About Chicago Youth Shakespeare

our mission

Chicago Youth Shakespeare [CYS] is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to putting Shakespeare’s timeless works into the hands of 21st-century teenagers. CYS provides innovative performances and educational outreach programs that connect young adults across Chicagoland with Shakespeare and with each other. We are committed to providing a safe space for young artists of all backgrounds, and to fostering a diverse community of creative and compassionate global citizens.

our core values

CYS is committed to creating spaces where everyone feels safe, welcome, respected, and heard.

our history

Chicago Youth Shakespeare was established in 2013 by founder and Artistic Director, Manon Spadaro, a teacher with a vision to share the life-changing experience of learning Shakespeare through performance with teenagers beyond her classroom. Since that time, CYS programs have impacted over 9000 students from more than 75 different public, private, and parochial schools across the Chicago area. We've granted our student participants over $90,000 in need-based program scholarships, helped teens raise more than $4,000 to support arts programming in public schools, and we remain committed to bringing free Shakespeare performances and learning opportunities to hundreds of new students each year.

CYS Ensemble and Summer Shakes program participants continue to maintain a 100% high school graduation rate, (that’s 16 points higher than the national average, and 13 points higher than the state of Illinois average); and 99% of our program graduates go on to college, and are currently attending or have recently graduated from one of the following academic institutions.

This learning environment was one of the best I have ever been in.
The staff makes it very clear that CYS is a space for exploring and taking risks without fear of judgement. - 9th Grader

your brain on Shakespeare

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our approach

At CYS, our approach to Shakespeare is active and collaborative, engaging young people with the texts and with each other in ways that are meaningful and lasting. CYS students learn to drive the creative process by working together, thinking outside the box, and exploring Shakespeare's stories and characters in ways that resonate most with them.

I have learned so much about Shakespeare and about myself — like finding the truth, being open to change, and taking risks. - 10th Grader

diversity, equity, & inclusion

At CYS, we believe that fostering a diverse and inclusive environment is fundamental to learning, to art-making, and to building a more just and equitable world. We welcome students, teaching artists, staff, and volunteers of all backgrounds and ideologies into our community.

Chicago Youth Shakespeare is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, basis of disability, or any other federal, state, or local protected class.

In the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020, CYS launched an initiative to re-examine, re-evaluate, and reaffirm our commitment to anti-racism across all aspects of our organization. This is an ongoing effort to help strengthen anti-racist practices and identify new strategies to ensure an equitable and safe space for all.