About Face Youth Theatre to Present World Premiere of GAYME CHANGERS
GAYME CHANGERS, playing June 18-24 at The Den Theatre, is directed by Vic Wynter.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz May. 25, 2022
About Face Theatre will bring its 27th season to a close with a world premiere comedy created by and starring the About Face Youth Theatre ensemble. GAYME CHANGERS presents a hit reality television show in which contestants compete to be America's next Social Justice SuperstarTM, until one team uncovers a billion-dollar truth hidden behind the spectacle. GAYME CHANGERS, playing June 18-24 at The Den Theatre, is directed by Vic Wynter, devised by the AFYT ensemble, written by Kirsten Baity, and produced by Sharon Pasia.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
ABOUT FACE YOUTH THEATRE PRESENTS
GAYME CHANGERS
Devised by the AFYT ensemble and written by Kirsten Baity
Directed by Vic Wynter
June 18-24, 2022
Performing at The Den Theatre, 1331 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
PERFORMANCE TIMES
Previews:
Saturday, June 18 at 7:30pm and Sunday, June 19 at 3:00pm
Performance Run:
Wednesday, June 22 at 7:30pm, Thursday, June 23 at 7:30pm, and Friday, June 24 at 7:30pm
TICKETS
Tickets are on sale now online at AboutFaceTheatre.com, by calling 773.697.3830, or in-person at the Den Theatre box office. Ticket prices range from $5 to $35.
AFT offers a ticket pricing system that allows each patron to decide the price that they can comfortably afford to pay for a ticket. Ultimately, About Face wants everyone who wants to attend a show to be able to do so. Please note, there are limited quantities available at each pricing level.
THE PLAY
In the season finale of the hit reality TV show GAYME CHANGERS, contestants compete for the prize of $4 million and the title of America's next Social Justice Superstars. But everything changes when an unlikely team exposes the billion-dollar truth hidden behind the spectacle. Created by and starring the About Face Youth Theatre ensemble, GAYME CHANGERS is a new immersive comedy about climate change activism that blends reality TV with a dash of call to action.
CAST
Elena Avila, Edgar Flores, Lily Rubin, Kara Partisano, Wilbur Grey Simpson-Lacey, Nora Talaga, Sophronia Vowels, Theo Wampusyc, and Penelope Wilder
PRODUCTION TEAM
Playwrighting and Devising by Kirsten Baity*, Scenic Design by Steven Abbott, Lighting Design and Technical Direction by Becca Venable, Sound Design by Ethan Korvne, Properties Design by Caitlin McCarthy, Produced by Sharon Pasia*, Stage Managed by Hannah Weiss
*Member of the About Face Theatre Green Room Collective
ARTIST BIOS
VIC WYNTER (they/them): Director
Vic shapeshifts through space discovering where and how they can contribute. Their main practice is performance art but explores different practices depending on what needs to be processed (movement, writing, assistant directing). They are making their directorial debut with GAYME CHANGERS after assistant directing ROAN @ THE GATES at American Blues Theater. They recently made their TV debut as Travis on WORK IN PROGRESS. In the summer of 2019, this baby bee buzzed with the hive at THE FLY HONEY SHOW for the first time at The Den Theater and they are now a producer for the show. Vic has premiered original work at KINSHIP, About Face Theater's All-Ages Queer Variety Show; AFT's touring show POWER IN PRIDE; and has been on the Goodman stage in the I AM...Fest performance of THE INTERROGATION OF SANDRA BLAND. They performed on the Neo-Futurists stage in THE ARROW - ONE NIGHT ONLY and assistant directed THE ARROW TAKES A LEAP and THE ARROW CLEANS HOUSE. Vic was an FYI (For Youth Inquiry) actor teaching youth sexual health through immersive and interactive plays. They love the worlds of performance, writing, and dance. Those worlds give birth to communities all while connecting folks with and to themselves. These are all ways of communicating in a world that tries to stifle our voices.
Kirsten Baity (they/them): Playwright/Deviser, Teaching Artist
Kirsten is a multifaceted theatre hustler mainly focused on playwriting, devising, and teaching artistry. They love creating art that puts the audience on the spot to answer tough questions and invites them to dream of a future where everyone has their needs met. Kirsten's work includes: THIS IS NORMAL (Quaransteam Play Festival), RAGE ISN'T FREE: A PARTICIPATORY PLAY (Youth Empowerment and Performance Project), and LOVE AND NAPPINESS (Perceptions Theatre). They have developed theater-based workshops with The Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, About Face Theatre, FYI (For Youth Inquiry), Goodman Theatre's Playbuild Youth Intensive, and the Youth Empowerment and Performance Project. Kirsten is a proud member of the Intimacy Coordinators of Color cohort and About Face Theatre's Green Room Collective.
Sharon Pasia (they/she): Producer, Teaching Artist
Sharon is an artist with many hats, which include acting, voiceover, facilitating, and producing. They're currently a part of About Face Theatre's Green Room Collective and is a teaching artist and producer for GAYME CHANGERS. Recent projects they've co-produced include G.L.O.W: A QUEER OPEN MIC w/ K.J. Whitehead and AFYT's KINSHIP: An All-Ages Queer Variety Show. As an artist and facilitator, Sharon strives to create warm and empowering spaces where artists of all backgrounds and experiences can share work while connecting through community and wholesome fun.
About Face Theatre advances LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance. AFT envisions an affirming and equitable world in which all LGBTQ+ individuals are thriving and free from prejudice and discrimination. About Face Theatre is also dedicated to being an intentionally and increasingly anti-racist organization. Due to the intersectionality of our identities, we understand our work to advance LGBTQ+ equity as directly connected to movements for racial justice.
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