Alliance Theatre and Anti-Defamation League Host Reading of DEAR DR. KING Today

The ALLIANCE THEATRE, in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), presents a free reading of Dear Dr. King, an original script written by Pearl Cleage in collaboration with high school Collision Project students. Created out of the ALLIANCE THEATRE Collision Project and inspired by the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, this provocative piece uses the unique voice of teenagers to explore issues of legacy and the power that each individual life can play in effecting social change. The performances are part of the ADL's annual No Place For Hate Summit, which will take place today, January 21, 2013.

Dear Dr. King will be presented today, January 21st, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm at The Rich Auditorium, Woodruff Arts Center. RSVP for free tickets: 404.733.4749 or atedu@woodruffcenter.org.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Poetry SLAM! Alliance teen poets will consider the legacy of DR. Martin Luther King Jr. and how he inspired dramatic social change. Inspired by the photographs documenting the heroes of the Civil Rights movement in the ongoing High Museum installation Civil Rights Photography, 1956-1968, these young spoken word artists will respond to issues of social change in their own community. Today, January 21st, 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm at the ALLIANCE THEATRE Black Box Theatre (3rd Floor).

"Urban Deconstruction" Teen Photography Exhibit: Come early for one of the above performances for a chance to see the teen photography exhibit "Urban Deconstruction." The ALLIANCE THEATRE and ArtsVibe Teen Program, in partnership with the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange, present the first exhibit by teen photographers Devin Black and Dani Planer. Inspired by abandoned buildings in and around Atlanta, this exhibit tells the story of the city's rich and complex history through the eyes of two very talented young artists. Friday, December 21st - Monday, January 21st, 8:00 am - 7:00 pm, at Joseph R. Bankoff Gallery (across from the Rich Auditorium), Woodruff Arts Center. Free.

About ADL No Place for Hate Summit: In an effort to build bridges of communication, understanding and respect among diverse groups, the No Place for Hate Summit provides participating students the chance to experience this powerful piece of theatre and then debrief after the performances to share their own dreams in breakout sessions facilitated by ADL leaders.

About the ALLIANCE THEATRE Collision Project: For three weeks each summer, the ALLIANCE THEATRE assembles a diverse group of 20 teenagers from metro Atlanta to explore and unpack a classic text under the guidance of a professional playwright and director. Through improvisational exercises, oral history, choreography, the individual performing talents they possess, and their writing, the teenagers create a new piece inspired by the classic text but perceived through their own utterly unique and contemporary prism. The Collision Project affords teens a unique theatrical experience and gives them ownership of a performance at the Alliance. It also gives students validity - confidence in their talents, strength for the future, and power in their decision. Through this dynamic project, metro Atlanta teens create theatre for and about themselves by "colliding" with a dramatic text, reinforcing the idea that theatre can address their particular ideas and feelings. To learn more, visit www.alliancetheatre.org/collision.

About the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange: The Juvenile Justice Information Exchange is a reliable source for fair, objective, in-depth and empirically supported information provided by professional journalists and engaged, thoughtful community members to help the general public, practitioners, educators, parents, youth, funders, advocates, policy makers and lawmakers better understand issues impacting youth in this country - both singularly and as part of a larger child welfare, mental health and educational ecosystem.

About ArtsVibe: ArtsVibe is a partnership between Wells Fargo and the Woodruff Arts Center to get metro-Atlanta teenagers engaged with the arts, from visual art to music to theatre and more. All four divisions at the Woodruff Arts Center are participating-the ALLIANCE THEATRE, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art, and Young Audiences. ArtsVibe is designed to work for teens that are already active in the arts and those that might be less familiar with art. The program will offer events and activities for students in grades 6-12 and we expect to reach over 10,000 teens the first year, with even bigger plans and extended reach beyond that. To learn more about ArtsVibe and find out about upcoming ArtsVibe events, visit artsvibe.com.

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