Milagro presents the World Premiere of SWIMMING WHILE DROWNING

Playwright Emilio Rodriguez intertwines the everyday language of teenagers with heightened poetry to capture the world of two young men in an LGBT homeless shelter. Francisco Garcia, who was handpicked to direct this play by executive director Jose Gonzalez, brings an experience of creating theatre about young people's issues to his work on Swimming While Drowning. Additionally, he brings his experience of living in Los Angeles, where the play is set. There, he often worked with youth similar to the characters in Swimming While Drowning. His passion for giving a voice to under-served youth becomes apparent as he takes some time between rehearsals at Milagro to share his thoughts on the world premiere of Swimming While Drowning:

"This play, is going to be unlike anything that is currently playing right now in Portland and it's exciting to help bring it to life with the world premiere. We have a very serious issue of homelessness in this city, particularly with youth, teenagers that are living in poverty and teenagers in the foster care system either through issues that have been going on in their house or because of not feeling like they belong because of how they identity. I work with youth all the time, and it goes back to seeing yourself represented on stage, we're not seeing teenage characters that identify as LGBTQ and the real struggles that they go through, so being able to give a voice to those types of characters, that's important.

It's a coming of age story, but it's a story that resonates with anyone. The hope is that when the show is done, this will be something you talk about. Maybe this is a community you knew nothing about, that you want to learn more about or that you feel that you want to help support."

For more thoughts from Gracia, visit our blog: http://milagro.org/blog/

ADMISSION
Adult tickets are $27 in Advance, $ 32 at the door.
Discount for students, seniors, veterans, groups 15+, and with the Oregon Trail card through the Arts for All program.
Senior tickets are $25 in Advance, $30 at the door.
Student/ Veteran tickets are $20 in Advance, $25 at the door.
Tickets available at milagro.org or 503-236-7253.

MORE INFORMATION
www.milagro.org or call 503-236-7253

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