The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center will host Kevin Spencer, an arts advocate and magician with extensive classroom and professional development experience, as an artist-in-residence beginning Monday, February 27. Under the Zeiterion’s ArtsBridge program, Spencer will lead two professional development workshops, a magic camp, workshops in area schools, as well as star in the sensory-friendly mainstage performance Spencers: Theatre of Illusion on March 4. Tickets can be purchased by calling 508-994-2900, online at www.zeiterion.org, or at the Zeiterion at 684 Purchase Street in New Bedford. Group sales are available for Spencers: Theatre of Illusion for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 508-997-5664 x123.
“We are thrilled to present Kevin Spencer as part of our educational programming this year,” said Rosemary Gill, Executive Director, Programming and Development, Zeiterion Performing Arts Center. “He has a unique way of connecting with children of all abilities to send the message that art can create confidence and enrich learning on all levels. Making connections through the arts is the goal of The Zeiterion’s ArtsBridge programs.”
One of the Zeiterion’s longest-running programs, ArtsBridge was created to enrich the education of young people and engage our community through diverse and inspiring productions. ArtsBridge makes connections – people to ideas, page to stage, audience to artist, theatre to the human spirit.
Kevin Spencer’s achievements as a magician, combined with his ability to translate magic into a learning medium for children with a broad spectrum of abilities, makes his work a perfect fit for ArtsBridge. He has become a national leader in the disability awareness movement and a notable advocate for arts-integrated teaching methods for individuals with different abilities. His week at The Z will feature several events:
Professional Development for Educators
Monday, February 27, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $35
Ideal for Special Education teachers and therapists working in a school setting, this workshop will feature Kevin Spencer as he demonstrates how magic and Phenomenon-Based learning encourages students to be curious, participate in the productive exchange of ideas, create, experiment and design.
Professional Development for Therapists
Tuesday, February 28, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $35
Kevin Spencer, a AOTA-approved provider and internationally recognized magician, has designed this workshop specifically for Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech/Language Pathologists and Recreation Therapists.
Magic Camp
Monday, February 27 – Friday, March 3, 4-6:00 p.m.
Suggested Ages: 8-12
Cost: $150 per student/week
The week long, after-school magic camp for kids stars International Magician of the Year, Kevin Spencer, who teaches campers how to perform some incredible tricks with everyday objects. This camp combines learning magic tricks with storytelling, music, theatre and creative movement. Through the art of magic, campers will explore their curiosity, develop their magical creativity, and discover new confidence. Spencer’s work is sensory-friendly and appropriate for students of all abilities.
Pre-Performance Book Club
Wednesday, March 1, 6:00 p.m.
Free
Open to the public, this pre-show book club will discuss of Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism by Pulitzer Prize-winner Ron Suskind. It’s a twisting, 20-year journey that follows the author’s son Owen that will change the way you see autism, old Disney movies, and the power of imagination to heal a shattered, upside-down world. This book inspired the documentary of the same name, which is currently nominated for an Oscar for best documentary feature.
Spencers: Theatre of Illusion
Saturday, March 4, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets: $15 / $20 / $25
Theatre of Illusion features Kevin Spencer, an extraordinary magician in a dazzling show that combines storytelling, grand illusion, stage magic and audience participation. Suitable for children ages 4 and older, the sensory-friendly performance is designed to create an experience that is welcoming to all families with children with autism or other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. Spencer is a magical, modern-day Houdini exhibition features many never-before-seen, mind-boggling illusions with modified lighting and sound for those with sensory integration issues.
The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide New Bedford and the region with performing arts programming of excellence that inspires, educates, engages and entertains. Tickets are available for purchase at www.zeiterion.org, by calling 508-994-2900, or in person at the box office at 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford, MA. Zeiterion Box Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and two hours before each performance.
