Actors Training Center teen actors reach inward and then reach out to troubled youth with benefit performances of "Spring Awakening The Musical, Sunday May 6th
The teenaged actors of Wilmette Theatre's renowned Actor's Training Center are usingtheir stage talents to help, in real life, the kind of troubled youth they recently played on stage.The Tony-award winning rock musical is called "Spring Awakening". It's an intense,mature-content musical which deals with depression, addiction, sexual abuse, self-injury andsuicide as well as the often-difficult relationship between teenager and parent. Because of theadult nature of the show, ATC's Repertory Company staged only one workshop performanceof "Spring Awakening" to a very select group of family and friends.
The show so resonated with the actors, that when it was over, they all wanted more. Notonly to do more performances, but they began to wonder what more they could do with thispowerfully relevant show. They couldn't let it end there. The play, they believed, could andshould be used as an outreach to others. So the young REP Company decided to "pay itforward" by "playing it forward".
The actors came up with the idea of doing another performance, specifically to raisemoney for a charity that helps young people deal with the very difficult issues raised in themusical. The charity they chose to help is "To Write Love on her Arms", or TWLOHA , anational charity for young people in crisis.
On May 6, ATC's Rep Company will once again take to the stage with their workshopproduction of "Spring Awakening", this time with a new purpose: to raise money for TWLOHA,and to be the inaugural fundraiser for ATC's home, the now not-for-profit Wilmette Theatre. The shows will also help raise funds for the Actors Training Center Scholarship Fund.
To make the evening even more meaningful, a cast and audience talk-back with Chicagopsychologist Dr. Steve Julius will begin immediately after the show.
This benefit performance will take place Sunday, May 6th at 7 pm at the WilmetteTheatre, 1122 Central Avenue, in downtown Wilmette.
Seats are being sold at tiered benefit levels, of $250, $200, $150, $100 and $50. Therewill be only a limited number of tickets in each prince range.
In addition, there will also be a 4 pm benefit performance that same day, but strictly forthose 21 years and younger. No exceptions will be made. Those benefit tickets are being soldfor $25 each.
Tickets can be purchased or donations can be made online at www.wilmettetheatre.com.
Interestingly, the modern rock musical "Spring Awakening" is based on a highlycontroversial play written in 1892, by German author Frank Wedekind. The issues he exploredmore than a hundred years ago are just as relevant now.
