Coming together to experience live performance is the heart and soul of what we do. We are heartbroken to cancel the rest of our season, but we know it is the right decision for the health and safety of our audience, staff, students, and artists. We look forward to gathering again but until then, we remain committed to connecting you, our audience, with diverse artists. During these trying times, the performing arts - music, theatre, dance - and the visual arts can be beacons of hope.
Theatre and Drama
- Shakes@Home - Chicago Shakespeare Theater offers SHAKES@HOME a digital platform updated each week with engaging, original content from their artists, educators, and staff.
- Porchlight by Request - your favorite showtunes, performed by your favorite Porchlight performers on its YouTube channel.
- National Theatre Live! (At Home) - every Thursday the National Theater broadcasts an archived title on its youtube channel.
- Stars in the House presents Plays in the House - every Wednesday and Saturday at 1 p.m. Central Time presents live-streaming play readings. These readings are only available to view as a live-stream. View Upcoming Schedule Here
- Shakespeare's Globe Theatre's Globe Player - offers paid subscriptions and free content on its youtube channel.
- The Shows Must Go On - full-length performances premiere every Friday at 1 p.m. Central time and are available for 48-hours
- PBS Great Performances - enjoy programming featuring some of Broadway’s Best lineup, Now Hear This, Rupert Goold’s Macbeth, and two centennial celebrations.
- Stratford Festival - Stratfest at Home
- Take Me to the World - A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration
- All Arts House Seats - performances, exclusive back-stage access and in-depth artist interviews
- Beginner's Guide to Stage Makeup - The Parlor gives tips, directions, and supplies needed to create stage makeup at home.
Opera
- The Metropolitan Opera - nightly free streaming of operas Live in HD. Each performance is available for a period of 23 hours, from 6:30 p.m. CDT until 5:30 p.m. the following day
- The Paris Opera invites you to relive past operas as well as ballets and concerts
- Opera Australia - experience Opera Australia's grandest productions such as The Merry Widow starring Joan Sutherland and La Traviata from the comfort of your own home!
- The Royal Opera House - The Royal Opera House is offering a free programme of curated online broadcasts as part of their #OurHousetoYourHouse series.
- The Santa Fe Opera - view Conversations in Quarantine on their youtube channel
- The Florentine Opera- view Quarantine Opera series
Family and Education
Racial Equity and Education Resources
- Are Your Children Too Young To Talk About Race?
- New York Times - Talking to Kids About Racism, Early and Often - recommended books to help start the conversation.
- Raising White Kids' Author On How White Parents Can Talk About Race - NPR's Michel Martin talks to Jennifer Harvey, author of Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America, about how to talk with white kids about racially-charged events. A 7-minute listen.
- Teaching Tolerance - Teaching About Race, Racism, and Police Violence
- NAEYC - Becoming Upended: Teaching and Learning about Race and Racism with Young Children and Their Families - Diandra Verwayne worked with parents in her classroom to grow together in their understandings of the role we all must play in talking with young children about race and racism. Additionally, this piece offers curricular and pedagogical resources for adults who are committed to engaging with young children in this crucial work.
Activities and Workshops
- The Nate Activity Pack- check out our Young Artist Sculpture Projects downloadable PDF - have fun on your own or with the kids. Post pictures of your results and tag t@_theNate_ on Instagram so we can all share the results! Estimated time is 30-60 minutes depending on the project you choose. #thenatechallenge
- Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
- Chrome Music Lab - Chrome Music Lab makes learning music easier and more accessible through hands-on experiments. Learn about rhythms, sounds waves, chords. So much fun, great for all ages!
- New Victory Arts Break - features ideas for teachers and families to incorporate performing arts into their online learning.
- Lincoln Center Pop-Up Classroom - schools may be closed but Lincoln Center Pop-Up Classroom is open. Tune in to @LincolnCenterNYC on Facebook every weekday at 2:00 pm ET for your daily dose of creativity. Lessons stay available for you to watch on demand at your convenience. Led by some of world’s best artists and educators, each creative learning activity utilizes simple materials found at home to help families with children explore a variety of art forms.
- Lookingglass Theatre Company - Creating Characters Through Improv. Recommended for Grades 3-8.
- The Florentine Opera - Quarantine Opera for Kids
- Celebrity Story Time by Storyline Online - featuring stories read by Rashida Jones, Melissa Gilbert, Bradley Whitford
- Create a Time Capsule with your Child
- It's Not Just a Stage: Theatre 101 - The Kennedy Center's handy guide to some basic stage directions, the most common parts of a theater, and different types of theater spaces. Recommended for ages 5-10.
- The Nate Activity Pack- check out our Young Artist Sculpture Projects downloadable PDF - have fun on your own or with the kids. Post pictures of your results and tag t@_theNate_ on Instagram so we can all share the results! Estimated time is 30-60 minutes depending on the project you choose. #thenatechallenge
- Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems
- Chrome Music Lab - Chrome Music Lab makes learning music easier and more accessible through hands-on experiments. Learn about rhythms, sounds waves, chords. So much fun, great for all ages!
- New Victory Arts Break - features ideas for teachers and families to incorporate performing arts into their online learning.
- Lincoln Center Pop-Up Classroom - schools may be closed but Lincoln Center Pop-Up Classroom is open. Tune in to @LincolnCenterNYC on Facebook every weekday at 2:00 pm ET for your daily dose of creativity. Lessons stay available for you to watch on demand at your convenience. Led by some of world’s best artists and educators, each creative learning activity utilizes simple materials found at home to help families with children explore a variety of art forms.
- Lookingglass Theatre Company - Creating Characters Through Improv. Recommended for Grades 3-8.
- The Florentine Opera - Quarantine Opera for Kids
- Celebrity Story Time by Storyline Online - featuring stories read by Rashida Jones, Melissa Gilbert, Bradley Whitford
- Create a Time Capsule with your Child
- It's Not Just a Stage: Theatre 101 - The Kennedy Center's handy guide to some basic stage directions, the most common parts of a theater, and different types of theater spaces. Recommended for ages 5-10.
Streaming Family Productions
- Peter Rabbit
- Half Moon Theatre's Boys Don't - recommended for ages 8+
- Snow Mouse - recommended for ages 1-5
- Hatched- presented by Treehouse Shakers, recommended ages 0-6
- TheatreWorks Anywhere - provides young people with engaging virtual activities and events that allow them to explore themselves and their imaginations through theater...from anywhere!
- Peter Rabbit
- Half Moon Theatre's Boys Don't - recommended for ages 8+
- Snow Mouse - recommended for ages 1-5
- Hatched- presented by Treehouse Shakers, recommended ages 0-6
- TheatreWorks Anywhere - provides young people with engaging virtual activities and events that allow them to explore themselves and their imaginations through theater...from anywhere!
Dance
- Dancing Alone Together is the central resource for the digital dance world
- Jacob's Pillow - an ever-growing collection of dance videos filmed at Jacob's Pillow from the 1930s to today
- The Paris Opera invites you to relive past ballets as well as operas and concerts
- Miami City Ballet - A Dance for Heroes, a new work created to honor front line workers.
- Ensemble Espanol Stay Home Video Series
- New York City Ballet - digital streams of two ballets a week and other programming including podcast episodes and live streaming movement classes for all ages!
- Dancing Alone Together is the central resource for the digital dance world
- Jacob's Pillow - an ever-growing collection of dance videos filmed at Jacob's Pillow from the 1930s to today
- The Paris Opera invites you to relive past ballets as well as operas and concerts
- Miami City Ballet - A Dance for Heroes, a new work created to honor front line workers.
- Ensemble Espanol Stay Home Video Series
- New York City Ballet - digital streams of two ballets a week and other programming including podcast episodes and live streaming movement classes for all ages!
Music and Concerts
- Live with Carnegie Hall - tune in for unforgettable episodes that feature some of the world’s finest artists as they share behind-the-scenes stories, excerpts from past performances, and live musical moments. During the live streams, episodes can be viewed on this webpage, as well as on the Hall's Facebook and Instagram pages
- Boston Symphony Orchestra - weekly playlists curated by BSO Artistic Administrator Anthony Fogg
- Yo-Yo Ma Songs of Comfort Project - American cellist Yo-Yo Ma began his Instagram project #SongsofComfort in order to continue sharing music that brings him comfort in times of stress.
- Celebrating the wonder of Jazz – 2020 Jazz Day Playlist
Resources for Households and Students Affected by COVID-19
- www.helpillinoisfamilies.com - eligible Illinois residents and families can apply to receive assistance with food, rent, utilities, temporary shelter, medicine and other essential household services. For more information, read the press release from the Governor’s Office.
- GSU4U - information and resources to assist students. New resources are added frequently.