Nazareth College Arts Center School Series Announced

Daytime performances during the 2019-2020 academic year expose area students to the arts, satisfy state standards

Rochester, NY (05/28/2019) — The Nazareth College Arts Center is proud to announce the 2019-2020 School Series, a collection of daytime performances offered during the academic year at Nazareth and available exclusively to area K-12 schools and NYS-registered homeschool students. Founded in 1971, the Arts Center's School Series provides 10,000 area students with engaging and educational performing arts experience annually. These content-rich experiences augment classroom learning and satisfy NYS Common Core standards. Performances are produced by some of the world's leading theatre companies dedicated to creating art for young audiences.

Arts Center school shows encourage inquiry, analysis, conceptual understanding, exposure to a variety of cultures and perspectives, and speaking and listening skills. Teachers are provided with study guides prior to the performance to help students prepare for the performance.

"The School Series holds a special place in my heart," said Executive Director Rita Mannelli who programs the series annually. "I love to see the buses arrive at the Arts Center and all the students fill the theater to experience a live performance - many for the first time ever. The students' reactions are always so visceral and honest that I love sitting in the space with them. Exposure to live performance at a young age can be a life changing experience."

Tickets for these performances are available only to school groups and NYS-registered homeschool students. For more information, visit artscenter.naz.edu/school.

The 2019-2020 School Series includes the following performances

Thursday, October 10, 2019
William Shakespeare's The Tempest*
Recommended for grades 9-12
A ship is caught in a terrible storm and the survivors are subject to the wills of a powerful sorcerer on a remote island. Considered to be one of the bard's final plays, this Shakespearean comedy unleashes a world where magic reigns, sailors sleep with fish, spirits surround us, and love can strike like lightning to brighten the darkest night. Presented by the Nazareth College Theatre and Dance Department.
*Public performances also available. Tickets on sale at a later date.

Tuesday & Wednesday, October 29 & 30, 2019
Dragons Love Tacos & Other Stories
Recommended for grades K-3
Five beloved contemporary children's books by different authors are presented in this musical revue: Dragons Love Tacos, Interrupting Chicken, The Dot, Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, and Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: School Days. Presented by TheaterWorksUSA.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Maddi's Fridge
Recommended for grades 1-6
Based on the book by Lois Brandt, this play addresses childhood food insecurity through a thoughtful and funny exploration of friendship, empathy, and doing the right thing. Presented by Childsplay.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Magic Tree House: Showtime with Shakespeare
A New Hip-Hop Musical
Recommended for grades 1-4
Jack and Annie travel to Elizabethan England and meet William Shakespeare in this hip hop musical based on the Magic Tree House adventure Stage Fright on a Summer Night by New York Times best-selling author Mary Pope Osborne. Presented by Shaw Entertainment.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Warriors Don't Cry
Recommended for grades 6-12
Can a young person change the world? Civil rights are explored in this one-woman play based on a memoir about the battle to integrate Little Rock Central High School in 1956. Presented by TheaterWorksUSA.

Wednesday, February 5, 2020
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites
Recommended for grades PreK-2
Three stories by the award-winning author and illustrator are adapted for the stage through the magic of black light and fanciful puppets. Presented by Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia.

Thursday, February 13, 2020
Charlotte's Web
Recommended for grades 1-5
The remarkable friendship between one "terrific" pig and a spider are explored in this all-new musical with a bluegrass beat! Presented by TheaterWorksUSA.

Friday, March 13, 2020
What Do You Do With An Idea?*
Recommended for grades K-12

How do ideas form and grow? Told through movement, music, and narration, an ensemble of dancers creates a magical world where ideas grow and take flight. Based on the New York Times best-selling book by Kobi Yamada. Presented by Inlet Dance Theatre.

*Public performance offered on March 13 at 6 p.m. Tickets available at artscenter.naz.edu/season.

ABOUT
The Nazareth College Arts Center has been Rochester's premiere performing arts center for world-class music, theatre, dance, and family entertainment since 1967. The Arts Center serves as a venue and educational resource for students, educators, artists, and audiences of all ages to create, study, and experience the visual and performing arts. The live performances of the Arts Center Series provide area residents with opportunities to engage with touring artists from across the country and around the world. The K-12 school performance series serves over 10,000 students each year with content-rich experiences that augment classroom learning. The Departments of Art, Music, and Theatre and Dance present exceptional productions, recitals, and exhibitions, which are open to the public, while preparing students for successful careers in arts-related fields.

The Nazareth College Arts Center's 2019-20 season is sponsored by The Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation and M&T Bank.

Media please note: High-resolution photos are available at https://drive.google.com/open?id=1aVX_zRUJRS7EE5h6WIaArEJJJye-C7gG

Interviews and photo/footage opportunities may also be arranged.

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