MOUNT VERNON – School buses from throughout Knox County will line East High Street next week for the start of the 2023 Youth Enrichment Series (YES!) at the Knox Memorial Theater.
Nationally recognized actor and puppeteer Dylan Shelton will open the series on Tuesday, Sept. 5. His 9:35 a.m. audience will be second-graders invited from Centerburg, Danville, East Knox, Fredericktown, Mount Vernon and St. Vincent de Paul.
The creative and artistic director of Madcap Puppets for 17 years, Shelton has written and directed original puppet performances that tour across the country and internationally.
Shelton’s presentation will be the first of 11 in the annual series for students in kindergarten through seventh grade. Performances will continue next week and later in September, October and March. All are scheduled from 9:35 to 11:15 or 11:40 a.m.
Facilitated by the Knox Educational Service Center (ESC), the series is funded by the Knox County Foundation except for four performances provided by MTVarts.
“The tradition of the YES! series is a unique and incredible resource for Knox County students,” said Taylor Gingery, gifted coordinator at Knox ESC, who has coordinated the series for three years.. “After living and working in multiple school districts in Central Ohio, this is the first time I have seen such a thorough and quality connection to professional theater and musical arts.
“I am excited to announce that we are in the works to expand the YES! series from K-7 to K-8 plus specific high school courses. We will have more to share as those plans develop.”
Lisa Lloyd, program director at Knox County Foundation, said the foundation is pleased to once again sponsor the series for Knox County children.
“We appreciate that the Educational Service Center values bringing the arts to the students in our community, sometimes to students who may never have had the opportunity to experience something like this,” Lloyd said.
“We are thrilled that the Educational Service Center provides this valuable experience to students every year.”
Bruce Jacklin, artistic director at MRVarts, has described the series as “visual storytelling that stimulates the mind and the power of imagination” of children.
“When a student attends a theater production it goes beyond the classroom setting,” he said previously. “It helps our students to see a different perspective from their own.”
Knox ESC Superintendent Dr. Timm Mackley said the success of the annual YES! series is the product of a close partnership between the community and county schools.
“We all want the same thing: an enriching, rewarding experience for all students,” he said.
Series performances which will follow Shelton include:
Sept. 6 – Eric Paton, world-class drummer, fifth-graders
Sept. 7 – Tony West and The Imani Dancers, sixth-graders
Sept. 14 – MTVarts, ‘Matilda Jr.”, second-graders
Sept. 15 – MTVarts, “Matilda Jr.”, third-graders
Sept. 20 – Robert Post, “How to Survive Middle School,” seventh-graders
Oct. 11 – Sarah Reed, story-telling musician, first-graders
Oct. 12 – Dylan Shelton, puppets, third-graders
Oct. 24 – BalletMet, fourth-graders
March 14 – MTVarts, “Honk!”, first-graders
March 15 – MTVarts, “Honk!”, kindergarten
