Climate Change Theatre Action to Hold Kick Off Event at Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 11/2

Neil LaBute, Erik Ehn, Arthur Kopit, Deborah Laufer, Ryan McCurdy of Broadway's ONCE, and Heather Woodbury join CLIMATE CHANGE THEATRE ACTION - a series of worldwide readings and performances intended to bring awareness to, and foster discussion around, climate change during the months of November and December 2015. A joint venture between NoPassport, The Arctic Cycle and Theatre Without Borders, this action is in support of the United Nations 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) taking place November 30-December 11, 2015.

The main goal of the project is to invite as many people as possible, who may not otherwise pay attention to this history-in-the-making event, to participate in a global conversation. Modeled on previous NoPassport theatre actions focused on gun control (http://nopassport.org/gun-controltheatre-action-2013) and the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill (http://nopassport.org/wayofwater), CCTA draws on the expertise and resources of local artists, while being global in scope and uniting multiple countries and cultures around a common issue.

As Elaine Avila, one of the co-organizers, notes, "Coming together to tell stories is one of the best ways we have to organize and educate ourselves, to feel and to understand."

A collection of 1-5 minute plays, poems and songs by 50 writers from all six livable continents, curated by Caridad Svich (playwright, 2012 OBIE for Lifetime Achievement & NoPassport), Chantal Bilodeau (playwright, recipient Woodward International Playwriting Prize & The Arctic Cycle) and Elaine Avila (playwright, recipient Disquiet International Literary Program Playwriting Award & Theatre Without Borders), has been made available to collaborators worldwide. To date, over 70 collaborators have committed to hosting events, ranging from readings in classrooms to day-long festivals, from films and radio programs to site-specific performances by glaciers.

"This artivist action on climate change is an opportunity to reflect, with multiple communities, on of the most vital issues on the planet, continuing our mission toward a theatre that can illuminate the relationship between humans and nature," says Caridad Svich.

A Kick Off event, produced by the organizers and directed by Emily Mendelsohn will be held on November 2, 2015 from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York City. Says Daniel Gallant, Executive Director of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe: "This groundbreaking event echoes the Nuyorican Poets Cafe's longstanding focus on socially impactful artistry by fusing environmental dialogue, theater and activism." Tickets are available at www.nuyorican.org.

All CLIMATE CHANGE THEATRE ACTION events will be registered with ArtCOP21 - Cultural Programme for Paris Climate 2015 (http://www.artcop21.com/). When technically possible, events will be livestreamed on HowlRound TV (http://howlround.com/tv), making them accessible to all CCTA participants and global audiences. Website: http://nopassport.org/climate-change-theatre-action Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/climatechangetheatreaction?ref=hl #ClimateChangeTheatreAction

PARTICIPATING PLAYWRIGHTS include Deborah Asiimwe (Uganda), Reneltta Arluk (Canada/Inuvialuit-Dene), Elaine Avila (Canada/US), Catherine Banks (Canada), Chantal Bilodeau (US/Canada), Michael Bradford (US), Lenora Champagne (US), Jody Christopherson (US), Darrah Cloud (US), Mindi Dickstein (US), Erik Ehn (US), Angie Emurwon (Uganda), Kendra Fanconi (Canada), Daniel Gallant (US), David Geary (Canada/New Zealand/ M?ori), Dipika Guha (US/India), Jordan Hall (Canada), Amina Henry (US/Jamaica), Naomi Izuka (US), Amahl Khouri (Jordan), Arthur Kopit (US), Koffi Kwahulé (France/Côte d'Ivoire), Neil LaBute (US), Deb Laufer (US), Byrony Lavery (England), Jacqueline E. Lawton (US), Andrea Lepcio (US), E.M. Lewis (US), Kevin Loring (Canada/Nlaka'pamux), Abhishek Majumdar (India), Karen Malpede (US), Ruth Margraff (US), Olivier Mayer (US), Winter Miller (US), Chiori Miyagawa (US), Colleen Murphy (Canada), Veronica Musalem (Mexico), Giovanni Ortega (US/Philippines), Sitawa Namwalie (Kenya), 3 Amir Nizar Zuabi (Palestine), Silvia Pelaez (Mexico), Jeremy Pickard (US), Elyne Quan (Canada), Lynn Rosen (US), Lisa Schlesinger (US), August Schulenburg (US), Stephen Sewell (Australia), Saviana Stanescu (US/Romania), Caridad Svich (US), Heather Woodbury (US).

PARTICIPATING VENUES (to date)

Eco-centers: ONCA Center for Arts and Ecology (UK), SMART Eco-Park (India).

Schools: C.W. Baker High School (Baldwinsville), California Language School (Spain), Kwantlen Park Secondary School (Canada).

Theatres: 516 Arts/Tricklock Theatre (Albuquerque), Artichoke Dance Company (Brooklyn), BuSSy Project (Egypt), Casa de Marioneta (Portugal), Factory Theatre (Toronto), Hauge Centre (Singapore), House Theatre (UK), In altre parole (Italy), John Frey Studio (Portugal), La Fuente (Chile), Laboratório de ecopoeticas (Brazil), Maria Zimbro Centre (Portugal), Mirateca Arts (Portugal), Mo`olelo Performing Arts Company (San Diego), Multistages (New York), New Georges (New York), Nuyorican Poets Café (New York), Pat the Dog Playwrights Centre (Canada), Perseverance Theatre (Juneau), Playwrights Theatre Centre (Canada), Rogue Machine Theatre (Los Angeles), SNAFU Dance Theatre and Puente Theatre (Canada), Teatro Caralimipia (Panamá), The Only Animal of Roberts Creek (Canada), Tropa Nomade (Chile), Vihan Drama Works (India), Vortex Theatre (Albuquerque).

Universities: Arizona State University, Boston Conservatory, Brandeis University, California Institute of the Arts, Carnegie Mellon University, Dickinson College, John Jay College, Kansas State University, Massey University (New Zealand), Manchester University (UK), Middlesex University (UK), the NAPA/National Academy of the Performing Arts Theater Company in Karachi (Pakistan), New York University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Ohio University, Pomona College, Ramapo College, Randolph-Macon College, Santa Clara University, Saint Michael's College, SUNY Oswego, University of Connecticut, University of Iowa, University of New Hampshire, University of San Francisco, Haque Centre of Acting and Creativity (Singapore), Vancouver Island University (Canada), Western Washington University, York University (Canada).

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS

NoPassport theatre alliance and press was founded by playwright Caridad Svich in 2003 and is committed to the advocacy, promotion, production and publication of creative expressions of diversity and difference in theatre and performance. NoPassport is fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas. (www.nopassport.org).

The Arctic Cycle was founded by playwright Chantal Bilodeau in 2009, and uses artistic engagement and advocacy to communicate the urgency of the global climate crisis and encourage people to take action. (www.thearcticcycle.org).

Theatre Without Borders (TWB) is a grass-roots, informal, and volunteer, virtual community that shares information and builds connections between individuals and institutions interested in international theatre exchange. www.theatrewithoutborders.com.