1812 Productions to Offer Spanish-Captioned Performance of I WILL NOT GO GENTLY

In an effort to open its doors to a wider audience, 1812 Productions is pleased to announce its first-ever Spanish-captioned performance. This captioned performance will take place during the current run of 1812 Productions' world premiere comedy, I Will Not Go Gently, on Wednesday, May 11th at 6:30pm at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Street, in Philadelphia.

The inspiration for this new initiative came from experiences that 1812 Educators had in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes at Newcomer Learning Academy at Franklin Learning Center. 1812 Productions has had educators in the classroom at Franklin Learning Center for the past three seasons, using comedy as an active teaching tool to foster greater cross-cultural understanding between students, their classmates, and their environment. Jennifer Childs, 1812 Productions' Producing Artistic Director, and creator and performer of I Will Not Go Gently, explains, "It started with accessibility. We have outreach programs in three public schools, including these ESL classes at Franklin. We have a host of students who we're able to connect with in the classroom but who are unable to attend our work because of the language barrier. After we began using open-captioning equipment for our hearing impaired patrons, it seemed a natural extension that we could use the same equipment to provide Spanish subtitles. This is a first step that allows us to connect not only with our Outreach students but with a wider audience in Philadelphia."

To begin this endeavor, Ms. Childs contacted Fernando Mendez, a patron of several Philadelphia arts institutions including 1812 Productions, and host of the program El Ritmo de la Comunidad on El Zol Philly (97.1 FM). Mr. Mendez took up the task of translating Ms. Childs' script, noting the importance of accessibility in the arts community. Mr. Mendez commented on the process, saying, "Right away I thought it would be challenging but doable. And I felt proud to be able to contribute in a small way to a creative process. I'm happy to be part of an artistic endeavor that helps to connect the Hispanic community to an original project that is entertaining and constructive."

This Spanish-captioned performance is part of the regular scheduled run of I Will Not Go Gently and students from Franklin Learning Center and their families have been invited to attend. As planning continues for 1812 Productions' upcoming 20th anniversary season, the company is looking forward to discussion with its patrons and outreach students following this captioned performance to discover how this initiative can best move forward. Jennifer Childs says, "It's all about opening the door for more people to come to the table. To laugh together, to enjoy an evening out together, and to share in a conversation about universal themes." Mr. Mendez adds, "By providing more accessibility we are helping to connect diverse audiences. We are bridging the cultural gaps. Art enriches all of us in all its forms."

I Will Not Go Gently is a one-woman comedy with music that looks at aging through the experiences of a dozen characters. From its central character, a faded rock star attempting a comeback, to its youngest character, a tech-obsessed teenager who can't conceive of getting older, I Will Not Go Gently is playing to audience and critical praise at Plays & Players Theatre in Philadelphia.

1812 Productions would like to extend a special thanks to Art-Reach for providing the captioning equipment for this performance of I Will Not Go Gently. Art-Reach is a Philadelphia-based organization whose mission is to enrich lives by connecting underserved audiences with cultural experiences so that they may enjoy and benefit from the transformative power of the arts.

Jennifer Childs (Writer/ Performer): Jennifer Childs is the Producing Artistic Director and Co-Founder of 1812 Productions. For 1812 she has created over a dozen original works of theater including To The Moon, This Is The Week That Is, Always a Lady, Our Show of Shows, Cherry Bomb, and It's My Party: The Women and Comedy Project. Her one-woman show Why I'm Scared of Dance by Jen Childs premiered at 1812 and has since been performed at Delaware Theatre Company, the Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin, Act II Playhouse, and City Theatre in Pittsburgh. Favorite performances outside of 1812 include The Happiness Lecture with Bill Irwin at Philadelphia Theater Company, Spin at the Wilma Theater, Red Herring and Dex and Julie Sittin' in a Tree at the Arden Theatre Company.

Fernando Mendez (Translator): Fernando Mendez is a host of El Ritmo de La Comunidad on El Zol Philly, a program dedicated to discussion of current international, national, and regional issues, and Editor-at-Large of El Sol Latino Newspaper where he contributes weekly bilingual editorials, columns, and interviews. Fernando has also served as publisher of LatinTimes, contributing editor at Impacto Newspaper, and as a host on the Telemundo program En Portada, a weekly program profiling politicians and community leaders. Fernando is a member of the Board of Directors of several community organizations including Congreso de Latinos Unidos, a social service organization serving the Latino community in Philadelphia, Youth Build of Philadelphia, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving underprivileged youth, and the Pan-American Academy Charter School. He has also worked as a Spanish teacher at St. Joseph's Preparatory School, Villanova University, Temple University Law School, Berlitz School of Languages, and as a translator at Inlingua School of Languages.
*** I WIll Not Go Gently Spanish-captioned Performance Details
Written & Performed by: Jennifer Childs

Translated by: Fernando Mendez

Directed by: Harriet Power

Location:
Plays & Players Theatre
1714 Delancey Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Date: May 11, 2016 at 6:30pm

Ticket Price: $42

Tickets and Information Contact:
215-592-9560
www.1812productions.org