Children's book presentation to highlight Family Fun Night

(Kansas City, Missouri) Kansas City Young Audiences’ Community School of the Arts (CSA) is proud to present Kim Ratliff in a delightful performance of Junie B. Jones, BOO…and I MEAN IT! as the highlight of the 4th annual Family Fun Night celebration. Ratliff, veteran kindergarten teacher and performer, will engage and entertain her audience with an interpretation of the popular children’s book series by Barbara Park. The performance teaches life lessons and encourages parents and children to participate in the program by helping Ratliff create solutions to everyday problems. Following the performance of Junie B. Jones, BOO…and I MEAN IT!, children of all ages are invited to join in the costume parade and trick or treat the halls of CSA.

Ratliff, a performer and educator for more than 14 years, has integrated her love for reading, teaching and performing into her interpretation of Park’s book series. After graduation from the University of Kansas, Ratliff was accepted to the prestigious American Academy of Performing Arts where she discovered her love of improvisational comedy. She studied and performed with the nationally renowned improve troupe, The Groundlings. While in Los Angeles, Ratliff acted in commercial settings, live theatre and warmed audiences for a national game show. Returning to Kansas City, Ratliff married, started a family and began teaching in the Shawnee Mission School District. She found her niche in kindergarten and her love for teaching children.

Family Fun Night is a community event and will take place Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 6:30pm in the commons area of the Music and Arts building at St. Teresa’s Academy, 5601 Wyandotte, Kansas City, MO 64113. A donation of $3.00 per person or $10.00 per family is suggested and free parking is available! To reserve your seat, please RSVP to Jamie McCall at 816-531-4022 ext.1009 or by email at jmccall@kcya.org.

Kansas City Young Audiences (KCYA) has provided excellent educational artistic programs in Kansas City area schools since 1961. KCYA serves more than 200,000 young people annually through its in-school programming, the management of the Arts Partners program, and the Community School of the Arts (CSA.) CSA is the only school of the arts in Kansas City that teaches in all artistic disciplines: music, dance, creative writing and visual art. During the fall and spring sessions, classes are offered after school and on Saturdays. Week-long Summer Camps offer children ages five and up the opportunity to express themselves all day in a variety of performing and visual arts camps. The school is located at 5601 Wyandotte, Kansas City, MO 64113, on the campus of St. Teresa’s Academy in the Music and Arts building.