KROS Reviewer Sydney Ellen had this review of the opening show “The Nerd” at Timber Lake Playhouse.
Timber Lake Playhouse Receives Grants to Provide
Opportunities for Area Youth
MOUNT CARROLL, IL – The Mount Carroll Community Foundation, The Foundation for Northwest Illinois, and the Illinois Arts Council have awarded Timber Lake Playhouse a series of grants to continue to offer opportunities for area youth in arts related programming.
TLP offers a paid apprentice program for area teens interested in pursuing careers in the theatre arts. This is the sixth year that this program has been in operation. The apprentice program is designed to immerse pre-college teens from Northwest Illinois in all aspects of professional theatre production. Rather than volunteering time, the grant provides an hourly pay rate comparable to other summer work. The schedule is flexible and runs throughout the entire summer. Interested youth should send a letter of application with an artistic statement and a letter of recommendation from someone familiar with their work to admin@timberlakeplayhouse.org.
The High School Theatre Intensive runs from July 8 to July 27. This workshop is for high school actors, singers, dancers, technicians and other creatives. Participants will gain the tools necessary to perform on stage, help produce shows at their school, and ace college auditions. During the workshop, high school students will produce and perform in the All Area High School Musical production of Ride the Cyclone, High School Edition.
In the hilarious and outlandish story, Ride the Cyclone chronicles the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir whose lives are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived! Ride the Cyclone performs July 23 through 27. The cost of the workshop is $200.
TLP’s Next Stage Junior Theatre will produce The Lion King, Jr July 1 through July 6 (no performance on July 4). The Lion King Jr features classic songs from the Broadway musical and animated feature film, including “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” “He Lives in You,” and “Hakuna Matata.” Young performers will also get the chance to learn a wide range of new theatrical skills, such as mask-making and puppetry, encouraging them to explore this beloved story with creativity and pride. All youth will audition and be cast in a specific role during the first week of the workshop. They will then learn songs and choreography, build sets and props, and perfect their parts during the workshop. Participants will receive instruction in vocal technique, acting, stage movement, and auditioning. This workshop and production runs from June 17 through July 6 and is open to youth ages 5 – 18. Last season, the Next Stage Junior Theatre produced the very popular Matilda, Jr. Cost for this production workshop is $100 and includes script and t-shirt.
One of the most popular of the TLP workshops is the Children’s Theatre Workshop. This summer, TLP will be holding two sessions of the CTW on July 6 and on August 3. This workshop is a perfect way for the young artist to shine. The class runs from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm. The July 6 workshop concludes with a ticket to the matinee performance of The Lion King, Jr. Cost for the Children’s Theatre Workshop is $50 and it is open to children ages 6 to 12.
“It is important for TLP to offer programming to area youth,” said TLP Executive Director, Dan Danielowski. “It’s a remarkable investment in the cultural life of the region.”
Scholarships are available for TLP’s summer workshops. Visit the TLP website or contact the Administrative Office at (815) 244-2048 to inquire about applying for a scholarship.
Watch Timber Lake Playhouse’s website for information on all TLP upcoming events and productions. For more information, tickets, and to register for classes, visit www.timberlakeplayhouse.org. You may also call the box office at 815-244-2035 open daily from 10:00 until 5:00 and until intermission on show days. All performance dates and times are available online.
This project is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, The Foundation of Northwest Illinois, and the Mt. Carroll Community Foundation
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