ACTOR'S GANG INC

THE ACTORS' GANG PRISON PROJECT (TAGPP): IN ADDITION TO THE CRUCIAL ROLE TAGPP PLAYED IN CREATING (IM)MIGRANTS OF THE STATE, THE PROGRAM'S OUTREACH REMAINED VERY ACTIVE. TAGPP PROVIDED PROGRAMMING ACROSS A RANGE OF FACILITIES INCLUDING 16 YARDS ACROSS IN 14 PRISONS, HEALTHRIGHT 360'S WALDEN HOUSE RE-ENTRY FACILITY, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE YOUTH, AND LOS PADRINOS JUVENILE HALL. ADDITIONALLY, TAGPP IS DEVELOPING A MENTORSHIP YOUTH PROGRAM, MAKING SIGNIFICANT STRIDES WITH ASSISTANCE FROM A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT. BY INCLUDING TAGPP ALUMNI IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, TAGPP IS ABLE TO DESIGN A PROGRAM IMPLEMENTING SUGGESTIONS VOICED BY ALUMNI TAS. ONCE THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IS FULLY OPERATIONAL, TAGPP WILL HIRE AN ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE TO ASSIST WITH THE ADDED ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN OF OPERATING THE PROGRAM. THE ALUMNI NETWORK CONTINUES ITS GROWTH AS PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE EXITED THE PRISON SYSTEM RECONNECT WITH TAGPP STAFF AND ALUMNI. THIS YEAR TAGPP CELEBRATED THE FIRST TIME A PARTICIPANT WAS TRANSFERRED OFF DEATH ROW. HE IS CURRENTLY HELD IN THE CALIFORNIA CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION WHERE HE REMAINS ACTIVE IN THE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION TO MAINTAINING AND EXPANDING ON CURRENT PROGRAMMING, SUCH AS THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, TAGPP AIMS TO CONTINUE ITS ADVANCES IN FOLDING PROGRAM ALUMNI INTO ITS WORK. ALUMNI TAS, DUE TO THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE, ARE EXTREMELY EFFECTUAL TEACHERS. AS SUCH, TAGPP PLANS TO CONTINUE SUPPLEMENTING ITS CURRENT TA ROSTER WITH NEW ALUMNI. TAGPP'S FULL-TIME STAFF INCLUDES THREE ALUMNI WITH A PLAN TO HIRE A NEW ALUMNUS FULL-TIME ONCE THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IS FULLY LAUNCHED. HIRING ALUMNI IS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL, CREATING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS WHILE PROVIDING TAGPP WITH STAFF WHO HAVE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROGRAM'S WORK, ITS EFFECT AND IMPACT ON FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE, AND HOW ITS BENEFITS SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS.

MAINSTAGE WORK & WORKSHOP PRODUCTIONS: THE ACTORS' GANG (TAG) MAKES A PRIORITY OF PRODUCING ORIGINAL PLAYS, CONTEMPORARY WORKS, AND RARELY-PRODUCED CLASSIC PLAYS. THE 2022-23 SEASON WAS TAG'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON. IT BEGAN WITH THE 15TH PRODUCTION IN TAG'S ANNUAL SHAKESPEARE-IN-PARK SERIES FOR FAMILIES. THESE PRODUCTIONS ADAPT SHAKESPEAREAN PLAYS TO FEATURE MODERN AND ICONIC CULTURAL REFERENCES, CONDENSING THE WORKS TO 50 MINUTES FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES. THE 2022 PRODUCTION OF AS BOO LIKE IT COMBINED CLASSIC HALLOWEEN CHARACTERS WITH SHAKESPEARE'S AS YOU LIKE IT. NEARLY 3,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED THIS FREE OUTDOOR PRODUCTION.THE SEASON CONTINUED WITH ALFRED JARRY'S UBU THE KING DIRECTED BY TIM ROBBINS. THIS PLAY, STAGED AS A CELEBRATION OF TAG'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY, WAS A REIMAGINING OF THE THEATER'S VERY FIRST PRODUCTION FROM 1982. UBU THE KING OPENED IN OCTOBER OF 2022, PLAYING TO MOSTLY SOLD-OUT AUDIENCES FOR FIFTEEN PERFORMANCES. THE PRODUCTION RETURNED IN JANUARY OF 2023 FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWENTY PERFORMANCES. OVER THE COURSE OF THE FULL RUN, MORE THAN 2700 PEOPLE ATTENDED. DURING DECEMBER OF 2022, TAG STAGED ITS FIRST ORIGINAL HOLIDAY SHOW SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC. THESE PRODUCTIONS, PRESENTED BY A COMBINATION OF TAG ARTISTIC COMPANY MEMBERS AND GUEST VARIETY ACTS, HAVE BEEN A POPULAR OFFERING FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS. THE MOST RECENT PRODUCTION, SHAMBLES, WAS CREATED AND DIRECTED BY STEFAN HAVES, A CLOWN TEACHER, DIRECTOR, AND LONG-TIME COMIC ACT DESIGNER FOR CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. IN ADDITION TO COMEDIC SCENES DEVELOPED BY THE CAST WITH STEFAN HAVES, THE PRODUCTION FEATURED A ROTATING ROSTER OF PROFESSIONAL PERFORMERS SUCH AS JUGGLERS, MUSICIANS, DANCERS, ACROBATS, VENTRILOQUISTS, PUPPETEERS, AND MIMES. ALSO FEATURING A LIVE BAND, SHAMBLES WAS AN EXUBERANT, HIGHLY ENTERTAINING SHOW THAT CELEBRATED THE UNIQUE JOY OF LIVE PERFORMANCE. THE SHOW PLAYED TO MOSTLY SOLD-OUT AUDIENCES, WITH OVER 1,700 PEOPLE ATTENDING THROUGHOUT THE RUN. FOLLOWING SHAMBLES, TAG REMOUNTED ITS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION OF UBU THE KING. THIS PLAY, STAGED AS A CELEBRATION OF TAG'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY, WAS A REIMAGINING OF THE THEATER'S VERY FIRST PRODUCTION FROM 1982. UBU THE KING OPENED IN OCTOBER OF 2022, PLAYING TO MOSTLY SOLD-OUT AUDIENCES FOR FIFTEEN PERFORMANCES. THE PRODUCTION RETURNED IN JANUARY OF 2023 FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWENTY PERFORMANCES. OVER THE COURSE OF THE FULL RUN, MORE THAN 2700 PEOPLE ATTENDED. DURING MARCH OF 2023, TAG PRESENTED A BRAND-NEW ORIGINAL PLAY AS A WORKSHOP PRODUCTION IN REPERTORY WITH UBU THE KING. THIS PRODUCTION WAS THE CULMINATION OF MULTIPLE YEARS OF WORK STARTED BY THE ACTORS' GANG PRISON PROJECT (TAGPP). THE PRODUCTION, (IM)MIGRANTS OF THE STATE WAS THE FIRST TAG PRODUCTION TO FEATURE A FULL CAST OF TWELVE FORMERLY INCARCERATED ACTORS, ALL TAGPP ALUMNI. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRODUCTION BEGAN DURING THE PANDEMIC AS A GROUP OF ALUMNI MET CONSISTENTLY TO CONTINUE THE WORK THEY PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED IN PERSON. THEY BEGAN DEVELOPING A PLAY BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER INCARCERATION. THIS WORK WAS THEN DEVELOPED INTO A FINAL SCRIPT BY TAGPP DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND LEAD TEACHING ARTIST JEREMIE LONCKA. LONCKA AND RICH LOYA, TAGPP ALUMNUS AND CURRENT PROGRAM MANAGER, CO-DIRECTED THE PRODUCTION. LOYA ALSO SERVED AS A WRITER AND ACTOR IN THE ENSEMBLE. THE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED ELEVEN PERFORMANCES PLAYED TO SOLD OUT HOUSES, PROMPTING TAG TO EXTEND THE PRODUCTION FOR AN ADDITIONAL NINE PERFORMANCES. IN TOTAL, MORE THAN 1,600 PEOPLE ATTENDED (IM)MIGRANTS OF THE STATE. TAG WORKED WITH VARIOUS PARTNERS TO BRING FORMERLY INCARCERATED AND OTHER SYSTEMS-IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS TO PERFORMANCES AT THE IVY SUBSTATION THEATER.CO-PRODUCTIONS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMMING: TO CELEBRATE TAG'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY, A SPECIAL BENEFIT CONCERT WAS HELD AT THE ELI AND EDYTHE BROAD STAGE IN SANTA MONICA. THE PERFORMANCE CELEBRATED THE 40-YEAR HISTORY OF THE THEATER AND THE IMPACT OF ITS OUTREACH PROGRAMS. NOTABLE SUPPORTERS AND PREVIOUS MEMBERS OF THE ACTORS' GANG CONTRIBUTED VIDEO MESSAGES, INCLUDING JACK BLACK, EDDIE VEDDER, AND DON CHEADLE. THE MUSICAL GUESTS WERE MENDELEYEV, MADISON CUNNINGHAM, AND JACKSON BROWNE. TAG HAS A HISTORY OF COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ARTISTS TO BRING CO-PRODUCTIONS OF NEW WORK TO THE STAGE. TAG PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAMMING TO ENGAGE AUDIENCES AND PROVIDE EXPLORATORY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ITS ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE. IN JUNE OF 2023, TAG CO-PRODUCED NICK GILLIE'S THE DARKNESS: GODDESS REVEALED WITH BLACK UNIVERSITY AND OKAN ENTERTAINMENT. GILLIE'S PLAY TELLS THE STORY OF THREE FICTIONAL BLACK MEN THROUGHOUT AMERICAN HISTORY AND THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEYS AS THEY CONFRONT THE COURSE OF THEIR LIVES AND THE OBSTACLES THEY HAD TO OVERCOME. THE PLAY DRAWS HEAVILY ON SCHOLARLY RESEARCH GILLIE CONDUCTED ON SPIRITUAL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES OF AFRICAN PEOPLES AND THE AFRICAN DIASPORA IN THE UNITED STATES. FOLLOWING PERFORMANCES, THERE WERE TALKBACKS WITH THE CAST AND ACADEMIC EXPERTS IN THE FIELDS OF EGYPTOLOGY, RELIGION, ANTHROPOLOGY, AND ARCHAEOLOGY. TAG PRESENTED SEVERAL SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. THIS INCLUDED A SCREENING OF THE FILMED VERSION OF WE LIVE ON, A PRODUCTION DEVELOPED BY TIM ROBBINS, TAG FOUNDING AND CURRENT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, AND THE ENSEMBLE DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE PRODUCTION AND FILMED VERSION FEATURE MATERIAL FROM STUDS TERKEL'S BOOK HARD TIMES AS WELL AS ORIGINAL STORIES FROM THE CAST'S FAMILY HISTORIES. THE FILM WAS DIRECTED BY ACADEMY AWARD WINNER TIM ROBBINS AND SHOT BY EMMY AWARD WINNING TELEVISION AND FILM DIRECTOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER REED MORANO. TAG ALSO PRESENTED TWO STAGED READINGS: R.U.R. AND YBOR CITY. R.U.R. IS AN EARLY 20TH CENTURY PLAY BY KAREL APEK AND YBOR CITY IS A NEW WORK WRITTEN BY TAG COMPANY MEMBER MARIANA DA SILVA. TAG ALSO PRESENTED A MONTHLY OPEN WORKSHOP SERIES. EACH INSTALLMENT OF OPEN WORKSHOP WAS A COMPLETELY IMPROVISED THEATRICAL PRESENTATION FOLLOWED BY A RECEPTION WHERE ATTENDEES COULD INTERACT WITH THE PERFORMERS AND SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH TAG THROUGH STRUCTURED FEEDBACK MODELS.