The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts (Charter Arts) Theatre Department presents a fall season of dynamic original plays .Playing host to these premieres is an important and distinct honor for a high school theatre program.  Artistic Director, Kelly Minner-Bickert shares: “We pride ourselves on offering something that is different from other high school theatre programs in the Lehigh Valley. In addition to the extensive training they receive here our students are given the rare opportunity to work with playwrights, composers and other artists at the forefront of the theatre movement in the creation of new works.”

The season kicks off with a production of “The Oscars: A Conversation Among Friends” by John Thompson, September 6-8. 2024. Oscar Wilde, a famously complex man, invites you into an evening of conversation between five different versions of himself- the young poet, the mature storyteller, the jaded playwright, the sorrowful prisoner, and the weary exile. The conversational jousting between the Oscars brings alive the arc of Wilde’s life and follows his search for a way to recover himself as the artist of his own life.

This production is directed by Kelly Minner-Bickert and features an exceptional cast that includes students, alumni and community artists. “All of the artists involved in this project have diligently committed to taking the intimate conversation among the 5 Wildes and turn it into a transcendent spiritual experience of self reflection and hopefully, discovery for the audience as well. As Wilde questions his choices and the world’s view of them, he also challenges the audience (who will be seated around the actors as part of the action) to do likewise. Playwright John Thompson, in his first play, has crafted a piece of such raw emotional text (often using WIlde’s own words) where the famed wit, dandy, playwright peels back the layers of himself to unmask how his desires, his vanity, his genius, his suffering, and his mistakes led him on the ultimate search to embrace all of his identities and rediscover who is Oscar Wilde?”

Evening performances on September 6 & 7 at 7 PM. Matinee performance on September 8 at 2 PM. Tickets are General Admission: $12 Adult, $7 Student/Child. Limited Seating. Tickets can be purchased in advance at CharterArts.org.

ABOUT THE CHARTER ARTS THEATRE DEPARTMENT:

The Charter Arts Theatre Department offers a pre-professional training program for high school-aged performers. The goal is to provide students with the skills they will need to move on to competitive college programs as well as professional theatre experiences.

Classes are designed to encourage students to create imaginative and compelling characters, to regard their voices and bodies as creative instruments, to expose them to theatrical literature and to instill in them a sense of respect and professionalism for the art form that will stay with them throughout their lives.

The department will also continue to engage alumni performers, directors and artists this year as part of its Alumni Artist-in-Residence program. Artistic Director, Kelly Minner-Bickert shares: “The creation of this program was to keep our alumni connected to Charter Arts and to reinforce with our current students that they will always have a home here with us. We demonstrate that we value artistry and we want to instill in our young artists that when they reach a certain skill level of mastery in their art they have a right to be celebrated and paid for their contributions as professional artists.”

ABOUT THE LEHIGH VALLEY CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS (Charter Arts):

Charter Arts is an audition-based public charter school that provides a comprehensive curriculum for high school students, grades 9-12, who have a dedicated passion for the creative and performing arts.   Students major in one of seven artistic areas: dance, instrumental music, literary arts, production arts, theatre, visual arts, or vocal music.

Charter Arts’ rigorous curriculum fosters both academic and artistic excellence for its students. The school’s impressive Future Ready PA Index ranking, Advanced Placement (AP) exam statistics, Keystone Exam statistics, SAT scores, prestigious artistic accolades, and graduation rate, are testaments to the outstanding education that Charter Arts provides.

Recently, Charter Arts was ranked #1 Best Charter High School in PA on Niche’s 2024 Best Schools in America Rankings.  In addition, Charter Arts was one of only four Lehigh Valley schools to be ranked on U.S. News & World Report’s  Top 100 Public High Schools in PA.  To learn more about the school or to sign up for an upcoming admissions event, visit www.CharterArts.org.