raven expanded "Take Flight" beyond neighborhood
elementary schools to include an arts residency program with Sullivan
High School. Now in its second year, the residency provides Sullivan
students with professional theatre instruction in the classroom and
invites students to share their performance on the Raven stage for an
audience of friends, family and community.
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