Community Works West Youth Theatre Presents:
FIRST ANNUAL Youth Theatre Festival
Wednesday, April 17th, 2019 - Saturday, April 20th, 2019 | Z BELOW
The Community Works West Youth Theatre Festival is a 4-day event highlighting the voices and creativity of San Francisco youth ages 18-25, all of them Black, Brown, and impacted by incarceration. Throughout the festival there will be performances from the Community Works West Youth Theatre Ensemble as well as our ensemble for formerly incarcerated transitional age women. There will also be film screenings, community talk backs, and staged readings of one-acts written by incarcerated young men. With this festival we hope to shine a light on the profoundness of our often overlooked youth and create a community in which they can feel empowered and supported.
Curated and Directed by Ashley Smiley (Youth Theatre Program Director)
Videographer: D’Wana Stewart
Photographer: Destiny Evans
Graphic Designer: Jason Wyman
Sound Designer: Christopher Sauceda
Festival Lighting Designer: Ashley Smiley
Festival Costume Designer: Jasmine Williams
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Wednesday, April 17th, 2019
6:30pm - Festival Opening Reception
7:15pm - Film Screening: Separate Sentence
8:00pm Each One Reach One performance and panel discussion
Thursday, April 18th, 2019
6:30pm - Blood In The Brain performance and talkback
8:00pm - Deception of the Heart performance and talkback
Friday, April 19th, 2018
8:00pm - Deception of the Heart performance and talkback
Saturday, April 20th, 2019
8:00pm Deception of the Heart
9:15pm post-show reception and award ceremony
Wednesday, April 17th, 6:30PM | OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION AND PERFORMANCES
Community Works West will kick off our First Annual Youth Theatre Festival with a reception, a screening of Separate Sentence, and performances by Each One Reach One.
FILM SCREENING: Separate Sentence
Separate Sentence, is a short dance/film that explores the generational impact of incarceration and the toll on families and communities. Cast members are comprised of Bay Area performers, some of who have been incarcerated or are family members of people who are incarcerated. The film is currently being screened at film festivals, universities and conferences. Separate Sentence has won Audience and Best Film awards nationally and internationally.
ARTISTIC TEAM
Producer, Director and Choreographer: Amie Dowling
Co-Director and Editor: Austin Forbord
Assistant Director and Co-Choreographer: Natalie Greene
Artistic Direction: Reggie Daniels
Director of Photography: Heath Orchard, Composer: Albert Mathias.
EACH ONE REACH ONE
EORO was founded as an arts advocacy organization whose roots were planted in the exploration of theater-based strategies that could effectively break the cycle of violence and divert youth, particularly young men of color, from the adult prison system. EORO believes that youth behind bars are children, first and foremost; that one-on-one mentoring through the creative act of playwriting, academic tutoring and life skills workshops provides the best way to positively influence and change the image that both incarcerated youth and society hold of them.
That evening we will be presenting 1-2 of the one-act plays that have been written by former students and learning more about their organization and how to get involved.
Rising Voices presents:
DECEPTION OF THE HEART
In Honor and Memory of Domestic Violence Victims and Survivors
Performances Times: April 18 & 19, at 8:00 PM, April 20 at 8:15 PM
Written by The Women of Rising Voices
Edited & Directed by Ashley Smiley
In this original production the women of Rising Voices use poetry, song, movement and testimony to bring awareness to Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women by showing how easy it is to be deceived by your heart and blind to the red flags while also affirming the power of DV survivors honoring the women whose lives were cut short by Domestic Violence.
Featuring: Corina Aranda, Ericka Osorio, and Jacqueline Maldonado
Stage Manager: Cara Nguyen and Zakiya Willis
This programming is made possible by funding from the California Arts Council.
