SOFA STORIES is Coming to Detroit Public Theatre, Amplifying The Stories Of LGTBQ+ Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Conceived by 2020 Kresge Artist Fellow Andrew Morton, Sofa Stories uses live theatre and digital media to amplify the stories of young people impacted by homelessness or housing insecurity who may have resorted to couch-surfing as a means to survive. An ongoing project by the newly formed collective Every Soul Arts, Sofa Stories aims to bring attention to an often invisible crisis and imagine a world without youth homelessness.

After a successful phase of the project in 2021, for their next project, the Sofa Stories team decided to focus their attention on the experiences of LGBTQ+ youth in Detroit because LGBTQ+ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than non-LGBTQ+ youth.

The resulting project, Sofa Stories: OUTside, features six brand-new monologues co-created by a team of LGBTQ+ youth with experience of homelessness and LGBTQ+ writers, including Alex Reed, Cam Blackwell, Matt Harmon, and Kresge Artist Fellows Morton and Shawntai Brown. With support from a crowdfunding campaign and a Michigan Arts & Culture Council grant, all young people and artists working on the project are paid for their time and expertise.

Before this work is presented at various events across metro Detroit later this year, audiences can experience these new monologues as part of a free performance at Detroit Pubilc Theatre on Friday, June 9th, at 8 pm. This performance is part of Detroit Public Theatre's Third Ave Garage (TAG) residency program. Sofa Stories was the first recipient of their fully-subsidized residency, which grants access to the space and facilities at Detroit Public Theatre at no cost to Detroit performing arts organizations.

The event at Detroit Public Theatre is free to attend - however, tickets can be reserved in advance via Eventbrite. Donations will also be accepted to support the ongoing work of Every Soul Arts/Sofa Stories.

About Sofa Stories Detroit:

Sofa Stories is an ongoing project of Every Soul Arts, a collective of artists, care providers, housing activists, and people with lived experience of homelessness who believe every person deserves access to safe and affordable housing and opportunities to explore and celebrate their creativity. Learn more at www.sofastoriesdetroit.com

About Detroit Public Theatre:

Detroit Public Theatre produces nationally recognized plays and programs with world-class writers, directors, actors, and designers in the heart of Detroit's thriving cultural district. DPT creates bold, relevant work that illuminates the thrills, joys, and challenges of our shared human experience. Learn more at www.detroitpublictheatre.org

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