No Peeking's IN LAK'ECH Discusses Latin American Experience at Grassroots Community Space

Grassroots Community Space presents the premier of In Lak'Ech, a No Peeking Theatre production that discusses the diverse and multicultural perspectives of the Latin American Experience and its various definitions.

In Lak'Ech, which runs May 19th - June 3rd, at Grassroots Community Space, is part of the company's overall mission of supporting the arts to enrich our community's quality of life.

In Lak'Ech- the first collaboration between Grassroots and No Peeking Theatre - runs Fri, May 19 /Sat, May 20 / Fri, May 26/ Sat, May 27th/ Fri, June 2nd/ Sat, June 3rd • 8:00 pm (ALL SHOWS) at Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles Street, Jersey City.

"Many view the world skewed from a dominant sense of perception. By eliminating sight, this production has the makings of an unusual experience for all that dare to go into the dark. Grassroots is psyched to be a part of the process in bringing unique perspective to our arts community, and excited to be guided by No Peeking Theatre through the senses that lead us." - Chelo Mercado, Co-founder of Grassroots

No Peeking Theatre presents a new and innovative format of theatre that is changing how audiences experience live arts.

No Peeking, founded in 2012, presents experimental theater that is sensory, experiential, and 'blind'. Audience members are given blindfolds to wear and as they listen to the actors, stage hands accentuate the text by creating ambient sounds and music, different scents and aromas and even provide objects and surfaces to touch. The resulting experience is an utterly unique type of theater; of the mind and body.

This approach suits the ambitious and topical objectives of In Lak'Ech. Setting out to create diverse platforms and productions for theatre, Amanda Levie, Executive Director of No Peeking Theatre, decided to develop a new production that could give the audience an experiential lens to peer through, so to speak. Through social media and other networks, Levie issued an open writer's call for In Lak'Ech (you are the other me), asking for writing of any genre whose subject matter discussed the vastly diverse definitions of the 'Latin American Experience'.

The response to the call was met with a myriad of different, genres, cultural discussions, forms, and aspects of the subject. She then transformed the accepted submissions to a 90 minutes series of theatrical work. In Lak'Ech spans a range of topics: script excerpts of Dominican based historical fiction, poetry discussing lost identity, spoken-word of cultural transcendence through time, and personal narratives of childhood memories. Once the writings were selected, casting calls went out and the rehearsal process began, which included developing the other sensory components of In Lak'Ech.

The subject matter's objective was addressing the many definitions of being "Latin American", discussing the nuances that make the various stories both different and similar, and society's roles as a witness to these characteristics. In Lak'Ech challenges audiences to rethink their conceptions of what it means to be Latin American in all aspects, both culturally and geographically, near and far. She decided to entitle this collective work after an ancient and unique Mayan idiom: "In Lak'Ech", which translate to "you are the other me".

"In Lak'Ech represents the complex and prolific definitions of the Latin American experience," Levie said. "By taking away the sense of sight, audience members are more exposed to the true diversification of traits, culture, language, and visceral characteristics of many first hand discussions of personal experience. While further emphasizing these points, No Peeking takes away an impediment to our judgements based on how people appear. This allows us to absorb experience by overlooking, class, social status, gender, attractiveness, along with all other traits that we like or do not like based on what we see. In In Lak'Ech, people are unable to make those immediate assumptions, which distills the content to the most honest and sincere form of experience."

In Lak'Ech was written by: Benedicto Figueroa, AMel Barrientos, Jennifer 'Uncle Jenny' Edouard, Chris Garcia, Yvonne Hernandez, Gabriel Cummings, Ruben Carbajal, and Rafael Cruz.

In Lak'Ech Cast: Moselyn Jane Watkins, Immacula Papillon, Elizabeth Edouard, Benedicto Figueroa, Robert Marrero, Valerie Ayala, Jeffrey Sanchez, Jennifer 'Uncle Jenny' Edouard, Harrison Santana, Damaris Garcia, Alejandra Camacho, Sergio Caetano, Linda Alago, and Ariel Pacheco.

IF YOU GO:

No Peeking Theatre/In Lak'Ech Crew

Soundscape: Joe Velez
Scentscape: Gahlia Eden
Touch Tech: Nerissa Tutiven
Taste Tech: Alana Puentes

In Lak'Ech shows: Fri, May
19 /Sat, May 20 / Fri, May 26/ Sat, May 27th/ Fri, June 2nd/ Sat, June 3rd • 8:00 pm (ALL SHOWS) at Grassroots Community Space, 54 Coles Street, Jersey City.

$20 All Seating
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit InLakEch.Brownpapertickets.com.
Or you can also purchase on their website at www.nopeekingtheatre.com.

Grassroots Community Space is located at 54 Coles Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302. Call (201) 344-2888 for more information.

No Peeking Theatre encourages blind, low vision and other special needs individuals to attend their productions. Grassroots features an accessible bathroom facility and in house seating. For all additional accessibility requests regarding Grassroots, please contact: (201) 344-2888. Grassroots Community Space is located on the Ground Floor.

Grassroots is an arts & entrepreneur incubator interested in providing resource to motivated dreamers. We have been mom & pop operated, at 54 Coles St. Jersey City, NJ since January 2009; servicing the NY/NJ area. Grassroots has been a community building blessing to the makers and all the creative souls that have been a part of its development.