Concert Reading Of SEEDS OF RESISTANCE Followed By A Moderated Discussion, Presented By About...Productions

About...Productions presents a unique online event featuring plays created by educationally underrepresented 10-12th graders in the company's Young Theaterworks' Social Justice Residency at Roosevelt High School's Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Academy (MSTMA) in Boyle Heights.

Students conducted interviews with three East L.A. community leaders whose work in various social justice movements have inspired the creation of three new plays that will be performed in a virtual concert reading by professional actors, teaching artists, and students. The concert reading of SEEDS OF RESISTANCE will also include a moderated discussion between the audience, the featured community leaders, students, and the teaching artists who mentored the students in the interview and writing process.

The three community leaders are Paula Crisostomo, a primary organizer of the historic 1968 East L.A. Walkouts, and whose story was central to the feature film Walkout directed by Edward James Olmos; Quetzal Flores, founder and musical director of the Grammy Award winning Chicano band Quetzal, and cultural strategist/organizer raised in East L.A.; and attorney Stephen Sass, founding president of the Breed Street Shul Project in Boyle Heights in which he reinvented the shul as a center for arts, culture, education and service that connects the region's Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latino, Jewish and other communities, and strengthens cross-cultural understanding and advances social justice.

Quetzal Flores states: “Having grown up in East L.A., it's an honor to engage with these students. I was inspired by the interview process and their insightful questions around my social justice work, and its relationship to my music work and personal history. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how they turn our dialogue into an original play.”

The 10-week Social Justice Residency, led by Marlene Beltran, is part of About...Productions' Young Theaterworks program. Now in its 23rd year, Young Theaterworks serves highest-risk and educationally underrepresented and underserved youth in L.A.-area public high schools with high impact, project-based learning that improves academic achievement and creative engagement. Strengthening students' literacy practice, collaboration and communication skills, the program also empowers them to become stewards of their community's history.

In collaboration with families and community, MSTMA students experience an interdisciplinary and social justice-oriented science, technology, engineering, and math magnet program that is infused with humanities courses to develop cultural awareness and social emotional skills so students can flourish in their college, career and post-secondary life.

About…Productions' Co-Founder and Producing Artistic Director Theresa Chavez explains: “We're honored to have this powerful group of East L.A. community leaders interface with our Young Theaterworks' students. The diversity of their backgrounds and social justice stories are inspiring students to write unique plays that are especially important to present at this time. Led by Marlene Beltran, our teaching artist team is giving the students critical guidance on the interview and playwriting process, and will perform with them in SEEDS OF RESISTANCE, along with other professional actors. Plus, the dialogue between the audience, community leaders, students and teaching artists will provide further insight into these compelling stories and the Social Justice Residency process.“

This event is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. Event registration instructions in EventBrite link HERE.

About…Productions, now in its 35th year, creates original interdisciplinary theaterworks and educational programs that provoke new perspectives on history, humanity, and culture. The company is dedicated to generating new work through collaboration to create artistic and community dialogue and believes in the power of theater to enlighten audiences, transform youth, and celebrate the lives of elders.

Visit About...Productions online:

aboutpd.org/young-theaterworks

facebook.com/aboutpd

twitter.com/aboutpd

instagram.com/aboutpd

Young Theaterworks programs are generously supported by the California Arts Council, the Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission and the City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division, and the L.A. Arts Recovery Fund.

Students at the Roosevelt High Math, Science, and Technology Magnet Academy virtually interview musician and cultural strategist/organizer Quetzal Flores as part of the Young Theaterworks' "Social Justice Residency" and the December 9, 2023 "Seeds of Resistance" livestream which will feature student written plays based on the interview. Photo Credit: Theresa Chavez.

 

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