District XI – Believe in Me! is an original musical inspired by the popular YouTube video of 10-year old Dalton Sherman’s acclaimed convocation speech to 20,000+ Dallas ISD teachers and staff in 2008, imploring them to believe in themselves and their students. Set in the halls and classrooms of elementary, middle and high schools, this powerful show is a fun, timeless look at school. It also tackles timely issues such as test-taking, labeling, recess reduction, bureaucracy and fitting in with others.
Touring for its sixth season, Deep in the Heart is an original musical production that celebrates Texas and its multi-cultural history. Legend, fact, truth and tall tale come to life as five children, guided through their history book by an authentic cowboy and cowgirl, discover Texas and what it means to be a Texan (whether native-born or the got-here-as-quick-as-they-could variety). Texas heroes such as Barbara Jordan, Amon G. Carter, Sid Richardson, Quannah Parker, Cynthia Ann Parker, Davy Crockett and William Travis are featured in the show. Fort Worth favorites, such as the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, the Modern Art Museum, Will Rogers, the Kimbell and the Amon Carter Museum also receive special mention.
This season’s Resident Company is made up of 71 youth performers and 1 student sound engineer. The Kids Who Care Resident Company is an audition company of children, ranging in age from six to 18. The kids and teens in the 2009-2010 Resident Company come from all over Fort Worth and its surrounding areas, including: Aledo, Arlington, Azle, Benbrook, Burleson, Granbury, Grapevine, Haslet, Hurst, Saginaw, Southlake, Weatherford and White Settlement.
“Being a member of a resident company allows an artist to develop a creative family,” said Deborah Jung, founding and executive director of Kids Who Care. “It is a luxury to live within a cast dedicated to performing and studying together year-round. With Kids Who Care, some actors are with us for a full year and some throughout their childhood. Either way, as a resident company, our work reflects the dedication of something larger than the individuals who choose to perform with us.”
Kids Who Care’s Resident Company trains year-round with a professional theatre staff and performs locally, nationally and internationally, September through May. Last year’s Resident Company performed over 70 times, through a combination of full stage productions and half-hour touring shows. Past performance venues include Off-Broadway at the Lamb’s Theatre, both Disney’s, The Kennedy Center, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, at 30,000 feet aboard an airplane for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and at many regional stages in Texas.
Each year, the youth Resident Company also travels in March for a spring tour that includes performances, community outreach, cultural exchange and arts education. Past tours have included New York City, Los Angeles, Italy, Germany, Washington D.C., Chicago, Orlando and Nashville.
