The Actors' Gang to Present Premiere of 'I am not a racist, but..'

The Actors' Gang invites audiences to witness the development of a new work-in-progress.  With its signature take-no-prisoners style, The Gang takes a bold, funny, sad and incendiary look at what it takes to bring America's history of racism out of the shadows and shine a light on how it still envelops us today in " 'I am not a racist, but...'," conceived and directed by founding member Cynthia Ettinger and created by the acting ensemble.  Beginning October 18, seventeen workshop performances will be open to the public at the Ivy Substation in Culver City.

" 'I am not a racist, but...' " challenges actors and audience alike to create a conversation about racism in America: its ugly divisiveness, its persistence and its deep rootedness.  An ongoing work-in-progress that has been in development for many months, it follows in the footsteps of previous Actors' Gang-created theatrical events like Carnage, Alagazam and Embedded.

"There's a conspiracy of silence in 'white' America that makes voicing our secret, inner prejudices taboo," says Ettinger.  "With this new work, we attempt to dismantle our silence - which is, I think, a form of racism in itself - and deconstruct our collective sense of isolation.  The action in the piece is immediate and overwhelming, leaving no time to judge, only to experience.  We hope it will unhinge some, enlighten others."

Associate artistic director V.J. Foster says, "We are confident that 'I am not a racist' will add to The Gang's history of creating a community dialogue.  As we near a presidential election that is rife with racial overtones, it's imperative that we encourage deeper discussion."

The Actors' Gang, now in its 25th season of rule-breaking, thought-provoking, engaging theater, is one of Los Angeles' most enduring ensembles.  Since its founding in 1982, The Gang has consistently won acclaim for its daring interpretations of Shakespeare, Buchner, Brecht, Moliere, Aeschylus, Ibsen and Chekhov, while also developing daring new plays that address today's world through a prism of satire, popular culture, and raucous stagecraft.  "Of the theater companies in Los Angeles that doggedly dare to dissect current political conflicts, The Actors' Gang, headed by Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins, is the most prominent," wrote The Daily Breeze.

Workshop performances of " 'I am not a racist, but... ' " take place Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, October 18 through November 15.  Tickets are $20 for reserved seating; Pay-What-You-Can "Rush" tickets are available to all performances at the door, 30 minutes prior to curtain, subject to availability.

The Actors' Gang is located in the Ivy Substation at 9070 Venice Boulevard (near the intersection of Culver and Venice Blvds.) in Culver City.  Two hours free parking is available throughout downtown Culver City; the Ince Parking Lot (corner of Culver and Ince) is directly across the street from the theater.  In addition, several restaurants (Italian, French, Thai, Japanese, and more) are only a few blocks' walk from The Actors' Gang and offer a variety of dining options before and after the theater.  The Ivy Substation is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible.  For reservations and information, call The Actors' Gang Box Office at 310-838-GANG (310-838-4264) or go to www.theactorsgang.com.

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