CRE Outreach's THE HERO WITHIN to Capture Lives of LA Veterans at The Wallis

CRE Outreach is presenting The Hero Within, in partnership with the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (The Wallis), from April 22 - 23, 2017. This production features a cast of seven local veterans, whose true stories are woven together to create an original play.

The Hero Within brings veterans' personal stories to life through an artistic journey that gives voice to the difficulty of transitioning from the war zone back into society. After completion of a successful operation, the Joint Task Force of the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines has gathered veterans to be recognized as heroes. However, the effects of trauma trigger one veteran in attendance to do the unthinkable. The Hero Within follows the trials and tribulations of seven brave men and women along their path from civilian life to joining the military to their return home, as they search for the hero within themselves. The show includes both lighthearted comedy and dramatic moments that will leave audiences on the edge of their seat.

The Wallis invited CRE Outreach to be one of its Community Partners, as both organizations strive to make the arts more accessible to all Angelenos. As a community partner, CRE Outreach's veteran participants will also have the opportunity to see performances at The Wallis including the show 946: The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips, presented at The Wallis from February 9 - March 5.

Rehearsals for The Hero Within took place at The Wallis, starting in January 2017, and CRE Outreach's Artistic Director, Greg Shane said the veterans have loved rehearsing in such a beautiful and artistically inspiring space. He further stated: "CRE Outreach is truly honored to have the opportunity to collaborate with The Wallis. The quality of work presented at The Wallis is of the highest artistic level. We want to thank The Wallis for giving a voice to veterans' experiences and educating audiences about the real struggles that veterans face when reintegrating into society. I am so thankful to have the support of The Wallis in seeing my vision of changing perceptions and eliminating stereotypes about the reality of the effects of the military."

"We all have stories that need to be shared and heard by others," said Mark Slavkin, Director of Education at The Wallis. "The Wallis is proud to provide a platform for these veterans and artists to present their powerful stories. These men and women are inspiring in their service and in their courage to confront the ways the military often mistreats our true heroes."

Single tickets are now available from $12 - 22. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit TheWallis.org/Hero, call 310.746.4000, or stop by in person at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Ticket Services located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Ticket prices subject to change.

CRE Outreach is a non-profit performing arts organization dedicated to empowering underserved individuals from low-income populations in greater Los Angeles. CRE stands for Create, Reflect, Empower-words that encompass the process, focus, and targeted outcomes of our programs. Since 2007, CRE Outreach has utilized theatre, the performing arts, and educational programs as a means to enhance self-esteem, encourage self-expression, and empower individuals to overcome the challenges in their lives.

Greg Shane, Artistic Director of CRE Outreach, and Melvin Johnson, playwright and founder of Dramastage-Qumran, join forces again for a second Full Scope Veterans collaboration to create The Hero Within. Full Scope Veterans is offered by CRE Outreach under the umbrella of Veterans Empowerment Theatre (VET), a suite of performing arts programs for military veterans that gives our nation's brave service members a safe environment to voice their own heroic stories, personal tragedies and experiences through theater.

VETuses theater as a form of art therapy encouraging participants to explore creative elements and use artistic expression to find a path to overcome addiction, effectively deal with PTSD and reintegrate into society. VET presents a firsthand view of the soldiers' experiences in their most raw form, unfiltered by the press or military censorship. Productions give audiences greater insight into the difficulty facing veterans returning from deployment. Performances depict real encounters from the front lines of battle and expose the inner turmoil of the lasting scars, both external and internal endured from combat.

Since opening its doors in October 2013, The Wallis has produced or presented more than 100 dance, theatre, opera, classical music and family programs to an ever-expanding audience. Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, The Wallis brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world's most talented and sought-after artists. Featuring eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the U.S. and around the globe. The mission of The Wallis is to create, present and celebrate unique performing arts events and educational programs that reflect the rich cultural diversity of our community. Nominated for 28 Ovation Awards, four L.A. Drama Critic's Circle Awards and the recipient of six architectural awards since opening in 2013, The Wallis is a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot venue that celebrates the classic and the modern and was designed by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA of Studio Pali Fekete architects. The building features the restored, original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places) that serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and houses the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, GRoW at The Wallis: A Space for Arts Education (a gift of Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family and the Annenberg Foundation) and the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater. Together, these structures embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for L.A.-area visitors and residents alike.

For more information about The Wallis, visit TheWallis.org. Like The Wallis on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.