Benefit for RENT School Edition
Presented by Project Theater Project and The Rotunda
Featuring:
Archer Sounds (members of Lion Versus)
Steph Hayes
Christine Meehan
Kevin James Mulholland
Lance Pawling
Attia Taylor
Nicola Visaggio
Becca Jennings
Sava and Songo
Found Theater Company
Flat Mary Road
Needles Jones
teens from the show!
and more!
Project Theater Project aims to produce quality alternative amateur theater to foster positive social change and cultural development in our community. We will work with diverse and underserved populations including youth, the elderly, and the disabled. Amateurs will have a chance to be involved in theater in a meaningful way. These new voices will bring to the forefront issues that are current and important and that resonate with local audiences. Currently, the goal is to produce one show a year, though this may increase as PTP develops. The subject matter of shows will include material that is progressive, mature, and contemporary. Each show will contain a health based and an education component tailored to match the participants and subject of the show. Facilitators will create a curriculum for each performance that will contextualize the experience of the artists and a part of the proceeds will be donated to health organizations or will fund health education. We are committed to keeping the cost of attending shows very low. Adult tickets will not exceed $10. Free tickets will be made available to educational institutions and other community groups. This ensures that our shows are accessible to locals who might not ordinarily attend professional theater due to the cost. We aim to produce original works as well as shows that have been commercially produced. Our last production was William Finn's "March of The Falsettos" in 2008.
OUR NEXT PRODUCTION
2011 Project Summary: Rent School Edition
This year’s show is the rock-opera, RENT, as performed by high school students. RENT tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in the Lower East Side under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Our process will utilize improvisation to work on group dynamic skills, conflict resolution, cooperation, and self-esteem. The ten hour education component includes a session moderated by a Philly FIGHT peer educator on a range of topics including, but not limited to, deciding when to have sex, teens dating adults, condom negotiation, oppression, and sexual orientation. Workshops are designed to provide young people with the knowledge and skills to maintain their sexual health and think critically about their social choices. This education component will also include a summary of the history of the early days of HIV/AIDS. One of the purposes of the show is to raise awareness of the lack of health care for artists in our community.