Trinity Rep and Rhode Island Latino Arts Announce Free Reading Of Just Like Us
*PROVIDENCE, RI: Trinity Rep*, in partnership with *Rhode Island Latino
Arts (RILA)*, announces *a free, public reading of **Karen Zacarías’ play
Just Like Us on October 16, 2017 at 7:00 pm at Trinity Rep* *at 201
Washington St. in Providence. **Just Like Us*, a powerful play based on the
real story of “DREAMers”, will be directed by *Joe Wilson, Jr.* and
performed by the Trinity Rep resident acting company, local actors,
students, and activists. To learn more or reserve free tickets to the
reading, visit *www.TrinityRep.com**/LikeUs*
The reading is part of the *America Too* project at Trinity Rep, an
initiative that seeks to reflect on the times we live in and catalyze
community conversation. After taking part in the *Every 28 Hours Plays *in
2015, a theatrical response to the events in Ferguson, Missouri, Trinity
Rep became committed to being a part of the national conversation. At least
once per year, an America Too performance or reading will be held at the
theater inspired by the events affecting its community.
The reading of *Just Like Us *was launched with playwright Zacarías’
commitment to give free production rights of her celebrated work to any
institution interested in producing a staged reading to raise awareness of
what ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) will mean for
thousands of students, demonstrating the human cost of ending the program.
Mexican-born and Atlanta-raised, Zacarías faced deportation in her twenties
when she applied to become a legal resident. In speaking to *The Washington
Post* about *Just Like Us*, she said, “The story is about four high school
students in Denver, two who have documentation and two who don’t, and how
as they get older they’re affected by this. None of these girls chose to
come into this country…The whole idea of humanizing a topic— theater is so
good at that.”
Rhode Island Latino Arts’ Executive Director *Marta V. Martínez* agreed
with Zacarías’ sentiment. She said “On September 5, 2017, President Trump
ended DACA and left over 2,000 Rhode Island DREAMers in limbo and in a
state of shock. As the head of the largest Latino arts organization, an
artist and an immigrant, I felt a strong need to stand side-by-side with
those affected by this decision and join the fight. I’m extremely grateful
to staff and artists at Trinity Rep for responding without an ounce of
hesitation by offering the resources of a talented director and the use of
their stage for a public event. Bringing this compelling story to the
theater’s audience and allowing those who do not normally pass through the
doors of Trinity Rep to sit and respond, is one more successful event to
add to the strong partnership that has been created by RILA and Trinity
Rep.”
Director Joe Wilson, Jr. added, “I am proud that my theatrical home it’s
continuing in a tradition of leaning forward, and facilitating very
important social and political conversations. We can no longer allow our
work to be different from our values. Art-making cannot have a passive
relationship to social justice.”
In addition to this stage reading, Karen Zacarías’ comedy *Native Gardens *will
be performed at Trinity Rep April 4 – May 6, 2018. As with many plays in
Trinity Rep’s 2017-18 season, *Native Gardens *is about the search for the
American Dream. In this comedy of good intentions and bad manners, a young
Latino couple moves into a historically white neighborhood where they can’t
seem to agree with their neighbors about gardens and fences.
*RHODE ISLAND LATINO ARTS*
RILA is the state’s oldest Latino arts and culture nonprofit organization
that celebrates the art, history and heritage of Rhode Island Latinos. RILA
is made up of a network of Latino arts organizations, individual artists
and projects and advocates for inclusion and the building of bridges
between Latinos and non-Latinos. Since 1992, RILA has organized and
promoted local activities around National Hispanic Heritage Month every
year from September 15-October 15.
*TRINITY REPERTORY COMPANY*
Rhode Island’s Tony Award-winning theater, Trinity Rep has created
unparalleled professional theater for and with its community since its
founding in 1963. Trinity Rep strives to facilitate human connection and
has been a driving force behind the creativity that fuels and defines the
region for more than 50 years.
Trinity Rep is committed to reinventing the public square and inspiring
dialogue by creating emotionally-stimulating live productions that range
from classical to contemporary and innovative education programs for all
ages and abilities. Its annual production of *A Christmas Carol* has
brought families together for 40 years and made memories for over a million
audience members.
Subscriptions for the 2017-18 season are now on sale. The season
includes *Death
of a Salesman* by Arthur Miller, *Skeleton Crew* by Dominique Morisseau, *Into
the Breeches! *by George Brant, *Othello *by William Shakespeare, *Native
Gardens *by Karen Zacarías, and *Ragtime* by Terrence McNally, music by
Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, based on the novel by E.L.
Doctorow. *For more information and to purchase tickets, call the box
office at (401) 351-4242 or visit Trinity Rep’s website at *
*www.TrinityRep.com*