Dundee Crown High School theatre program hopes to raise enough funds to perform at the University of Illinois Theatre Festival

CARPENTERSVILLE — Each year the Illinois Theatre Association hosts an “Illinois High School Theatre Festival” at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The festival brings thousands of students from across the state to attend a three-day event featuring theater-based workshops that help students strengthen their performing arts skills.

On Nov. 18, students from the Dundee Crown High School (DCHS) theatre program received the news that Illinois Theatre Association representatives witnessed their most recent production of the murder mystery comedy Deadline and wanted the cast of the school’s play to perform the show at the university’s Theatre Festival in January.

While the DCHS students are excited about the opportunity, they still have the daunting task ahead of trying to coordinate the transportation of the play sets to the university campus, as well as needing the funds for the trip.

The students have a goal to raise $5,000 to pay for the trip to the University of Illinois and as of Nov. 18, have managed to raise over $3,000 of their initial goal.

“[The] Theater Festival is an amazing opportunity for our students to learn from industry professionals and connect with peers from other schools. The experience will help our students develop their skills, gain exposure, and inspire the growth of our Theatre Arts program,” said DCHS Theatre Program leader Jenn Hernandez.

With only four days left to raise funds, students from the DCHS theatre program are asking for the public’s assistance in helping them raise the rest of the funds needed for their trip.

Individuals interested in donating can visit raise.snap.app/donate/dundee-crown-high-school-drama-2024?share_type=clipboard.