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Home >> Programs >> Artistic journeys! >> Geffen Playhouse
Geffen Playhouse Opens Their Doors to At-Risk Youths
"Create Now! would like to thank the Geffen Playhouse for their generosity. This is the fourth year that we've been invited to participate in their wonderful CREATE program through Debra Pasquerette, the Education Director at the Geffen."
In addition to seeing some of the nation's finest theatrical productions, "CREATE" enables group leaders to work with other community group leaders and also helps expand the cultural and artistic horizons of their groups.
"CREATE" (Community
Representatives Engaged in Active Theater Education) is a new
program being offered at the Geffen Playhouse. This multi-level
community outreach program engages a diverse group of community
leaders and brings them together with the common theme of theater. "CREATE" is
a way for community groups to have access to the Geffen's main
stage season and to be actively involved throughout the season
in workshops and attending plays. Here's how the program works:
Twenty-five community leaders have been selected from the Los Angeles area. They've all been invited to attend previews at the Geffen Playhouse. The leaders attend creative workshops before each production that involve different aspects of the theater as well as educational materials for the current production. Then they're expected to share their experience with the participants in their programs.
Finally, each leader has the opportunity to bring 60 members of their group to see productions during the season. The youths from Create Now! who attend the performances are also invited to symposiums, where they get to interact with actors and artists by having their questions answered.
In addition to seeing some of the nation's finest theatrical productions, "CREATE" enables group leaders to work with other community group leaders and also helps expand the cultural and artistic horizons of their groups.
Thus far in 2003, a number of girls from Vista Del Mar were able to attend a performance of "Franny's Way." This controversial play was exciting and challenging for the girls and their staff.
In 2002, 48 children with their staff experienced "Pearl," the hip-hop version of "Snow White," which was produced by and starred Debbie Allen. Youths from Hathaways Children's Services, Penny Lane, Kenniston Group Home and Vista Del Mar attended this incredible show.
50 teenagers were able to attend "Do Jump," which was a unique performance of "anti-gravitational theater." An unusual combination of "Cirque du Soleil" acrobatics combined with theater, this show has given all the youths a lasting memory - an experience they'll never forget.
10 boys from Father Flanagan's Boys' Home were able to see "Oscar and Felix: A New Look at the Odd Couple" in June.
In 2001, 20 youths from Create Now! went to see a performance of "Ennio," a one-man show starring Ennio Marchetto. His highly entertaining performance features superb paper costumes, fabulous music and split-second transformatons in which he morphs into parodies of our favorite cultural icons.
Teens from Aviva Center, Eagle Rock Group Home and Gardner House, three facilities that Create Now! serves, attended this show. Here are some of their comments:
"I couldn't believe that the play was so interesting because I never thought that someone like Ennio would make a play fun and interesting." (Monica)
"When the play started, I thought it was going to be boring. When the play finished, I was laughing and I couldn't stop. Everything was funny and I liked it. I just want to say, thanks for the tickets." (Veronica)
Then 40 youth from G.L.A.S.S. (gay, lesbian and trans-gender teens who have been abused) attended the show "Looking for Normal." The story is about a mid-western tractor salesman (a family man), who discovers that he's actually a woman and undergoes a sex-change operation. The teens related very strongly to this play. Here's what a couple of them had to say:
"After seeing this play, I know now that other people feel the same as I do."
"I was touched emotionally by this play."
In 2000, the Geffen Playhouse invited the youths from Create Now! to attend performances of their play, "Defiled." For most of the at-risk teens who attended, this was the first time they had ever attended a real play. Most of them didn't know what an "intermission" was or what it was like to mix in society without feeling like an outsider.
In 1999, the Geffen Playhouse performed "Merton of the Movies." Their Marketing Department called our offices and invited all of the youths in our programs to attend the play. Almost 100 teenage boys and girls were able to experience this wonderful theatrical experience. They were very impressed by the sets and costumes. They found the 1920's language to be amusing. For all of them, they became aware that it was possible to have a career that's fun, creative and exciting.
Create Now! is very excited about this opportunity to bring fine theater to the at-risk children in our programs.