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January 10, 2002
More than 1,000 students play it up at CSUS
View the Lenaea
Festival web site for more information.
 California
State University, Sacramento sets the stage to spotlight high
school drama students at the 45th annual Lenaea Festival,
Feb. 1 - 3.
The festival is the oldest high school drama event of its
kind in the country. Whereas some festivals require specific
scenes from particular plays, the Lenaea Festival has no limitations
on performance subjects and no restrictions on the number
of participants.
The Lenaea Festival features duets, monologues and one-act
plays written and directed by more than 1,000 West Coast high
school students.
Hundreds of students from Bakersfield to Seattle will perform
in 60 one-act plays, 288 monologues and 144 duets at this
year's festival.
 Each
participant will receive advice and one-on-one workshops regarding
their productions from a team of guest respondents. Each piece
will also be critiqued to emphasize the show's strengths and
weaknesses, as well as to provide the students with a practical
theatrical experience.
On the final evening of the festival, at 5 p.m., Sunday, Feb.
3, a recognition ceremony will be held in the University Union
Ballroom to honor outstanding presentations in all categories
including acting, directing, play writing, costuming, lighting,
scenic painting and sound design.
The Lenaea Festival was created in 1957 in an effort to get
CSUS involved with the community and connected with local
high school drama departments.
The festival takes its name from the ancient Greeks. Originally
staged in Athens in the fifth century B.C., the Lenaea Festival
was a Dionysian celebration of the wine press and the dramatic
emphasis was placed on comedy.
In 1998, the Lenaea Festival received the Northern California
Educational Theatre Association award for "Excellence
in Theatre Education." In 1999, the California Alliance
of Arts Education honored the Festival with a special recognition
for "Exceptional Contributions to Arts Education"
and in 2000, the Northern California Educational Theatre Association
named the festival's executive director Robert Smart as "Theatre
Educator of the Year."
The festival's performances take place from 1 - 10 p.m., Feb.
1; 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Feb. 2; and 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Feb. 3.
All performances take place in the University Theatre, Playwrights'
Theatre and the Studio Theatre.
Tickets are $10 for a three-day pass and $5 for a day pass.
Tickets are available at the University Theatre Box Office
in Shasta Hall.
The festival is funded in part by grants from the Sacramento
Metropolitan Arts Commission, the CSUS Foundation and the
CSUS department of theatre and dance alumni chapter.
For more information about the Lenaea Festival contact the
CSUS department of theatre and dance at (916) 278-6702. For
media assistance contact the CSUS public affairs office at
(916) 278-6156.
View the Lenaea Festival
web site for more information.
#####
For
further information send E-Mail to infodesk@csus.edu or
contact
Public Affairs (916)
278-6156.
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