Spotlight on Youth

Giving young people a place to learn and grow has long been the goal of WCPL library programmers. Encouraging teenagers to discover a new activity and work with a group of like-minded students provides great opportunities for connection and growth. The library’s ability to use the Capitol stage to develop and showcase emerging theatrical talent at no cost to the students is a great bonus of managing the Capitol. 

Local interest in theater is high, and the number of community theater organizations and presentations demonstrate its popularity. The response to free workshops and intensives has been tremendous since we started offering them, and teen theater camps were totally maxed out this summer.

WCPL has been able to offer several live productions in its Capitol Teen Theatre program lineup, with the last two being Shakespeare adaptations, with the assistance of WKU’s Carol Jordan. However, this upcoming stage production is unique in that it is specifically written for teenagers. 

Jordan, Department of Theatre & Dance instructor and advisor, says, “She Kills Monsters is a high-energy, action-packed show about a ‘90s teenager working through her grief over her sister’s death by playing the Dungeons and Dragons campaign she left behind. It’s hilarious, heartbreaking, and everything in between, and I’m so thrilled to be working with such a talented group of young people on this production. This show is the result of a partnership between WKU and the Warren County Public Library system that gives my WKU theatre education students the chance to stage a full-scale show with local teens on the Capitol stage. We’re grateful to all the folks who have made this collaboration possible, and we can’t wait for the community to see the final results when the cast takes the stage Saturday, November 7 (7pm) and Sunday, November 8 (3pm).”

Tickets can be pre-purchased online at capitolbg.org/events, at the ticket booth during the week between 10am and 4pm, or at the door on performance days. 

WCPL’s Léa Schenk, the Capitol Lead and Teen Theatre & Improv Coordinator, assists with various productions and states, “The commitment of these teens and their willingness to create this magical imaginary world together has been incredible to watch. Every time I pop in for a rehearsal I get to see the patience, the passion and the wealth of knowledge that is being shared between the WKU theatre education students, the teens and of course, Carol Jordan, teen director extraordinaire. The Capitol Teen Theatre program is truly a gem of Bowling Green, and now that we are putting on bigger shows like She Kills Monsters for our theatrically-inclined teens, we are so pleased to be able to continue to provide these theatre programs to our teens accessibly and for free (no participation fee). You do not want to miss this Dungeons & Dragons misadventure, filled with monsters, swordfighting, and the magic of friendship. But most of all, you most certainly do not want to miss these extraordinary teens!”

Free Movies In November

While we cannot publish the titles in outside publications because of our current public performance license, you can find a complete title list at capitolbg.org/movies. 

Monday, November 16 at 2pm & 6:30pm (1989, Rated R, subtitled): The story of Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan).

Tuesday, November 17 at 6pm Mini-Marathon with BG Horror Club (1959, Rated PG): A classic anthology of sci-fi, suspense and goose-bump-inducing tales that explore “a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man.” The first of six episodes will begin at 6pm, with 5-minute breaks between each. 

Wednesday, November 18 at 6:30pm (2020, Rated PG-13): A musical tale of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, this filmed version of the original Broadway smash hit is the story of America then told by America now. 

Friday, November 20 at 5pm (2009, Rated PG): A wily fox tries to outsmart three mean-spirited farmers and steal their chickens, but the feud eventually escalates into a battle between the farmers and a community of cunning animals.

Friday, November 20 at 7pm (1987, Rated R): A tale about a snob and a slob on the road who keep running into trouble – and each other – on their respective way home for Thanksgiving.

Wednesday, November 25 at 6:30pm (1993, Rated PG-13): Genetically-engineered dinosaurs run amok on a remote island in this special-effects extravaganza. 

Dysfunctional Families On Film, Sunday, November 29, Movie #1 at 1pm (1997, Rated R): A black comedy about a dysfunctional family coping with incest, divorce and the tragedy of the JFK assassination. Movie #2 at 3:30pm (2001, Rated R): A clan’s estranged patriarch loses his home and learns that his ex-wife plans to remarry, so he pretends to be dying to win back his family. Movie #3 at 6pm (1972, Rated R): In this epic tale of a 1940s mobster family in New York City, the father builds an organized-crime empire and his three sons, to varying degrees, follow in his footsteps.

-by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager