Consortium of Hartford Theatres and Community Partners Announce Collaborative Presentation of American Dreams, an Interactive Online Theatre Experience
Working Theater Production to Feature Interactive Game Show Spin on Immigration; Tickets Available on Pay-What-You-Want Basis
HartBeat Ensemble, The Bushnell, University of Connecticut, Free Center in Association with Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford Stage and TheaterWorks Collaborate to Present New Work to Hartford Audiences
October 7, 2020/Hartford, CT…Thanks to an unprecedented collaboration between seven of Hartford's cultural institutions, the region's theatre audiences will be able to participate in a week-long engagement of an interactive new piece of virtual theatre. Working Theater's production of American Dreams, a mash up of America's immigration policy and a high-energy TV game show, allows the audience to vote on who wins the ultimate prize -- citizenship in the "Greatest Nation on Earth!"
The 6-performance run, October 27 through November 1, will be presented by a consortium of area non-profits: HartBeat Ensemble, The Bushnell, University of Connecticut, and Free Center in association with Charter Oak Cultural Center, Hartford Stage, and TheaterWorks Hartford. Tickets for the performance are available on a Pay-What-You-Want basis.
HartBeat Ensemble Artistic Director Godfrey L. Simmons, Jr. states, "American Dreams is exactly the kind of show we need for our times. It's immersive, acerbic, political, and thrillingly live both onstage and on screens. I can think of no other theatrical experience that is more relevant to what's happening in our country right now than American Dreams."
About American Dreams
It's a game. It's a show. It's America! Imagine a world where the only way to gain U.S. citizenship is by competing in a live online game show. Welcome to American Dreams where each night the audience gets to choose who will become your new neighbor. This playful participatory performance takes a page from America’s favorite game shows and uses voting, polling, trivia and more to explore who and what we choose to believe—and how those choices come to shape who we are. As the show is live, audiences are welcome to leave their cameras on to join a sing-along, call and response, and applause.
Andrea Simakis of the Cleveland Plain Dealer states, "This smart, provocative play deserves to go on to be produced in as many U.S. cities as are on the map.”
American Dreams is created and developed by Leila Buck (Playwright) and Tamilla Woodard (Director) with Jens Rasmussen in collaboration with Osh Ghanimah, Imran Sheikh and the company. The cast includes Ali Andre Ali, Leila Buck, India Nicole Burton, Jens Rasmussen, Imran Sheikh, and Andrew Aaron Valdez.
With the election right around the corner, American Dreams presents timely engagement and dialogue around immigration and what it means to be a citizen of this country. “At the heart of this play is the principle of inclusion,” said Richard Hollant, founder of Free Center. “Who gets included in the American Dream? Who gets excluded? We are delighted to reflect that in a virtual - and in many ways more inclusive - world. The virtual presentation allows the viewer to contextualize the whim and randomness of place, land, country.”
Schedule and Tickets
All performances of American Dreams will be presented live on Zoom. Tickets are available to all on a Pay What You Want basis via HartBeatEnsemble.org. Individuals and households that book tickets will receive an email with an access link for their selected performance. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday, October 27 at 7pm; Thursday, October 29 at 7pm; Friday, October 30 at 7pm; Saturday, October 31 at 2pm and 7pm; Sunday, November 1 at 3pm. The collaborating organizations will present a community conversation on immigration and the importance of voting at a date to be announced.
American Dreams is a national virtual co-production by Working Theater, in partnership with Round House Theatre, Salt Lake Acting Company, HartBeat Ensemble, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts, University of Connecticut, Free Center, and Marin Theatre Company. The project is a co-commission of Arizona State University and Texas Performing Arts, with support from the JKW Foundation. American Dreams was first produced by Raymond Bodgan for Cleveland Public Theater 2018.
About Working Theater:
Working Theater believes the transformative experience of live theater should not be a luxury, but a staple. Now in its 36th season, Working Theater continues its mission to produce theater for and about working people -- the essential workers of any city or town -- and to make play going a regular part of our audiences' cultural lives. By making productions relevant, accessible and affordable regardless of geography or socio-economic status, Working Theater strives to always acknowledge the city's diversity while seeking to unite us in our common humanity. Working Theater is under the leadership of Co-Artistic Directors Mark Plesent and Tamilla Woodard and Managing Director, Laura Carbonell Monarque. theworkingtheater.org
About the collaborators:
The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts has been central to life in Greater Hartford serving as its unique gathering place for arts, education, and community activities. As a dynamic 21st century performing arts center, The Bushnell presents, creates, inspires and shares the best in the performing arts; and in partnership with others, serves as a catalyst to advance education, promote economic development and build a sense of community in Central Connecticut. Bushnell.org
Charter Oak Cultural Center is a vibrant multi-cultural arts center committed to doing the work of social justice through the arts. Charter Oak offers a Youth Arts Institute, a tuition and audition-free classes in the arts to Hartford youth; Beat of the Street programming, providing educational and employment opportunities to the homeless community; and professional multicultural performances and exhibits providing access to the arts for everyone. CharterOakCenter.org
Free Center provides access to space, information, and quality programs for everyone in the Hartford community. Standing at the intersection of art, culture, and organizing, we act as a vehicle for elevating the intentions and actions of our residents. Through community-led and community-oriented gatherings, events, and workshops, Free Center envisions a sense of deep belonging for its neighbors that grows out of meaningful engagement throughout our community.
HartBeat Ensemble creates provocative theater that connects the Hartford community beyond traditional barriers of race, gender, class and geography. HartBeat Ensemble is the only institution in Hartford that is consistently using theater to speak powerfully across different generations, races, populations and interest groups. As an ensemble of artist-activists, we create as well as present innovative productions based on critical civic issues. hartbeatensemble.org
TheaterWorks Hartford (TWH) produces high quality, contemporary theater that is relevant to our audiences, engages a diverse community, and provides insight into the human experience. Founded in 1985, TWH has produced nearly 170 plays and presents approximately 225 performances per season. TWH also owns and manages the historic property at 233 Pearl Street, known as City Arts on Pearl. twhartford.org
University of Connecticut Hartford gives undergraduate and graduate students from all backgrounds the opportunity to begin, continue, or complete their education in a small college environment while still providing access to the resources and faculty of a world-class research university. With a high priority on community outreach and service, we are home to the School of Social Work, Department of Public Policy, Urban and Community Studies Program, and the Connecticut State Historian. hartford.uconn.edu
University of Connecticut Human Rights Institute/Dodd Impact: Uniquely organized around joint faculty appointments made in partnership with the departments of Anthropology, Economics, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, and the Schools of Law and Business, the UCONN Human Rights Institute currently runs one of the largest undergraduate majors and minors in human rights, offers a Graduate Certificate in Human Rights, and sponsors three thematic research clusters centered on health and human rights, humanitarianism and economic and social rights. dodd.uconn.edu
Hartford Stage's mission is to enlighten, entertain, and educate by creating theatrical works of the highest caliber that have a transformative impact on audiences, the community, and its field. Led by Artistic Director Melia Bensussen and Managing Director Cynthia Rider, Hartford Stage has presented the world premieres of the musical Anastasia; A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder on Broadway, winner of four 2014 Tony Awards; and Quiara Alegría Hudes’ Water by the Spoonful, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. HartfordStage.org
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