• ARTS & CULTURE •
Jasmine Flores performs a monologue she created about her life and its challenges as part of the Young Theaterworks Art of the Monologue workshop.
Variety show shares at-risk youth achievements By Bridgette M. Redman Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of About…Productions
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bout…Productions has been reaching out to at-risk, low-income youth in Pasadena with workshops designed to empower them to become more successful in school and life. The program, Young Theaterworks, reaches into Pasadena and East LA public schools. On Saturday, May 15, the production company will celebrate two decades of work with the retrospective variety show “The Young Theaterworks Experience: Twenty Years of Storytelling, Culture and Community.” With a combination of prerecorded and live performances, “The Young Theaterworks” premieres at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 15. It will then be available on About…Productions’ website through June. “It will uplift youth voices as well as community elders and honor that community culture and community history,” said lead teaching artist, actor and singer Marlene Beltran Cuauhtin. The event covers the organization’s beginnings through the pandemic, where it had to pivot to provide services in new ways. The lineup includes the five teaching artists, workshop and residency students and testimonials from community members.
Students will perform monologues and there will be interactive Young Theaterworks exercises. “We’re proud to be celebrating Young Theaterworks’ 20 years of serving low-income, highest-risk and educationally disadvantaged youth,” said Theresa Chavez, co-founder and producing artistic director. “From its inception, Young Theaterworks has been dedicated to providing public high schools with transformative residencies that reflect About…Productions’ focus on literacy, the collaborative process and uncovering buried cultural histories. Our teaching artists awaken students’ power to find their creative voice, improve their academic achievement, boost their confidence and strengthen their communication and collaboration skills.” The event will celebrate student work in several ways. Some will share original monologues, while others will see teaching artists perform their work. The free one-hour event is open to the public. It represents work from four LA-area high schools: Garfield, Ramona, Marshall and Rose City high schools. The schools did two programs this year — “Art of the Monologue” workshops and a “Collective Playwriting” residency. Youth Theaterworks changed its program this year in response to the pandemic CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
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