Oddfellows Teen Repertory Company presents: Between You and Me

Oddfellows Playhouse Teen Repertory Company announces the premiere of Between You and Me, an original, ensemble-generated play with music. This unique exploration of contemporary teen life and issues will be presented at Oddfellows Playhouse, 128 Washington Street in Middletown, May 16 – 18 and 24 -25. All performances are at 7:30 pm

The play was created over an extended series of workshops this winter by a group of local teenagers working with Playhouse Artistic Director Dic Wheeler and Connecticut State Troubadour Nekita Waller. The participants identified issues that were of the greatest importance to them and used writing, movement, improvisation, interviewing and song writing to generate original performance material addressing these issues. The piece which developed from this process explores issues of identity, acceptance, anxiety and social justice and will be performed by a cast of nine young people ages 14 – 20 with a three piece live band.

“The piece continues to evolve throughout the rehearsal process”, says Wheeler. “Cast members bring in new visions, choreography evokes new ideas, and the band plays an active role in the unraveling of the story. Music, theater, movement and the live creation of visual art combine to create a piece of performance art that should take audiences of all ages on a moving emotional journey through contemporary teen life.”

The Playhouse was supported by a grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts to bring Waller and Wheeler together for this project. Wheeler is directing the production, and Waller is the Musical Director. The creative team includes Band Director Bryan Titus, Assistant Director Cecilia Kurachi-Ubé, Scenic Designer Kate Ten Eyck, Costume Designer Christian Milik, Lighting Designer Jon-Paul LaRocco, and Properties Designer Pamela Lang. Band members include Mick Bolduc on Guitar, Phil Faraci on keyboard, and Tim Gaylord on drums and percussion.

The play addresses mature issues of teen life and is recommended for ages ten and up.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for kids and students. Thursday, May 16 is a “Pay-what-you-Can” Preview.

The May 18th performance will be followed by a Talkback with the cast and the staff. The Talkback will be moderated by Felicia Goodwine. Program Manager for the CT STRONG program at the Community Health Center in Middletown. The talkback will be an opportunity for audience members to engage with the cast and collectively process their responses to the piece.  It is expected to last about 30-40 minutes.

In addition to the CT Department of Economic and Community Development/Office of the Arts, this production is supported by the Middletown Commission on the Arts, Middletown Youth Services Bureau, State of CT Judicial Branch, the Fund for Greater Hartford, the Stare Family Fund, and the Community Development Block Grant Program. Oddfellows Playhouse is a non-profit youth theater, founded in 1975, which promotes the growth of young people – in skills, knowledge and self-confidence – through the performing arts. The Playhouse is Connecticut’s oldest and largest theater program for young people, and maintains an ongoing commitment to making high-quality arts experiences available to all young people.

For tickets, or more information, contact Oddfellows Playhouse at (860) 347-6143 or www.oddfellows.org.