We're Back at Chicago Children's Theatre with GRRL Power!
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We are so excited to be back at Chicago Children’s Theatre for the second summer in a row! We sat down with education director Dexter Ellis to talk GRRL Power and summer at CCT.
TVP: Why did you want to have a program like GRRL power at CCT?
Dexter: There are a million reasons why Chicago Children's Theatre is excited to have a program like GRRL Power at CCT. The most compelling is the all young women aspect of the camp. The concept itself is a model that tells these young women that even at young age they can dive into complex material. Shakespeare is...not easy. But we've seen VP come in and teach students as young as 9 years old something that many professional actors struggle with. They stage combat portion of the camp also enforces that women are strong and powerful; it breaks down any gender biases that they may see out in the world.
TVP: This is our second year at CCT. What made you excited to have us back?
Dexter: We thought that the first year of having Viola Project at Chicago Children's Theatre would have a learning curve - like most programs do. However, Viola Project has created such a dynamic and empowering curriculum. The young women that took the camp last year walked out of the program with confidence and vigor. You can't ignore something like that; it was a no-brainer to bring them back this year.
TVP: What's your favorite thing about summer camp at Chicago Children's Theatre?
Dexter: My favorite thing about summer camp is seeing so many people from all over Chicago (and surrounding states!) come into a room together to learn or create a script together. We are uniquely positioned in the West Loop and are fortunate enough to have students from all walks of life. To me, this is what makes Chicago special. I came from the south where this was not always the case. And ultimately, this is why I chose Chicago to be my home. I am proud to work for an organization that supports these ideas not only in conversation, but with real action.
We hope you’ll join us at The Station for a week of GRRL Power with CCT! Sign up here!
