ƹƵEd Fund Kicks Off Donations and Sponsorship Opportunities
The ƹƵ District Fine Arts Department is proud to announce the 4th annual ƹƵISD districtwide Summer Theatre Series productions with its greatest and most inclusive offerings yet. This year the series will include two musicals, student-written and student-directed works, and featured special workshops with the touring company of Hamilton. For the first time ever, the , a recognized champion of AISD, is the proud sponsor of the series.
Productions are as follows: In The Heights runs Thursday, July 18 through Sunday, July 21 on the AISD Performing Arts Center main stage; Aladdin dual language edition will run Thursday, July 25 through Sunday, July 28 in the ƹƵISD PAC Black Box Theatre; and Take 5: Shifting Perspectives on (Dis)Ability will be presented on July 27 and July 28 as the newest expansion of the summer series and The VSA Playwright Discovery Program, which invites middle and high school students with disabilities to explore their experiences through the art of writing for performance in the form of plays, screenplays, or musical theatre.
The show is being directed by recent ƹƵISD graduate, Noah Messer. For the first time, ASL interpretation and audio description services will be included for some of the performances, and a talkback with the cast, production team, and special guests will follow on the July 28 performance of Take 5.
“The AISD Summer Theatre Series is a big family that helps bring students together from across the district. It has helped me find great friends who became like family to me,” said Alexis Baxa, a Crockett High School student.
This year, the ƹƵISD Performing Arts Center hosted cast and crew members from the traveling Hamilton Broadway show as they offered workshops in acting, dancing, singing, costuming, and technical theatre for AISD’s cast of the summer series. Technical theatre students also toured Hamilton’s backstage for a deeper look at the real world of a touring company.
Each year, the ƹƵISD Summer Theatre Series is open to current ƹƵISD students in middle and high school. The series is a free educational opportunity with over 150 students from 25 AISD schools participating in the cast, on the technical crew, as interns, and as musicians. Student leaders shadow adults to gain valuable leadership experience, working with 12 teachers from eight schools who lead the production team.
Tickets for all performances are $15 for adults and $10 for students and ƹƵISD staff. Tickets can be purchased at the following link: .
As the inaugural sponsor of the summer series, ƹƵEd Fund encourages the ƹƵcommunity to become involved and consider making a donation to support the series and fine arts in ƹƵISD. To make a donation, visit .
For more information on sponsorship opportunities for future Summer Theatre Series, please contact Milli Christner with the ƹƵEd Fund at milli.christner@austinisd.org.
About ƹƵAISD:
ƹƵISD's vision is to reinvent the urban school experience. AISD is the largest school district in Central Texas and our students' SAT and ACT scores exceed state and national averages. U.S. News and World Report ranks seven AISD high schools among the best in the nation. The district has more National Board Certified Teachers than any other school district in Texas. AISD is recognized as the largest No Place for Hate school district in the nation by the Anti-Defamation League. Follow AISD on Facebook at www.facebook.com/austinisd, Instagram at @austinisd, or on Twitter at @AustinISD. For more information, visit austinisd.org.
About ƹƵEd Fund:
ƹƵEd Fund is a recognized champion of ƹƵISD. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, ƹƵEd Fund develops and stewards meaningful public-private partnerships that promote innovation and support opportunities that prepare ƹƵISD students for college, career, and life. The organization has successfully served as a catalyst and facilitated over $20 million in support for ƹƵISD strategic priorities and initiatives since 2001. ƹƵEd Fund empowers teachers and students through two campus-based grant programs. Through these programs, ƹƵEd Fund has awarded over $631,000 since 2015. For more information, visit www.austinedfund.org.