Bravo Fall Programming Begins With Shows Oct. 16-17

Press release from the Oak Park Elementary School District 97:

Even as Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School classes are remote, students have rich extracurricular programming through BRAVO!, the award-winning performing arts program led by Artistic Director Tina Reynolds.

Seventh and eighth graders have been rehearsing and recording two virtual shows, War of the Worlds and Super Happy Awesome News.

Inspired by Orson Wells’ 1938 radio broadcast, War of the Worlds is a Zoom play that finds teen morning-show hosts covering the biggest story in human history—a Martian invasion of Earth.

Super Happy Awesome News is an online musical inspired by real kids’ stories during this challenging and unprecedented time. The show is light, witty, fun and features honest and vulnerable moments for the kids to safely express their emotions, connect with peers and be heard and understood.

“ It’s been a unique and rewarding experience to share one-on-one time with each of the cast members as we polished their scenes and songs online,” says Tina Reynolds. “While I miss in person BRAVO rehearsals, it has been equally inspiring to sing, dance, imagine and continue to create theater experiences with our students!”

Both shows will be livestreamed this week, with tickets offered at $15 per family. More enriching arts programming is planned for the fall, with auditions happening this month for the 6th grade musical, Dear Edwina, JR and a 7th and 8th grade musical experience, Lessons of Resilience and Empowerment in the Face of Adversity, which features the music, stories and lessons of Roald Dahl’s James and the Giant Peach, Matilda and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. War of the Worlds Friday, October 16th at 7pm Tickets: https://bit.ly/2GPMBde Super Happy Awesome News Saturday, October 17th at 7pn Tickets: https://bit.ly/3jUbbbp

This press release was produced by the Oak Park Elementary School District 97. The views expressed here are the author's own.