Famous Suzanne Roberts Theatre to Host Free One-Night Show on September 16th
PHILADELPHIA (September 8th, 2015) – Pennsylvania’s school funding crisis will take center stage in School Play at the nationally-renowned Suzanne Roberts Theatre on Wednesday, September 16th, 2015. Due to the overwhelmingly positive reviews following the sold-out premiere performances last April at the National Constitution Center, School Play will return for a free one-night show on the Avenue of the Arts.
The timing of School Play could not be more relevant as the two-month-old budget standoff continues in Harrisburg with new funding for education at the top of the agenda. The documentary-based live theatre production from playwrights Arden Kass and Seth Bauer, commissioned by Public Citizens for Children and Youth, uses the real voices of more than 100 Pennsylvanians to dramatize funding inequities among school districts across the state.
“Pennsylvania children are going back to school this year facing uncertainty and inequity,” said Donna Cooper, Executive Director for PCCY. “The raw emotion in the voices of students, parents, teachers, and administrators makes it clear that our state leaders need to step up and give children the proper resources they need to flourish in school.”
The performance at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre on the September 16th is a collaborative production presented by Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Wilma Theater and The Arden Theatre Company, and will kick off a statewide tour as the production hits the road with scheduled performances in several different venues across the state.
«Мы ставим человеческие лица перед этой важной проблемой, чтобы люди понимали, почему финансирование образования имеет значение», - говорит драматург Арден Касс. «Мы хотим использовать уникальные возможности живого выступления, чтобы привлечь внимание людей способом, отличным от новостных репортажей и выступлений. Избавившись от цифр и политических аргументов, мы поможем найти способы улучшить положение наших детей и сообществ ».
GroundSwell, an advocacy and community engagement program of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance and a key partner in bringing School Play to the stage, points out that the performance will take place in the middle of National Arts in Education Week, with activities planned by Americans for the Arts during the week of September 13th-19th.
Tickets for the free one-night performance are going fast. Those interested in attending should reserve their seats by visiting www.childrenfirstpa.org. To learn more about School Play or to download production materials including a full script, log on to www.childrenfirstpa.org/schoolplay.