People’s Theatre Project- Press Profile
2010 Union Square Arts Award Recipient
715 W. 172nd Street, Suite 64
New York, NY 10032
www.peoplestheatreproject.org
Media Contact: Bob Braswell, Co-Executive Director
bob@peoplestheatreproject.org | (646) 398-9062
People’s Theatre Project envisioned a place where community members could discover and share their artistic voices. Based in the Washington Heights and Inwood neighborhoods, it began with a survey asking residents, “Have you ever been to the theater?” Almost all responded that they had not, but would like to attend or be part of a performance. Today People’s Theatre Project serves Northern Manhattan with three branches of work: performance, education, and outreach. “Our work is to build peace, foster dialogue, and enliven education through the arts,” they announce.
People’s Theatre Project’s performance branch focuses on presenting socially-conscious new pieces presented with a beautiful, simple and honest aesthetic. It is a gathering place where residents become audience members of professional productions and participate in an open dialogue about human rights, philosophy, culture and society. The Performance branch includes a group of resident professional playwrights who mentor young playwrights in the development of new works.
The Education branch has ongoing poetry and Shakespeare programs in Washington Heights public schools. These year-long arts residencies spark the imagination of students and open their world of possibilities by fostering self-expression and confidence challenging each student to make connections between the art they create and their own lives.
The Outreach Branch serves the community by offering bilingual and pay-what-you-can programs for youth and adults. For its 2011 Season, the Outreach Branch is offering Action Theatre for adults, Voices/Voces for teens, and Live Your Life for children. All of these programs consist of theatrical debate, theater games and improvisational exercises that allow participants to uncover, in a safe and playful environment, the possible alternatives to the life challenges they face. They imagine and rehearse solutions together onstage as they prepare to take action and make change offstage.