NEWS

Local angles: Allegheny, Anson, Caldwell, Chatham,
Cherokee, Greene, Hertford, Hoke, Jones, Madison,
Mitchell, Montgomery, Pender, Vance, Wilkes counties.

Students in GEAR UP NC counties invited to PlayMakers’ drama camp

CHAPEL HILL -- Students in grades seven through 10 from select North Carolina counties may sign up for a challenging and educational introduction to drama this summer with PlayMakers Repertory Company.

The professional, non-profit theatre company, based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will bring 44 students to campus for each of two one-week residential sessions of its new DramaQuest program.

The program is offered in partnership with GEAR UP, a statewide effort that works with students and families to increase numbers of low-income students who enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Grants from the U.S. Department of Education fund GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program).

In North Carolina, the 15 counties involved in GEAR UP -- and those in which students may apply for DramaQuest -- are Allegheny, Anson, Caldwell, Chatham, Cherokee, Greene, Hertford, Hoke, Jones, Madison, Mitchell, Montgomery, Pender, Vance and Wilkes.

"DramaQuest will offer a professional, nurturing environment that promotes group endeavor through exposure to a myriad of drama activities," said Donna Heins, PlayMakers’ managing director. "Students will be encouraged to draw upon their own experiences while they explore ideas and opinions with honesty in an environment of trust."

PlayMakers will offer two DramaQuest sessions: Session One (June 30 – July 5) and Session Two (July 6 – July 12). Professional artists and resident company members will lead the program, bringing structure and discipline as well as a sense of play and exploration, Heins said.

"As budget cuts continue to hit public school arts programs, our educational outreach program works to ensure that more young people statewide have the opportunity to experience the enrichment that theatre can provide," Heins said. "The arts have been shown to improve reading, verbal and math skills and higher-order thinking skills, as well as improve the ability to collaborate. Holding this camp on a university campus provides a perfect environment to put their minds to work."

Applications are due May 30. For a downloadable application and more details, click the "Summer Programs" link on PlayMakers Web site at www.playmakersrep.org, or contact Herb Garman at herb.garman@unc.edu or 919-962-2491. Students also may contact their school’s GEAR UP NC representative.

PlayMakers is seeking additional financial underwriting to help support DramaQuest. Anyone interested in helping the program may call Heins at 919-962-7005.

PlayMakers, the Triangle’s premiere professional theater company, was recently named "one of America’s leading theatre companies" by American Theatre magazine, one of "America’s 50 Best Regional Theatres" by the Drama League of New York and "the Triangle’s premier regional company" by The News & Observer of Raleigh. PlayMakers’ mission is to engage the greater Triangle community in an ongoing exploration of theatre and to nurture succeeding generations of artists and audiences.

PlayMakers performs a five-show season in the Center for Dramatic Art at UNC-Chapel Hill. The 2002-2003 season was made possible in part by support from the National Endowment for the Arts; the North Carolina Arts Council; and the National Theatre Artist Residency Program, a joint program of the Pew Charitable Trusts and Theatre Communications Group Inc.

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Media contact: Pam O’Connor, 919-676-1758, pamo@nc.rr.com
Program contact: Herb Garman, 919-962-2491, herb.garman@unc.edu