Unusual Suspects-Theatre For At Risk Communities

http://newshx.com Unusual Suspects-Theatre For At Risk Communities Unusual Suspects tries to reach the "hard to reach" by helping create a team environment where the participants can find their voice. The result is a play, conceived, written, produced and often acted by these very at-risk youth. Sometimes, The Unusual Suspects will expand their services to include adults. That happened last weekend.
Pacoima is a working class area of the northeast San Fernando Valley in the city of Los Angeles filled with many immigrant families. The voice of this community is not often heard but that changed last Saturday when residents of the community gathered to watch "Fighting for a Breath of Freedom".
This play, written by a couple dozen residents of the community, followed the story of Elena, a human rights activist who had been arrested during a protest. During her interrogation by immigration officials, she reflected on her journey to the United States, her childhood that had been filled with discrimination and ultimately her evolution as a woman who became a leader whose passion and independence inspired others, even her captors.
Typical of many Unusual Suspects performances, it was gritty, raw and personal to the audience that watched it, in this case over 200 residents of Pacoima.
Following the play, the actors took questions from the audience and then the audience itself broke into small groups to discuss both what they had seen and heard and how it both reflected and impacted their lives. It was a powerful afternoon in Pacoima. Here are some highlights from the production and some reactions to it.

Category:

Science & Technology

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• at risk youth