We weren't able to offer our annual, six-week Summer Shakes program in 2020 because of COVID-19 - but we did hold a one-week, virtual scene study class in July! Check out the (Short) Summer Shakes scenes from Macbeth here.

Thank you for an experience that helped me feel proud of myself. Thank you for being such a safe space, and allowing me to grow.      ​- (Short) Summer Shakes Student, 2020

​The CYS Summer Shakes Intensive is a rigorous, six-week-long acting and Shakespeare training program open to high school students across the Chicago metropolitan area and beyond!

​Summer Shakes students study advanced acting techniques as they discover how to “unpack” and personalize Shakespeare's words to make them their own. The program culminates in an exciting week of Shakespeare performances throughout the city.

CYS is the absolute best training in theatre I have ever received, without fail. ​ - Summer Shakes Student, 2019

Visiting Artists & Field Trips
CYS welcomes visiting artists from Chicago's professional theatre community to lead masterclasses in a variety of performance techniques, including clown, stage combat, improv, devised theatre, Commedia dell' Arte, and more. Summer students travel off-site to explore some of the city's best cultural resources and participate in artistic exchanges with other Chicago-based summer youth programs.

Doing CYS was an amazing experience unlike anything I'd done before. I learned so much! ​  - Summer Shakes Student, 2019

Program Dates: 
Under normal circumstances, the program runs from late June through August 1 and meets every weekday from10:30am-4:30pm
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Program Location:
​The Literacenter, 641 W Lake Street, Chicago

Admissions:
CYS Summer Shakes admissions are need-blind* and by audition only.

What to prepare for your audition:
A monologue from any Shakespeare play, (approximately 20-30 lines of text, ideally memorized)

​*No student can be turned away based on their ability to pay the program fee, and CYS offers need-based program scholarships to all students requiring financial assistance.

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The availability of scholarships was a deciding factor in participation. Thank you to all who help in this way!  - Summer Shakes Parent, 2019

A look back at Summer Shakes 2019!

​Visit @CYShakes on Facebook for photos from Twelfth Night!

Siah Berlatsky (Malvolio) decodes a secret message from his would-be love, Olivia.

​This program helped me build strong integrity in my work as an actor and confidence in my ability to succeed.  ​​- Summer Shakes Student, 2019

Photos from Summer Shakes 2018, and our first devised production, Uneasy Lies the Head, a mash-up of texts from 15 Shakespeare plays.

Anyone who does this program will come out of it a better person.  - Summer Shakes Student, 2018