Joel Key, who paints over in Poplar studio #7, also serves as chair of the board of an amazing new theater company in Oakland called Gritty City Rep (GCR). American Steel Studios is excited to be hosting GCR’s gala as they launch their second season of edgy, powerful youth theater productions.
date : October 12, 2013
time : 4 – 8pm
locale : 1960 Mandela Parkway, Oakland (enter on 20th street)
more info : www.grittycityrep.org
GCR is the only full-fledged youth theatre company in Oakland. They produce edgy, relevant, professional work with young performers who attend or are recent graduates of Oakland public schools. They work with 14-20 year olds who are all untrained; most begin with no theatre experience; many have never even seen a play. The company provides at least a year of theatre training and performance for each participant, and is completely free for youth and their families. One of GCR’s main goals is to increase the theatre attendance of young people in Oakland, as they believe that theatre is a natural, exciting, and vivid community building experience that develops empathy and connection amongst the players AND the audience members.
GCR produces two or three shows per year with a two-week run of each show, performing modern and devised theatre in the fall and Shakespeare in the spring. This year, their season opener, Caught Up, takes a hard look at American policies of mass incarceration, and poses the question: “why are so many young Black men caught up in the system?” The devised new work includes many voices, both local and national, and uses physical theatre and a strong point of view to educate and galvanize their audience to action.
After a successful $10,000 indiegogo fundraising campaign, GCR had the honor of being offered a spot as a resident theatre company at Flight Deck, a brand new theatre complex currently under construction at 1540 Broadway. Please see their website (www.grittycityrep.org) for more information!
