2021/'22 Season
Huge thanks to Writers Theatre for welcoming our professional youth ensemble back to perform in their beautiful space, just in time for Chicago Theatre Week, 2022! Click on the image above to view the production program.
Made possible in part by grants from the following season partners:
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CYS Ensemble
2019/'20 Season
2019/'20 Season
Our 2019/'20 Ensemble production of Richard III featured a company of 14 youth actors and four contributing youth artists, and held a successful three-week run at Raven Theatre. Subsequent touring performances, along with a staged reading scheduled later in the spring were cancelled due to Covid-19.
Click on the image to view the production program.
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Enama Samuels as Lady Anne
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CYS kicked off the 2019/'20 production season with a staged reading of King Lear, featuring CYS youth artists alongside esteemed professional Shakespeare actors. Directed by Louis Fantasia, the one-night-only event played to a sold-out audience at The Edge Theatre on Chicago's north side.
Summer Shakes, 2019
Our 2019 Summer Shakes program culminated in a production of Twelfth Night, with performances and community outreach events at Raven Theatre, The School of Theatre & Music at UIC, and Adventure Stage Chicago. Click the image to view the production program.
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Siah Berlatsky (Malvolio) in performance at Raven Theatre
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Hamming it up at the post-show workshop with the Trailblazers at Adventure Stage Chicago!
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Daniel Newgarden (Orsino) and Esther Segal-Weinberger (Olivia) in rehearsal at The Literacenter.
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CYS Ensemble
2018/'19 Season
2018/'19 Season
Set on a modern day college campus, CYS's Othello examined issues of systemic racism, sexism, and abuse, through a contemporary lens that spoke directly to young adults. The production featured the collaborative work of nine youth actors and six contributing youth artists, Ticketed performances and community outreach events were held at Raven Theatre, The School of Theatre & Music at UIC, and Writers Theatre of Glencoe. Following each of the performances, audiences engaged with the Ensemble in some amazing conversations about race, gender inequality, and the impact of theatre and the arts on issues of social justice.
Summer Shakes, 2018
The 2018 Summer Shakes program culminated in our first devised production, comprised of scenes and selected text from over 15 Shakespeare plays.
Ticketed & community outreach performances were held at Raven Theatre, The School of Theatre & Music at UIC, and Adventure Stage Chicago. Click the image to view the production program.
In rehearsal on campus at The School of Theatre & Music at UIC
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CYS Ensemble
2017/'18
2017/'18
Our 2017/'18 Season production of The Tempest featured an ensemble of 13 youth actors and four contributing youth artists. Performances & community outreach events took place at The Joffrey Ballet's Black Box Theatre, The Old Town School of Folk Music, and the Addison Public Library. The artistic process featured a collaboration with Third Coast percussionist, Peter Ferry, and visiting artists, Lawrence Grimm and Samuel Taylor. Click on the image to view the production program.
Israel Terrell as Ariel
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Catherine Wilson as Caliban
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Summer Shakes, 2017
Click to view the production program.
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Maiya Swedberg (Conrade), Nico Olszanski (Watchman), Brandon Lozano (Dogberry), Antoinette Pompe Van MeerderVort (Antonia),
and Haley Seda (Sexton) performing at Indian Boundary Park.
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CYS Ensemble
2016/'17
2016/'17
Our 2016/'17 production of Hamlet featured the collaborative work of nine youth actors and teen LTAB poets, Ireon Roach and Victor Musoni Ticketed performances and community outreach events were held at Theatre Wit, The Arts Club of Chicago, and LaSalle Language Academy (CPS). Click on the image to view the production program.
Artistic collaborations with LTAB poets, Ireon Roach and Victor Musoni. Click the image to view the production program.
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Kiara Rivera (Horatio) and Freedom Martin (Hamlet) in performance at Theater Wit.
Hamlet (Freedom Martin) ponders his mother's "hasty" marriage to his uncle.
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Summer Shakes, 2016
The 2016 Summer Shakes program culminated in a production of The Comedy of Errors, with performances and community outreach shows at Stage 773 Theater and Noble Street College Prep (CPS). Click on the image to view the production program.
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The Dromios: Oskar Westbridge and Simon Cohen in performance at Stage 773.
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CYS Ensemble
2015/'15
2015/'15
Our 2015/'16 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream featured an ensemble of 14 youth artists and a collaboration with Rough House Theatre. Ticketed performances and community outreach shows were held at Center on Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theatrer, Hefferan Elementary School (CPS) and Kelvyn Park High School (CPS). Click on the image to view the production program.
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Karla Corona (Titania) with fairies: Kiara Rivera, Coda Marcus, Gabriel Girson, and Tori Okabi in performance at Center on Halsted.
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Summer Shakes, 2015
Our 2015 Summer Shakes program culminated in a production of Julius Caesar, with ticketed shows and community outreach events at Center on Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theater, Roe Elementary School (CPS), and Unity Park in Logan Square. Click on the image to view the production program.
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Mari'jae Moore (Julius Caesar) in performance at Center on Halsted.
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CYS Ensemble
2014/'15
2014/'15
Our 2014/'15 Ensemble production of Romeo and Juliet featured ten youth actors and a collaboration with playwright, Danielle Littman. Ticketed performances and community outreach shows were held at Gorilla Tango Theatre, Charnel House, Lakeview High School (CPS), and Theodore Roosevelt High School (CPS). Click on the image to view the production program.
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Freya Trefonides (Juliet) and Nina Sachs (Romeo) in performance at Gorilla Tango Theatre.
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Summer Shakes 2014
Our very first Summer Shakes program culminated in a production of As You Like It, with ticketed and community outreach shows at The Hairpin Arts Center, Wrigley Square at Millennium Park, Unity Park in Logan Square, Piccolo Theatre, and The Admiral on the Lake. Click on the image to view the production program.
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Jesse Granato (Touchstone) and Sophia Carlin (Celia) in performance at The Admiral on the Lake.
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CYS Ensemble
2013/'14
2013/'14
Our very first CYS Ensemble program culminated in a production of Macbeth, with ticketed performances and community outreach shows at The Lincoln Park Cultural Center, Phoenix Military Academy (CPS), and Urban Prep Academy, Englewood (CPS). Click on the image to view the production program.
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Getting silly in rehearsal at The Athenaeum.
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