Lagralane And Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble Announce Dates And Cast For SAFE HARBOR

Los Angeles-based theatre company Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble has announced the dates and cast for their upcoming production of "Safe Harbor." Written by Tira Palmquist, "Safe Harbor" offers a look into the multifaceted, dark, and tangled web of underground sex trafficking through the eyes of the victims, the survivors, and the people who love them the most.

Performances will take place at the Zephyr Theatre (7456 Melrose Ave) from November 9th through December 15th, 2019, with previews on November 6th, 7th, and 8th,2019.

What Sasha Jones wants more than anything else is to have her mother back - or maybe just to go to the mall. Mikayla Reese wants, someday, to go to space - or maybe find a home to call her own. They may never get what they want - not now, not ever- yet they cling to the impossible. Now, they find themselves in increasingly dangerous circumstances, making increasingly desperate choices, facing increasingly treacherous consequences. All they want is a safe harbor - but this dream isn't as easy - or as safe - as it seems.

"Safe Harbor" tackles the hard truth behind sex trafficking -- commercial sexual exploitation of minors -- and how easily young women can disappear.

"With 'Safe Harbor,' we not only want to bring this important story to the stage but are also striving to create a conversation with the audience so these stories can find a place in their hearts and minds. As a mother and an educator, I recognize the impact of validation on young people, and I used this idea as an entryway into the play's world," said playwright Tira Palmquist.

Written by Palmquist, "Safe Harbor" is directed by Anita Dashiell-Sparks and stars Yumarie Morales, Cymya Wynne, Yvonne Huff Lee, Scott Victor Nelson, Sydney A. Mason, and Jason Delane Lee. Palmquist's plays include Overburden, Two Degrees (Denver Center), Ten Mile Lake (Serenbe Playhouse), Age of Bees (MadLab Theater, Tesseract), And Then They Fell (Brimmer Street, New York Film Academy), among others.

"In today's climate, we're driven now more than ever towards activism. We wanted to tackle topics that aren't typically covered on the American stage, but take the pulse of our culture," added Gregg T. Daniel, Artistic Director of Lower Depth Theater Ensemble. "The power of theater is that it moves people to open up and share, and when we share our stories we begin to understand who we really are."

The play is the first production of Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble's "Cycle of Violence" Commission Series. The series began in 2017 and is focused on provocative, heart-breaking, and illuminating stories that drive social change. In addition to "Safe Harbor" which tackles the theme of sex trafficking, other commission series plays will explore the intricacies of honor killings (by playwright T. Tara Turk-Haynes), convict reintegration, and immigration.

"Safe Harbor" was Executive Produced by Lagralane and Produced by Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble and Kathleen Reinbold. The production team includes Artistic Director Gregg T. Daniel, Producing Managing Director Courtney Oliphant, and Set Designer Travis Moelter. The performance features Lighting Design by Jesse Fryery and Nicole Eng of Visual Terrain and Nichole Baffone provided Sound Design. Other members of the production team include Costume Designer Wendell C. Carmichael, Fight Choreographer Doug Oliphant, Property Designer Emily Mae Heller, and Graphic Designer Sara Park. "Safe Harbor" was cast by Raul Staggs.

Performances of "Safe Harbor" will be held at 8:00 pm on Saturdays, 3:00 pm on Sundays, and 8:00 pm on Mondays at the Zephyr Theatre. There will also be select performances at 7:00 pm on Sundays on November 24th, December 1st, and December 8th, 2019. Tickets range from $15 to $35. The Zephyr theater is wheelchair accessible and there is ample street parking. For more information about the play and to purchase tickets, please visit the Lower Depth website at: https://lower-depth.com or call 310-774-0324.

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