“So when I get older and you ask me the question, ‘Who are you?’
I won’t have to guess. I’ll know.”
Power(FULL): art in action A new play by ART 180 teens exploring power, identity and relationships
ART 180 is proud to present Power(FULL): art in action, an original play written and performed by young people in our summer program partnership with The Conciliation Project (TCP), a social justice theater company. The performance is free to the public and will take place Friday, August 16 at 7 p.m. at Dogtown Dance Theatre, 109 W. 15th St. in Manchester. A community discussion and reception will take place at 8 p.m. following the performance. Families are welcome, though the subject matter may be challenging for some audiences. For more information, call 804-233-4180.
Over the course of an intensive eight-week ART 180 summer program, 15 teens from throughout Richmond worked collaboratively with TCP artists utilizing the methodology of Ritual Poetic Drama to create a theater piece based on their personal experiences of family, relationships, race, identity and empowerment. The play incorporates music, dance, visual art and the specific voices and talents of the young artists, most of whom have no prior theater experience. Their performance will provide a powerful statement of the issues teens face today, and demonstrate how these teens in particular are creatively addressing these challenges on their way to adulthood.
ABOUT ART 180
ART 180 gives young people in challenging circumstances the chance to express themselves through art, and to share their stories with others. Since 1998, the nonprofit organization has worked with youth in the Richmond area to create art that explains and illustrates their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. Partnering with other organizations that serve young people, ART 180 designs projects that allow for self-expression, and creates venues for this expression in the community. The name reflects their vision of turning lives and communities around 180 degrees. ART 180 also operates Atlas, an art center for teens in Jackson Ward.
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