Tower Theatre Foundation announces 2023-24 LessonPLAN Education Series
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The nonprofit Tower Theatre Foundation has announced their LessonPLAN (Performing Live Arts Now) Education Series for the 2023-24 school year. The annual series brings public, private, and home-schooled students to the Tower Theatre and performers into schools.
The program offers low-cost matinees at the historic theatre or in-school assemblies to inspire students’ creativity and enhance performing arts curriculum for teachers.
“We are excited to deliver impactful and enjoyable LessonPLAN performances to K-12 students. Our goal for the 2023-24 school year is to increase our education programs to provide services to more than 8,000 students. This represents a 35% increase from the current year to meet the needs of Central Oregon educators,” said the Tower’s Director of Education, Dani Wyeth.
“We also will introduce sensory-friendly programming for children on the autistic spectrum or who have intellectual/developmental disabilities,” adds Wyeth.
The 2023-24 LessonPLAN Education Series includes the following events:
Nov. 2, 2023: Living Voices: Northwest Passages (one in-school performance still available) Encounter the varied cultures and dynamic changes of the Pacific Northwest as a young immigrant straddles the old and new worlds at the turn of the 20th century.
Nov. 7, 2023: Living Voices: Native Vision (in-school performances) Honor the Native experience from government boarding schools to the Navajo Code Talkers or World War II, as a young Navajo girl works to keep her culture in the face of prejudice and a changing world.
Dec. 7, 2023: Aaron Meyer at Three Rivers School (Sold Out) Rock Violinist Aaron Meyer is returning to Bend for a Tower Theatre Foundation-presented “Rock the Holidays” performance on Dec. 6, 2023. In collaboration with Sunriver Music Festival, Aaron is offering an educational matinee for Three Rivers School.
Jan. 22, 2024: Peking Acrobats at Tower Theatre (Sold Out) For the last thirty-two years, The Peking Acrobats® have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics. They perform daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and display their technical prowess at such arts as trick-cycling, precision tumbling, juggling, somersaulting, and gymnastics.
Feb. 20, 2024: Finding North at Tower Theatre Finding North brings to life the powerful stories of the strivings, sacrifices and dreams of John P. Parker, a former enslaved man who dedicated his life to helping enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad in southern Ohio. A timely and provocative contribution to the national conversation about prejudice, privilege, and human rights, the play is both an exploration and celebration of the continuing quest for justice and freedom in America.
March 4, 2024: Big Bubble Bonanza at Tower Theatre (Sold Out) See the newest, funniest, zany spectacular from world-famous, Guinness Book of World Records-holding, master bubble wrangler Jeff Boyer. It’s a sensory-friendly bubble extravaganza for the whole family!
April 9, 2024: DLUX Puppets’ Wonderland at Tower Theatre (Sold Out) With remarkable puppetry and clever digital scenery (Live Virtual Set™ by Steve Axtell), the classic tale of Alice’s journey through the marvelous world of the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, Caterpillar, Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum and the Queen of Hearts becomes a fun musical adaptation for the whole family.
April 23, 2024: 123 Andrés at Tower Theatre (Sold Out) Andrés and Christina are the Latin Grammy-winning music duo 123 Andrés. Their catchy songs and lively performances get the whole audience dancing, singing, and learning! These high-energy, joyful shows celebrate the Latinx experience and incorporate Spanish, English, and ASL languages.
May 7, 2024: Red Grammar (one in-school performance still available)
Celebrate our amazing planet and its animals, food, and people with “Hooray for the World”. If you’re looking for a great theme song for Earth Day and/or looking for a song that your kids can sing every day to express their gratitude to Mother Earth, this is it!
Over the last decade, LessonPLAN has continued to increase the number of students reached and schools visited across the Central Oregon region. This year, most of the series sold out within a day of announcing the lineup to teachers and educators.
In the words of one 4th grade teacher, “We are so grateful for the Tower Theatre for providing such enriching opportunities for our students and the community!”
More information about the LessonPLAN Educational Program is available at towertheatre.org.
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About Tower Theatre Foundation
The historic 455-seat Tower Theatre is owned and operated by the nonprofit Tower Theatre Foundation. Our mission is to be Central Oregon's leading performing arts organization, providing cultural and educational programs that make essential contributions to the region's lifestyle and strength of community. For additional information about the foundation, our education programs and performing arts events, please visit towertheatre.org.
