CSULB Theatre Arts Department University Players to Present EPIC: IN OR OUT, 4/24-5/9

The CSULB Theatre Arts Department University Players will present EPIC: IN or OUT, a new devised work directed by Juliette Carrillo, playing April 24th through May 9th. Set in a gay conversion camp, EPIC: IN or OUT offers a comedic glimpse into the challenges facing the LGBTQ community.

EPIC: IN or OUT was conceived and created by undergraduate CSULB students, under the collaborative guidance of Carrillo and associate director Anna Steers. "We really wanted to know what the school wants to see onstage," shared Carrillo, "Which community [does the audience] want to know more about? And so, we actually did a survey." Beginning as an upper-division class last fall, students conducted interviews and moderated "story-sharing" circles to generate content for the final production. Research was conducted on the CSULB campus as well as at The Center Long Beach, a non-profit organization offering services and support to the local LGBTQ community.

Creating a devised work is a unique experience. "There's a play that wants to be discovered, and our job is to listen to the clues," Carrillo said of the rehearsal process. "We're in the process of exploring what themes are emerging... every moment changes depending on someone's idea in the room, an image, a piece of music that comes in, a video, story circle information and interviews - all of that informs the direction of this piece." The script is a living document that gets updated after every rehearsal, but as opening draws nearer, Carrillo, Steers, and the cast will solidify story, arc, and content into a polished work of theatre.

Juliette Carrillo is a nationally recognized theatre director, writer and award-winning filmmaker from Los Angeles, CA. A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Juliette is widely recognized for her productions of LYDIA by Octavio Solis. Carrillo has directed critically acclaimed productions across the country, including plays at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, South Coast Repertory, Yale Repertory Theater and Center Theater Group. She is known for developing new plays and has done numerous workshops in regional as well as NYC theatres such as The Public, New York Theatre Workshop, INTAR and The Women's Project. An ensemble member of Cornerstone Theater, Juliette has collaborated with many communities in creating original work.

Anna Steers is in her sixth year in the Dept. of Theatre Arts at CSULB. Her interest in community-inspired theatre for social change led to her teaching service projects in Cambodia, as well as developing original performance art with at-risk youth at Brava Theatre in San Francisco. Anna's EPIC class has worked in collaboration with local Long Beach communities such as the VA Hospital, Boys and Girls Club, Women to Women Shelter, Flossie Lewis, and Arts and Services for the Disabled. She holds a Shakespeare intensive certificate from Oxford University, BA in Performing Arts and Social Justice from University of San Francisco and MFA in Acting from California State University Long Beach.

EPIC: IN or OUT opens Friday, April 24th, and closes on Saturday, May 9th. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 pm with Saturday matinees at 2 pm on May 2nd and May 9th. There will be a preview performance on April 23rd at 8pm. This production is in the Players' Theatre on the CSULB Campus, accessible via West Campus Drive. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $12 for seniors and students (with valid ID). Parking is available next to the theater for $5. For tickets and information, please call (562) 985-5526 or visit www.csulb.edu/depts/theatre.

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