SteppingStone and Action Transport Theatres Present BULLY: A TRANSATLANTIC COLLABORATION, Now thru 3/23

Bully: A Transatlantic Collaboration will run today, March 7 - March 23, 2014, presented by the Young Playwrights of SteppingStone Theatre and Action Transport Theatre, featuring Dane Stauffer and Kevin Dyer. This will be a A SteppingStone Theatre World Premiere.

Bullying is something that everyone's witnessed‹from one side or another. When SteppingStone Theatre decided to create a Young Playwrights program, the questions we asked the participants were "What is Bullying, and Can It Be Stopped?" After more than a year of improvisation, writing and workshops, we are proud to present Bully.

The play was created by six young Twin Cities playwrights aged 15­19, and six more from Action Transport Theatre in Ellesmere Port, England who worked on the same questions. The result is a rich, funny and moving exploration of bullying from the perspective of those closest to it. Bully is a multimedia experience not to be missed.

Richard Hitchler, SteppingStone Theatre¹s Artistic Director says, "Several years ago - 2007 - I had an idea for young playwrights to come together to write a play. The concept for the creation of Bully came about after meeting with folks from Action Transport Theatre in Ellesmere Port, England. When I said I wanted to create a "young playwriting program," they mentioned having just begun such a program. We discussed working together on a project. Two years later, we discussed actually putting this idea into action by gathering 6 young playwrights from the USA and 6 from the UK, all working with mentor playwrights to create a play."

Hitchler goes on to explain, "Two years after that, I saw a play for young people about bullying written by a collective of adult writers. That didn¹t feel right to me. I felt that that youth talking to other youth in their own voices would make a more powerful and meaningful theatrical experience, and I knew that bullying should be the theme for the play we wrote together.

"As adults, we can talk about bullying all we want, and never have an impact on young people's attitude or perception of bullying. But youth talking to other youth about bullying creates an authentic voice for their peers. A voice that will be heard and listened to in order to help facilitate real change in the attitude and reason for bullying. Can bullying be stopped? One thing is for sure, it needs to be, and we hope that this play will begin the dialog."

Bully is a breakthrough in subject matter and manner of creation. Bully opens up a difficult subject in an approachable, forthright and funny way. Bully is powerful, poignant and ultimately uplifting, a performance that will touch your heart and is not to be missed.

Tickets for all performances are available at www.steppingstonetheatre.org or call the box office at 651-225-9265.

Ticket Prices:

Youth and Seniors, Ages 2-17 and Ages 55 and up: $12.00 per person
Adults, Ages 18-54: $15.00 per person
Groups of 20-99, any ages: $7.50 per person
Groups of 100+, any ages: $6.50 per person

Performance Dates and Times:

Friday, March 7: 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 8: 3:00 pm
(Pay What You Can Performance)
Sunday, March 9:3:00 pm
Wednesday, March 12: 10:00 am and noon
Thursday, March 13: 10:00 am and noon
Friday. March 14: 10:00 am, noon and 7:00 pm
(Audio Described Performance)
Saturday, March 15: 3:00 pm
Sunday, March 16: 3:00 pm
(ASL Interpreted Performance)
Wednesday, March 19: 10:00 am and noon
Thursday, March 20: 10:00 am and noon
Friday. March 21: 10:00 am, noon and 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 22: 3:00 pm
Sunday, March 23: 3:00 pm

About SteppingStone Theatre: SteppingStone Theatre¹s productions are professionally created and produced, with talents drawn from the best in the Twin Cities and throughout the U.S. The young actors are rigorously trained, but remain fresh and vibrant, bringing their joy and sense of fun to all SteppingStone Theatre's productions. Enjoyed by all ages, adults as well as children, SteppingStone Theatre¹s productions are affordable, high-quality entertainment.

All performances are in SteppingStone Theatre's new home, a beautifully renovated 100-year-old architectural gem located at 55 Victoria Street North, one block north of Summit Avenue in the Historic Hill District of St. Paul. Performances are appropriate for all ages.

SteppingStone Theatre is fully-accessible to persons with disabilities, and has regularly-scheduled ASL & Audio Described performances. Interpreters can be scheduled for other performances at no additional cost upon request.

Performance dates, times, prices and tickets are available at (651) 225-9265 or www.steppingstonetheatre.org.

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