This season the Alys Stephens Center’s “Arts in Action” Education and Outreach program will feature two new community partnerships in addition to the diverse array of free to low-cost performances, events and classes presented each year.This year the Alys Stephens Center (ASC) will bring the new Robert Redus School of Guitar to a select group of students at Glen Iris Elementary School. Born from a vision of friends and family of the late Robert Clark Redus IV to spread his gift of music, this year-long program will offer six students the chance to study guitar with a university-level instructor. At the end of the school year, the students will have the chance to keep their guitars based on their commitment to lessons, practice, responsibility and volunteerism.
Also new this year is the ASC’s Make It Happen Performing Ensemble. Through a partnership with Make It Happen Theatre Company and Birmingham City Schools, the Alys Stephens Center invites high school students to audition this fall for this performance-based program. Selected students will attend weekly theater classes and rehearsals that will culminate in the Feb.14, 2010 ASC Kids’ Club performance “Extraordinary Americans Who Happen to Be …” which celebrates Black History Month. This performance will be researched, written and performed by the students, who also will get the opportunity to participate in the Arts in Action mentoring program.
For the third year, the Alys Stephens Center will present ASC Kids’ Club on the Road, an arts education program that can travel right to schools for free. Three shows with engaging, enlightening artists will be offered: Poets’ Corner Poetry Workshop with artist Sharrif Simmons for grades 5-12; No Fear Shakespeare with actor/director and educator Quinton Cockrell for grades 6-12; and The Watershed Workshop with singer-songwriter Charles Tortorici for grades 5-12. Availability is limited. For details call 205-934-0862 or visit www.alysstephens.org.
About “Arts in Action”
“Arts in Action” presents programs and events to enrich the lives of both students and adults. The program’s mission is to cultivate an appreciation for and understanding of the arts and make the performing arts accessible to everyone. Among the many branches of Arts in Action are master classes for small student groups who learn from experts in the field and meet the artist events for schools. The program also offers a mentoring program, the ASC Kids’ Club shows for families, innovative classes and enrichment activities for adults, free concert talks and drama workshops and summer camps. The program lower-cost tickets for students and children to selected performances as well as free buses to and from the center. Since its inception in 2002, more than 50,000 students have participated in Arts in Action events and programs.
VIDEO: www.youtube.com/uabnews
TEXT: www.uab.edu/news
TWEETS: www.twitter.com/uabnews
