THE WALL: SHORT PLAYS ON IMMIGRATION IN THE TIME OF 45 A Benefit for Immigrant Families Together
Presented as part of Leviathan Lab's LIving Room Series: New Short Plays by Asian American Playwrights.
In 2016, Leviathan originally explored the immigration crisis in our Living Room: Immigrant series. In 2018, the crisis has continued to escalate worldwide. Here in the U.S., between 45's abhorrent zero-tolerance immigration policies that have led to the separation of families and the imprisonment of immigrant children in internment camps; and his racist dog whistles that denigrate black and brown people, there is more to explore and bring to light than ever.
All bar proceeds from the event will go toward supporting Immigrant Families Together, a network of Americans committed to rapid response unification of families separated by the 'zero tolerance' policy. Beer lovingly donated by The Brooklyn Brewery.
ABOUT THE LIVING ROOM The Living Room is Leviathan Lab's annual series of new commissioned pieces by Asian American playwrights based on a topical prompt, performed by Asian American actors and directors.
ABOUT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES TOGETHER Immigrant Families Together is a network of Americans committed to rapid response unification of families separated by the 'zero tolerance' policy. The mobilize to help parents currently detained through raising and paying of bond funds, providing pro bono legal representation, finding long term housing, working with local organizations and government to expedite the process of achieving full custody, providing legal referral services, and the facilitation of rapid response teams. https://immigrantfamiliestogether.com/
ABOUT LEVIATHAN LAB Ariel Estrada, Founder and Producing Artistic Director
Founded in 2009, Leviathan Lab is an award-winning not-for-profit creative studio whose mission is the advancement of Asian and Asian American (A/AA) performing artists and their work. Through the speaking of A/AA artists words, and the presentation of A/AA bodies, presence, and gestures on stage and film, Leviathan works to open spaces that promote social justice, bridge communities, and assert the power of art to change the world. We function as a lab where early-career and established A/AA artists can be courageous, experiment, and thrive as they create works that captivate the audiences we serve. www.leviathanlab.org
ABOUT THE FILM LAB Jennifer Betit Yen, President
The Film Lab is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization devoted to the promotion and support of gender and ethnic diversity in film, television and online entertainment media programming. Through our education and outreach programming, we connect filmmakers, provide seminars, screenings, opportunities to workshop scripts, and more. AAFL TV, our production arm, provides a platform for entertaining and innovative content that reflects the wonderful diversity and cosmopolitan makeup of the United States and includes the television series Film Lab Presents, hosted by Jennifer Betit Yen and whose editors and directors have included Ryan Hayward, Jatin Chhugani and Jodi Lin, among others. We also run the famous 72 Hour Shootout, an annual, high-profile filmmaking competition organized with the support of film festivals from New York to Los Angeles, through which we work to ensure that stories and voices too often silenced in mainstream media are heard - not just as whispers, but as shouts to the world. Shootout filmmakers have access to mentorships and free educational and networking programming throughout the year.
ABOUT THE TANK Meghan Finn and Rosalind Grush, Co-Artistic Directors The Tank is a non-profit arts presenter and producer. Our mission is to remove economic barriers from the creation of new work for artists launching their careers and experimenting within their art form, and to do so in an environment that is inclusive and accessible. We serve over 2,000 artists every year in over 800 performances, and work across all disciplines, including theater, comedy, dance, film, music, puppetry, and storytelling. The heart of our services is providing free performance space in our two-stage theater complex Manhattan, and we also offer a suite of other services such as free rehearsal space, promotional support, artist fees, and much more. We support work at all phases of development, from readings and residencies to fully-produced world premieres. We keep ticket prices affordable and view our work as democratic, opening up both the creation and attendance of the arts to all.
Recent Tank-produced work includes Drama Desk-nominated productions Ada/Ava (2016), youarenowhere (2016), The Paper Hat Game (2017), the ephemera trilogy (2017), and The Hunger Artist (2018), as well as New York Times Critics' Picks The Offending Gesture by Mac Wellman, directed by Meghan Finn (2016) and Red Emma & The Mad Monk by Alexis Roblan, directed by Katie Lindsay (2018). Since its founding in 2003, artists who have come through The Tank include Alex Timbers, Amy Herzog, Lucy Alibar, Kyle Jarrow, Reggie Watts, Kyle Abraham, Andrew Bujalski, We Are Scientists, and tens of thousands of others. www.thetanknyc.org
ABOUT ACTORS EQUITY ASSOCIATION Actors' Equity Association (Equity"), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors' Equity is a member of the AFL-CIOand is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org
