​A Message from Artistic Director, Manon Spadaro

Dear Friends of CYS,
In the winter of 2022, Chicago Youth Shakespeare announced that this would be our final season, as we prepared to close our doors in the spring of 2023. Although this news may be sad, there is so much to be proud of, thanks to our amazing community of young artists and alumni, their family members, our audiences, partners, and supporters!  So on behalf of all of us at CYS, I want to express our heartfelt thanks to all of you for being part of our very special community over the past 10 years:

​To the audience members who came out time and again to cheer on our young performers; to the artists and organizations who gave so generously of their talents and resources; to the dozens of schools and classroom teachers that opened their doors to our programs and performances; to the dedicated teaching artists, interns, and apprentices who joined us in our mission to empower and unite Chicago's youth through Shakespeare; to the generous donors, volunteers, and community partners who made our work possible; and finally, to the brave young artists who helped us cultivate our very own Forest of Arden: Thank you!

Together, we brought Shakespeare into the lives of over 10,000 students across Chicagoland, giving young people a place to be their genuine selves while exploring the works of the Bard together. That is truly something to celebrate! 

Huge thanks to all who joined us on Wednesday, December 28th at the Epiphany Center for the Arts for our final Shakespeare performance and celebration!
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With Much Gratitude and Affection,

To learn more about Chicago Youth Shakespeare, visit any of the links below:
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