Trinity Rep Announces Free Reading of JUST LIKE US

Trinity Rep, in partnership with Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA), announces a free, public reading of Karen Zacarías' play Just Like Us on October 16, 2017 at 7:00 pm at Trinity Rep at 201 Washington St. in Providence. Just Like Us, a powerful play based on the real story of "DREAMers", will be directed by Joe Wilson, Jr. and performed by the Trinity Rep resident acting company, local actors, students, and activists. To learn more or reserve free tickets to the reading, visit www.TrinityRep.com/LikeUs.

The reading is part of the America Too project at Trinity Rep, an initiative that seeks to reflect on the times we live in and catalyze community conversation. After taking part in the Every 28 Hours Plays in 2015, a theatrical response to the events in Ferguson, Missouri, Trinity Rep became committed to being a part of the national conversation. At least once per year, an America Too performance or reading will be held at the theater inspired by the events affecting its community.

The reading of Just Like Us was launched with playwright Zacarías' commitment to give free production rights of her celebrated work to any institution interested in producing a staged reading to raise awareness of what ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will mean for thousands of students, demonstrating the human cost of ending the program. Mexican-born and Atlanta-raised, Zacarías faced deportation in her twenties when she applied to become a legal resident. In speaking to The Washington Post about Just Like Us, she said, "The story is about four high school students in Denver, two who have documentation and two who don't, and how as they get older they're affected by this. None of these girls chose to come into this country...The whole idea of humanizing a topic- theater is so good at that."

Rhode Island Latino Arts' Executive Director Marta V. Martínez agreed with Zacarías' sentiment. She said "On September 5, 2017, President Trump ended DACA and left over 2,000 Rhode Island DREAMers in limbo and in a state of shock. As the head of the largest Latino arts organization, an artist and an immigrant, I felt a strong need to stand side-by-side with those affected by this decision and join the fight. I'm extremely grateful to staff and artists at Trinity Rep for responding without an ounce of hesitation by offering the resources of a talented director and the use of their stage for a public event. Bringing this compelling story to the theater's audience and allowing those who do not normally pass through the doors of Trinity Rep to sit and respond, is one more successful event to add to the strong partnership that has been created by RILA and Trinity Rep."

Director Joe Wilson, Jr. added, "I am proud that my theatrical home it's continuing in a tradition of leaning forward, and facilitating very important social and political conversations. We can no longer allow our work to be different from our values. Art-making cannot have a passive relationship to social justice."

In addition to this stage reading, Karen Zacarías' comedy Native Gardens will be performed at Trinity Rep April 4 - May 6, 2018. As with many plays in Trinity Rep's 2017-18 season, Native Gardens is about the search for the American Dream. In this comedy of good intentions and bad manners, a young Latino couple moves into a historically white neighborhood where they can't seem to agree with their neighbors about gardens and fences.

RHODE ISLAND LATINO ARTS

RILA is the state's oldest Latino arts and culture nonprofit organization that celebrates the art, history and heritage of Rhode Island Latinos. RILA is made up of a network of Latino arts organizations, individual artists and projects and advocates for inclusion and the building of bridges between Latinos and non-Latinos. Since 1992, RILA has organized and promoted local activities around National Hispanic Heritage Month every year from September 15-October 15.

Rhode Island's Tony Award-winning theater, Trinity Rep has created unparalleled professional theater for and with its community since its founding in 1963. Trinity Rep strives to facilitate human connection and has been a driving force behind the creativity that fuels and defines the region for more than 50 years.

Trinity Rep is committed to reinventing the public square and inspiring dialogue by creating emotionally-stimulating live productions that range from classical to contemporary and innovative education programs for all ages and abilities. Its annual production of A Christmas Carol has brought families together for 40 years and made memories for over a million audience members.

Subscriptions for the 2017-18 season are now on sale. The season includes Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Skeleton Crew by Dominique Morisseau, Into the Breeches! by George Brant, Othello by William Shakespeare, Native Gardens by Karen Zacarías, and Ragtime by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on the novel by E.L. Doctorow. For more information and to purchase tickets, call the box office at (401) 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep's website at www.TrinityRep.com.

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