2 District 214 High Schools Selected For Illinois State Theatre Festival

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Students from Wheeling and Prospect high school will represent Township High School District 214 at the upcoming Illinois High School Theatre Festival. It marks the 50th year of the event, held on Jan. 8 through Jan. 10 at Illinois State University.

According to the district, Wheeling High School is preparing to take its state selected musical, "Ride The Cyclone," to the festival. Ahead of the event, the school will host two special community performances at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The performances give students additional rehearsal opportunities over winter break, while inviting the community to support the cast and crew as they fine-tune the show before heading to state. For tickets or more information, visit www.rebrand.ly/WHS-Ride-The-Cyclone.

Prospect High School will perform its original production, "Romeo and Juliet: Fast, Then Furious," at the festival. Both performances on Jan. 9 have already sold out, according to the district.

The one-hour production offers two completely different takes on Shakespeare's classic tale. Act One is a fast-paced, comedic retelling featuring classic costumes, clever twists, and nonstop laughs. Act Two puts the power in the audience's hands, as the show is broken into short, wacky scenes performed in an order chosen live by the audience — ensuring that no two performances are ever the same.

Community members will have one final opportunity to see "Romeo and Juliet: Fast, Then Furious," at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at Prospect High School. No tickets are required, though donations will be accepted to help cover student travel expenses for the state festival.