WE TELL THE STORY

Titled “We Tell The Story”, the culminating event of the Arts in Action Festival was a one-night-only celebration of arts advocacy featuring a powerful collection of music, dance, spoken word and monologue, including the world premiere of a collaboration between the Parole Preparation Project and activist and singer-songwriter Arianna Afsar (Sony’s Lyle Lyle Crocodile, We Won’t Sleep).

Hosted by artist-activist Liza Jessie Peterson (Drama Desk Award nominated The Peculiar Patriot) and nationally recognized advocate Khalil Cumberbatch, each piece in the night was created by or in collaboration with leaders who are impacted by the criminal justice system.

The evening was free to the public and featured performances by award winning artists alongside directly impacted advocates including  Ato Blankson-Wood (Tony nominee Slave Play), Asmeret Ghebremichael (Book of Mormon, Legally Blonde), Nora Schell (Jagged Little Pill) and Kara Young (Tony nominee Clyde’s). The evening will also feature work by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, Tony Meneses, Ben Wexler (Jonathan Larson Grant Winner) and many others.

The performance featured work and words by Afsar, Andrea Ambam, Sterling Cunio, Sarah Dahnke, Dushaan Gillum, Kenyatta Hughes,  Zhailon Levingston (Chicken and Biscuits), Tony Meneses (Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab), Lynn Nottage (Pulitzer Prize Winner for Ruined), Dunasha Payne, Ben Wexler (Jonathan Larson Winner), Dances For Solidarity, as well as Brian Stevens, Tracy Leigh, Izell Robinson, George Wilkerson and Santonio D Murff Bey: five poets who are currently incarcerated and active members of PEN America’s prison writing program.

The full performer list includes Andrea Ambam (Signature Theater Artistic Fellow), Ato Blankson-Wood (Tony nominee Slave Play), Ricardo Bustamante, Teronia Campbell, Biko Eisen-Martin (MCC Theater’s Soft), Selina Fulford, Asmeret Ghebremichael (Book of Mormon, Legally Blonde), Brandon Michael Nase, Miss Olithea,  Dunasha Payne, Yolanda Peterkin, Robert Pollock, Brian Quijada (Drama Desk Nominee for Where Did We Sit on the Bus?), Geena Quintos (The Public’s Soft Power), Alejo Rodriguez, Nora Schell (Jagged Little Pill), Heather Alicia Simms (The Public’s RICHARD III), Alan Wiggins (Paradise Square), Cheryl Wilkins, Kara Young (Tony nominee Clyde’s).

The evening also featured a pre-show act from The Freedom Trap featuring Ivan Calaff (percussion), Ugonna Okegwo (bass), Robert Pollock (vocals),  Isaias Umali III (guitar), Chris Washburne (trombone).