US Dream Academy Presents Charles S. Dutton in "From Jail to Yale" in Partnership with Duke Ellington at the Kennedy Center on March 28th & 29th, 2011
District of Columbia, DC, March 19, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Award winning actor Charles S. Dutton will star in the highly acclaimed one man show, “From Jail to Yale: Serving Time on Stage” on March 28th and 29th 7:30 pm at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Terrace Theatre located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566 (www.kennedy-center.org/tickets). The show will be presented by the U.S. Dream Academy (www.usdreamacademy.org) in partnership with The Duke Ellington School of the Arts (http://www.ellingtonschool.org). Dutton will also involve the Duke Ellington students in the show for a Shakespeare scene and will hold a rehearsal and Master Class with students at Duke Ellington School of the Arts on Monday, March 14, 2011 (12:00pm -3:45pm).
This one-man show captures a series of events in Dutton’s journey through life, from the streets of East Baltimore to becoming an Emmy Award-winning actor, director and Broadway star. The show kicked off in Houston recently with rave reviews and will travel to 10 cities across the country to benefit the U.S. Dream Academy’s after school learning centers. Dutton will donate all proceeds from his performances to the US Dream Academy’s critical programs. These programs were developed to empower children who are at risk of future incarceration to maximize their potential by providing them with academics, social and values enrichment through supportive mentoring and the use of technology.
This production is sponsored by Comm-Group, Inc.
About Charles S.Dutton
A graduate of The Yale School of Drama, Charles S. Dutton has a career spanning theater, television and film. He has won Emmys for his guest starring roles in “Without a Trace” and “The Practice.” He has also received multiple award nominations, including a Tony for Best Actor for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “The Piano Lesson.” Charles was also nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for The Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of “The Piano Lesson.”
Charles starred in and executive produced the Fox comedy/drama “Roc,” produced by HBO, for which he received several NAACP Image Award nominations. He has numerous television credits, including the miniseries “The Murder of Mary Phagan”, “House”, “The Sopranos” and the HBO series “Oz”, among others.
He is a veteran of numerous feature films such as “Aliens 3,” “A Time to Kill,” “Rudy,” and “Cry, Beloved Country” just to name a few. Charles discovered his passion for acting while serving a seven year prison sentence. Inspired by a collection of short plays by African American playwrights, Charles formed a theater group while in prison and prepared a play for a talent show. Upon his release from prison, Charles went on to earn collegiate degrees from Hagerstown Junior College and Towson University. Shortly after these accomplishments, Charles was admitted into the Yale School of Drama in 1983. He has received accolades from several of the industry’s most highly recognized honors such as The Emmy’s, Tony’s, and The Screen Actors Guild Awards.
About Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Duke Ellington is nationally known for its ability to take ordinary urban kids with talent and turn them into both academic and artistic successes. The School has a remarkable 98% graduation rate and a 95% college acceptance rate. Duke Ellington is an accredited college preparatory public arts school of the District of Columbia offering pre-professional training in museum studies, literary media, visual arts, dance, theater, instrumental, design and production and vocal music.
Ellington offers students an educational experience that combines both academic studies and artistic development. Ellington’s vision is to meet the needs of talented students who are considering careers in the arts by providing intensive arts instruction of the highest quality and strong academic curriculum and to prepare students for post-secondary education and/or pre-professional careers. Ellington’s unique partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The George Washington University, and the District of Columbia Public Schools provides significant opportunities to the students, faculty and staff. www.ellingtonschool.org
About the U.S. Dream Academy
The U.S. Dream Academy focuses on impacting the lives of children with incarcerated parents and children falling behind in school. The program, founded by renowned gospel singer Wintley Phipps, is currently operating in 10 cities nationwide. Its research-based initiatives challenge nearly 800 young people daily and engage them in active learning through one-to-one mentoring, strong academics, and technology-driven activities and curricula. Visit our website at www.usdreamacademy.org.
In Washington, D.C., the Dream Academy Learning Center is co-located at the Ferebee Hope Elementary School where 60 students have access to after-school academic support, character building and dream building activities along with weekly mentoring by positive adult volunteers.
Important Statistics
· One in 40 children in the United States has an incarcerated parent.
· More than 10 million children in the U.S. have had a parent in prison.
· Each year about 400,000 mothers and fathers finish serving prison or jail sentences, and return home.
Tickets sales range from $50 - $150 per person as well as special group rates available online at www.kennedy-center.org/tickets. Tickets will also be available at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Box Office the day of the event.
Event Information: Angela Hunt Bonitto, Director of Development, U.S. Dream Academy, Tel. (410)772-7143, abonitto@U.S.dreamacademy.org
Media Contact: Clarke & Associates, Tel. (202)723-2200, pclarkerp@aol.com
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This one-man show captures a series of events in Dutton’s journey through life, from the streets of East Baltimore to becoming an Emmy Award-winning actor, director and Broadway star. The show kicked off in Houston recently with rave reviews and will travel to 10 cities across the country to benefit the U.S. Dream Academy’s after school learning centers. Dutton will donate all proceeds from his performances to the US Dream Academy’s critical programs. These programs were developed to empower children who are at risk of future incarceration to maximize their potential by providing them with academics, social and values enrichment through supportive mentoring and the use of technology.
This production is sponsored by Comm-Group, Inc.
About Charles S.Dutton
A graduate of The Yale School of Drama, Charles S. Dutton has a career spanning theater, television and film. He has won Emmys for his guest starring roles in “Without a Trace” and “The Practice.” He has also received multiple award nominations, including a Tony for Best Actor for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “The Piano Lesson.” Charles was also nominated for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for The Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of “The Piano Lesson.”
Charles starred in and executive produced the Fox comedy/drama “Roc,” produced by HBO, for which he received several NAACP Image Award nominations. He has numerous television credits, including the miniseries “The Murder of Mary Phagan”, “House”, “The Sopranos” and the HBO series “Oz”, among others.
He is a veteran of numerous feature films such as “Aliens 3,” “A Time to Kill,” “Rudy,” and “Cry, Beloved Country” just to name a few. Charles discovered his passion for acting while serving a seven year prison sentence. Inspired by a collection of short plays by African American playwrights, Charles formed a theater group while in prison and prepared a play for a talent show. Upon his release from prison, Charles went on to earn collegiate degrees from Hagerstown Junior College and Towson University. Shortly after these accomplishments, Charles was admitted into the Yale School of Drama in 1983. He has received accolades from several of the industry’s most highly recognized honors such as The Emmy’s, Tony’s, and The Screen Actors Guild Awards.
About Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Duke Ellington is nationally known for its ability to take ordinary urban kids with talent and turn them into both academic and artistic successes. The School has a remarkable 98% graduation rate and a 95% college acceptance rate. Duke Ellington is an accredited college preparatory public arts school of the District of Columbia offering pre-professional training in museum studies, literary media, visual arts, dance, theater, instrumental, design and production and vocal music.
Ellington offers students an educational experience that combines both academic studies and artistic development. Ellington’s vision is to meet the needs of talented students who are considering careers in the arts by providing intensive arts instruction of the highest quality and strong academic curriculum and to prepare students for post-secondary education and/or pre-professional careers. Ellington’s unique partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The George Washington University, and the District of Columbia Public Schools provides significant opportunities to the students, faculty and staff. www.ellingtonschool.org
About the U.S. Dream Academy
The U.S. Dream Academy focuses on impacting the lives of children with incarcerated parents and children falling behind in school. The program, founded by renowned gospel singer Wintley Phipps, is currently operating in 10 cities nationwide. Its research-based initiatives challenge nearly 800 young people daily and engage them in active learning through one-to-one mentoring, strong academics, and technology-driven activities and curricula. Visit our website at www.usdreamacademy.org.
In Washington, D.C., the Dream Academy Learning Center is co-located at the Ferebee Hope Elementary School where 60 students have access to after-school academic support, character building and dream building activities along with weekly mentoring by positive adult volunteers.
Important Statistics
· One in 40 children in the United States has an incarcerated parent.
· More than 10 million children in the U.S. have had a parent in prison.
· Each year about 400,000 mothers and fathers finish serving prison or jail sentences, and return home.
Tickets sales range from $50 - $150 per person as well as special group rates available online at www.kennedy-center.org/tickets. Tickets will also be available at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Box Office the day of the event.
Event Information: Angela Hunt Bonitto, Director of Development, U.S. Dream Academy, Tel. (410)772-7143, abonitto@U.S.dreamacademy.org
Media Contact: Clarke & Associates, Tel. (202)723-2200, pclarkerp@aol.com
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Priscilla Clarke
202-723-2200
Priscilla Clarke
202-723-2200
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