The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) is pleased to announce the participating youth theatre programs and groups for the inaugural Philly Youth Theatre Festival at the Prince Theater on June 7, 2017. The festival is a regional theatre competition that will bring together high school students around their shared passion for theatre. Free tickets to the Philly Youth Theatre Festival can be obtained at www.PrinceTheater.org, or by calling the Prince Theater box office at 215-422-4580.
Attendees will be able to see some of the region’s best youth drama and theater programs compete for cash prizes by performing scenes and monologues ranging from drama, musical selections, and tragedy to comedy. The festival provides an opportunity for these young performers to work with their peers and compete for a panel of celebrity judges.“With the launch of the inaugural Philly Youth Theatre Festival, we wanted to develop a competition for young performers to meet and interact with peers from other theatre programs, and to provide an evening of entertainment for the audience,” said Chief Cultural Officer Kelly Lee.
The festival is one of several arts education initiatives of OACCE. The focus on youth theater is because of the positive impact that participation in the theater arts has on educational outcomes. According to the American Alliance for Theatre Education, students involved in performances improve their public speaking and presentation skills, reading comprehension, and have higher scores in verbal and math SATs. “These benefits are in addition to the teambuilding and self-confidence that these young participants will experience from being part of the Philly Youth Theatre Festival,” Lee said.
Young actors from the following schools and programs will perform ensemble scenes and monologues for celebrity judges on the main stage of the Prince Theater. The performers will be competing for over $9,000 in prize money for their programs. In addition to winners for ensemble scenes and monologues, other award categories include the most creative use of staging, hand prop, and recovery during a performance.
The participating schools and programs include:
- –Philadelphia Theatre Company
- –Shadow Company of Yes! And… Collaborative Arts
- –Kimmel Center ShowStoppers Musical Theater Program
- –St. Joseph’s Prep
- –Academy at Palumbo
- –Childhoodslost Foundation
- –Curio Theatre Company’s Curiositeens
- –AIM Academy
- –Penncrest High School
- –The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush
- –The Baldwin School
“We hope that the public will be able to join us in supporting and celebrating these talented young artists by attending the competition finals,” said Philly Youth Theatre Festival Directing Manager David O’Connor.
The Festival is presented by OACCE and in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Young Playwrights, and St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and hosted by the Prince Theater. For more information about the Philly Youth Theatre Festival and the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, visit: www.CreativePHL.org, Facebook.com/CreativePHL and on Twitter @CreativePHL and Instagram @CreativePHL.
About the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy supports and promote arts, culture and the creative industries; develops partnerships that ensure culture and creativity are essential components of Philadelphia’s community revitalization, education, and economic development strategies; and links Philadelphians to cultural resources and opportunities. For more information about the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, visit: www.CreativePHL.org, Facebook.com/CreativePHL and on Twitter @CreativePHL and Instagram @CreativePHL.
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