Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Chicago Youth Shakespeare join forces to create a high school Shakespeare slam uniting teams from 50 public, private and parochial schools from across the many neighborhoods of our city and collar counties. Saturday workshops, after-school rehearsals and regional preliminary bouts culminate in the Finals Bout, held at the beautiful Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Three hundred high school students will perform scenes plus their own creative mash-ups from the canon in a slam-style arena. The program honors the unparalleled power of Shakespeare's language when it is catalyzed by students' imagination. Building a culture of community that spans the Chicago region, Battle of the Bard celebrates Shakespeare’s capacity to speak to all.