About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble Presents 15 BREATHS July 23 – August 7

About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble Presents 15 BREATHS July 23 – August 7 1 About Face Theatre is pleased to present the world premiere of 15 BREATHS, written by and featuring members of the the About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble and directed by AFT Education and Outreach Director Ali Hoefnagel. 15 BREATHS will play July 23-26, 2015 at the Greenhouse Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.  Additionally, audiences can enjoy four FREE performances as part of the Chicago Park District's Night Out in The Parks initiative on July 30-31, 2015 at Humbolt Park (1440 N. Humboldt Dr., Chicago) and August 6-7, 2015 at Chase Park (4701 N. Ashland Ave. Chicago).  

logo (1)About Face Theatre is pleased to present the world premiere of 15 BREATHS, written by and featuring members of the the About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble and directed by AFT Education and Outreach Director Ali Hoefnagel15 BREATHS will play July 23-26, 2015 at the Greenhouse Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.  Additionally, audiences can enjoy four FREE performances as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in The Parks initiative on July 30-31, 2015 at Humbolt Park (1440 N. Humboldt Dr., Chicago) and August 6-7, 2015 at Chase Park (4701 N. Ashland Ave. Chicago).  

In this original production, the About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble explores connection and disconnection across generations within the Queer community. Through in-depth interviews with community members and AFYT alumni, 15 BREATHS sets out to answer the questions: What are we fighting for? What did others fight for before us? And how can we bridge the gap?

“We are very excited to be partnering with the Chicago Park District again this year to make our work accessible to our communities,” comments AFT Education and Outreach Director Ali Hoefnagel. “When we came together last summer to brainstorm this year’s topic, our youth wanted to dive head-first into queer history; learning and reflecting on our past and the revolutions that got us to where we are today. We were honored to interview so many people of different ages and backgrounds within the LGBTQIA community in order to create a play exploring the intergenerational relationship among queer folks. Our youth ensemble has written a funny, poignant and relevant tale surrounding two strangers, both isolated within their community, who must unite to forge a space they can call their own.”

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Thursday, July 23 at 7:30 pm (preview), Friday, July 24 at 7:30 pm (press opening), Saturday, July 25 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, July 26 at 3 pm

Greenhouse Theater Center, Downstairs Mainstage, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago

Tickets: Preview: Pay-what-you-can. Regular run: $15. Students: $10. Tickets go on sale Monday, June 22 at www.aboutfacetheatre.org, by calling (773) 404-7336 or in person at the Greenhouse Theater Center Box Office.

Night Out in the Parks:

Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31 at 6:30 pm

Humbolt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Sacramento Ave., Chicago

Thursday, August 6 and Friday, August 7 at 6:30 pm

Chase Park, 4701 N. Ashland Ave., Chicago

Tickets for Night out in the Parks performances are FREE, however reservations are strongly recommended through www.aboutfacetheatre.org beginning Monday, June 22.

For additional information, visit www.aboutfacetheatre.org and www.nightoutintheparks.com.

Ali Hoefnagel (Director) is performer, arts administrator and teaching artist living in Chicago. As an artist and educator, Ali is committed to embracing the complexity of the queer identity to create new and engaging ways to address LGBTQIA issues within Chicago communities. Ali currently serve as the Education and Outreach Director at About Face Theatre Company where they recently directed Checking Boxes and is looking forward to directing 15 Breaths for About Face Youth Theatre this summer.  Ali is entering their fifth year as a lead teaching artist with Steppenwolf for Young Adults and has most recently worked with LiveWire Theatre, The Body Project Ensemble and Pride Films & Plays. Ali was a 2014 Chicago Artist Month Featured Artist. Ali was a 2014 Chicago Artist Month Featured Artist and is a proud alumni of Lake Forest College, holding a B.A in Theater and Women’s & Gender Studies.

The About Face Youth Theatre (AFYT) was created in 1998 as a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and allied young people to become activists and theatre-makers. Youth participants engage in an annual process of sharing stories, conducting interviews, writing a script, and developing performances to create a full-length production that is produced in About Face Theatre’s mainstage season.

About Face Theatre creates exceptional, innovative, and adventurous plays to advance the national dialogue on gender and sexual identity, and to challenge and entertain audiences in Chicago, across the country, and around the world.

This program is presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks series, supported by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Arts programming in neighborhoods across the city advances the goals of the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Cultural Plan. Now in its third year, the 2015 Night Out in the Parks series will host over 1,000 events and programs at more than 250 neighborhood parks throughout the city, making community parks a safe haven and hubs of activity. Projects will vary from traditional performances and concerts, to movies, peace rallies, community workshops, nature based programs, dance pieces, festivals, and more. The Chicago Park District has partnered with more than 80 arts and community organizations to expand and produce this successful initiative.