I have to admit when I heard about this play I didn’t really know what to expect. But the students from the Young Playwright’s Theater did a great job. If you commented on this post you would’ve especially liked it. I just wanted to give props to the students for writing a terrific, and more importantly, thoughtful play.
And I didn’t get made fun of too badly.
This is probably the coolest thing I could have ever imagined.
“Dear PoP,
I am writing to invite you and your readers to a unique theatrical event partially inspired by your blog. I work for Young Playwrights’ Theater and meet with young people often to write about the things that inspire and trouble them. This semester our after-school group, the Young Playwrights’ Workshop has been writing about the intersection of technology and theater. How will technology change in the future? How is it changing the present?
On March 2nd, 2009 I read your post New Apartments At Georgia Ave. and New Hampshire Gets Tagged And I Get Intimidated By Street Thugs and the resulting comments with great interest. It occurred to me that it could be a good topic for our group. All good drama needs conflict and there was plenty to be had in this discussion. Also, while the habits and character of young people in our community were discussed at length, there were not many youth voices in the discussion. Our young writers decided to respond. They created a piece called “Who Owns the Streets?” in which they deconstruct your article, the commenters and the meaning of community online.
“Who Owns the Streets?” will be presented this Monday, April 20th at 7:00 PM as part of New Writers Now: Theater of the Next Generation. Professional actors will present a staged reading of the piece and follow up with a community talkback. We invite you, your readers and the entire DC community to attend. You could even join us at 6:00 PM for a light reception before the show in the lobby of the GALA Theatre. The event is FREE and open to the public.
We hope that you and many of your readers might take us up on this invitation.
More information can be found at www.yptdc.org
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Andrews
Community Engagement Manager
Young Playwrights’ Theater
Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing Once on This Island, a Caribbean musical presented by the KUUMBA Players, a community theatre group based at All Souls Church. The performance was held on the intimate church stage and was filled with song, vibrant costumes and great energy.
The KUUMBA Players are a multigenerational, multicultural group dedicated to producing works that explore social justice issues. In this production, the youngest cast member is 8, and the oldest is in her 70s. From what I saw on Sunday, this group really does bring a wide array of people together for a common purpose.
The group was founded in 2001 and works to serve and strengthen the All Souls Church and DC Metro area communities by providing opportunities for members and friends to participate in the theatrical experience. The Players were named after the Swahili word “KUUMBA,” meaning to serve your community through creativity, which exemplifies the mission and goals of the group.
Once on This Island is adapted from Rosa Guy’s novel, My Love, My Love or the Peasant Girl. On a small island in the French Antilles, the young peasant girl Ti Moune challenges her fate when she falls for the rich and privileged Daniel. Mysteries and miracles abound as the Gods of Love and Death chart her course across an island rich with color and steeped in traditions of class division. Continues after the jump. (more…)
Are they just renovating the theater or will there be some sort of ping pong themed restaurant going in? Man, that puts me in quite a quandary. I think it’s great to have a theater there but I sure do love ping pong. What’s the word?
Opening Reception this Friday from 6-9pm at 1017 7th Street!
The old Bi-rate location on 11th St. better known as, hopefully, the future location of Warehouse theater on the ground floor, and potentially on the second floor the new headquarters for Rock The Vote had a zone hearing. Anyone know what happened?
Breaking news: a well placed tipster has just informed me that the recently closed Warehouse Theater is currently in negotiations to open up in a new spot in Columbia Heights. For those of you who are excited about the new Red Rocks Pizzeria, get ready to get a little more excited: The prime spot across the street in the old supermarket on 11th and Park Road is set to become the new home of Warehouse Theater. Additionally I hear the new headquarters of Rock the Vote are also in negotiations to open up in that location. Rumors, rumors but hopefully it is true. Great news for Petworth and Columbia Heights! Let’s hope the negotiations go well…