Van Wezel Education Department Announces Free Virtual & Interactive Performance for Families

January 20, 2021 – Sarasota

The Van Wezel’s Education and Community Engagement Department has recently announced a FREE virtual and interactive show for families as part of the 2020-2021 Virtual Schooltime Series. Cahoots NI brings the virtual experience, The University of Wonder & Imagination, LIVE to the Gulf Coast from Northern Ireland. The 60-minute Zoom performances stream on January 23 and 24, 2021. 

Ten families at a time will enter The University of Wonder & Imagination from the comfort of their own home to begin their “studies” in this magical world through this highly interactive experience. There are ten performance times available every half-hour between 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for each day with very limited capacity for each performance, and families can sign up to reserve a space now through this link.

The University of Wonder & Imagination is now enrolling students of all ages and magical abilities…and there’s a place with your name on it! Assemble with your fellow students and journey to the most unusual of universities, where the mysterious Professor Bamberg will send you off to interact with the liveliest of lecturers, choose your subjects of study, enter themed rooms (such as math, science, and art!) and encounter all kinds of problems and puzzles, unlocking your magical powers as you go. The decisions made by you during the event will shape your unique experience. In this ambitious new undertaking, Cahoots NI will live-broadcast via Zoom from an extensive, purpose-built set where magic and illusion have no boundaries, bringing a fun-filled immersive theatrical experience directly to your own home.

“The underlying message from each Professor was an overwhelmingly positive one that encouraged the youngsters to open their minds, see oneness in the world, pursue their dreams and set goals – and of course to look at life with a sense of imagination and wonder. All of our Professors had different delivery styles and subjects, and all left us with the empowering message of ‘you can do anything you can imagine.’” –Michelle Sciarrotta, Theatre Art Life

Serving over 35,000 students each year, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Van Wezel Foundation believe that art can teach, art can inspire and art can work—anywhere. Thanks to philanthropic support from generous donors, the two organizations have partnered to recently launch www.ArtworksAnywhere.org – a site for students, families and educators to access a wide variety of arts education resources. The website also provides details on all Education & Community Engagement offerings including Schooltime performances, which will be held virtually for the 2020-2021 season. More Schooltime performances will be posted on the website as they become available.

These experiences and resources are provided free of cost to the community thanks to the generous donors of the Van Wezel Foundation. To support arts education and integration, please visit www.vwfoundation.org.

ABOUT VAN WEZEL ARTS EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

A true pioneer in the cultural development of Sarasota, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents spectacular Broadway musicals, top national and international performers, popular comedians and a compelling mix of classical and dance productions. Owned and operated by the City of Sarasota, the Van Wezel celebrated its 50^th Anniversary during the 2019-2020 season. The theater’s Education and Community Engagement Department serves over 35,000 students, teachers and family members each year, teaching them in, through and about the arts. In conjunction with the Van Wezel Foundation, the Van Wezel’s Education and Community Engagement Department has launched numerous virtual initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including virtual Schooltime Performances, Zoom Based workshops with teaching artists, and Artworks Anywhere, a series of free arts education videos available on demand to students, families and educators.

To learn more, visit www.VanWezel.org.