Award Winning Chicago Natives Join Forces To Bring A Human Face To Gang Violence In WHERE YOU FROM? WHAT YOU BE ABOUT?

Edward Torres (Goodman, Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Old Globe, The Public, 2011 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play & 2009 Joseph Jefferson Awards for Best Production and Best Director for The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity) returns to New York to direct Eric Aviles (Steppenwolf, Goodman, The Magic, INTAR, 2017 LMCC award grantee) in an autobiographical play set in the historically Puerto Rican neighborhood of Humboldt Park Chicago. The play will run January 18th- February 4th from Thursday- Sunday at Downtown Art on East 4th Street.

Moving from the past to present, "Where You From? What You Be About?" tells a story of how one man and his family reconciles the influences and subsequent death of a family member due to gun and gang violence. A cousin's funeral becomes the catalyst for confronting a buried truth. Includes spoken word, video projections, and a live DJ. Talk-backs after every performance. In conjunction with the shows strong commitment to community, Eric will facilitate 2 hour workshops with participating organizations called Healing Circles that will cover themes from the play, inviting ideas and strategies needed for community building, healing, and self-care. The production is being hosted by Downtown Art, a theater that seeks to build a creative community around values of equity, diversity, and civic engagement.

Written and Performed by Eric Aviles

Directed by Edward Torres

Stage Manager- G.V. Maldonado

Lighting Design & Projection Coordinator- Anna Carhart

Set Design- Carolina Ortiz
Sound and Music- Jonathan Hogstad

A Liberation Arts Collective Production

For tickets go to: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3207423 or call 1 (800) 838-3006.