La Jolla Playhouse and Ping Chong + Co Present Community-Engaged SOUTH OF THE 8

La Jolla Playhouse announces a collaboration with the acclaimed theatre group Ping Chong + Company to develop and present South of The 8, a brand-new, community-engaged piece, created with and performed by a group individuals living in neighborhoods south of the I-8. Scripted by Sara Zatz and Daniela Rivera and directed by Sara Zatz, South of The 8 will have three public presentations on Friday, March 31 at 7:30pm and Saturday, April 1 at 2:30pm and 7:30pm at the City Heights Performance Annex (3795 Fairmount Avenue). Tickets are $15 and are available online at LaJollaPlayhouse.org or by calling (858) 550-1010.

South of The 8 is an interview-based work that explores issues of culture and identity in a specific local community, breaking down stereotypes by sharing the rich and diverse the stories of the people who live there. Following an intensive interview process, five individuals were selected to work with Ping Chong + Company and The Playhouse to develop and perform an "opera for the spoken word," based on their own narratives. This fascinating, non-traditional theatre piece showcases the real-life stories and experiences of individuals from a variety of backgrounds, shining a light on the unique character of communities "South of the 8."

"For decades, Ping Chong + Company has embedded itself in communities across the country to explore the real lives, stories and issues of their constituents. Their Playhouse residency culminates in a moving presentation that honors the authentic voices and experiences of these five individuals from neighborhoods south of the I-8," noted La JollaPlayhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley. "Community engagement is core to The Playhouse mission. We strive to share diverse stories that spark conversation and reflect our society, and it is a privilege to help provide a platform for many of these stories through this production of South of The 8."

The presentation of South of The 8 is part of Ping Chong + Company's Undesirable Elements series. Since 1992, there have been over 50 productions in the series in communities around the United States and abroad. The development process for this piece included an extended community residency during which Ping Chong + Company Associate Director Sara Zatz and collaborating artist Daniela Rivera conducted interviews with potential participants. These interviews formed the basis of a script that weaves cast members' experiences together in a chronological account touching on both political and personal events. The script is performed by the interviewees themselves, many of whom have never before spoken publicly.

Ping Chong + Company produces theatrical works addressing the important cultural and civic issues of our times, striving to reach the widest audiences with the greatest level of artistic innovation and social integrity. The company was founded in 1975 by Ping Chong, one of the United States' leading theatrical innovators and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. The Company's mission is to create works of theater and art that explore the intersections of race, culture, history, art, media and technology in the modern world. Today, Ping Chong + Company produces original works by a close-knit ensemble of affiliated artists, under the artistic leadership of Ping Chong. Productions range from intimate oral history projects to grand scale cinematic multidisciplinary productions featuring puppets, performers, and full music and projection scores. The art reveals beauty, precision, and a commitment to social justice. Since 1975, Ping Chong + Company has produced over 100 works by Ping Chong and his collaborators at such venues as La MaMa ETC, BAM's Next Wave Festival, Lincoln Center Festival, New Victory Theater, Spoleto USA Festival, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Seattle Repertory Theater, and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Ping Chong + Company is a model in the performing arts field for international and institutional collaborations. The company works with organizations ranging from theater companies of all sizes, major performing arts centers, national and international festivals, colleges and universities, and community-based organizations to reach diverse audiences in New York as well as around the country and abroad. The New York City-based company has been recognized with numerous honors and awards. More at pingchong.org.

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The Tony Award-winning La Jolla Playhouse is internationally-renowned for creating some of the most exciting and adventurous work in American theatre, through its new play development initiatives, its innovative Without Walls series, artist commissions and residencies. Currently led by Artistic Director Christopher Ashley and Managing Director Michael S. Rosenberg, The Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Mel Ferrer, and reborn in 1983 under the artistic leadership of Des McAnuff. La Jolla Playhouse has had 26 productions transfer to Broadway, garnering 35 Tony Awards, among them Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Who's Tommy, Big River, as well as Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays and the Pulitzer Prize-winning I Am My Own Wife, both fostered as part of The Playhouse's Page To Stage Program. Visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.