20/20 Comes to San Francisco Libraries

What happens if the President is re-elected? In 20/20, a play by Theatre Makers, the answer is up to the audience. 20/20 will be presented as part of the San Francisco Public Library's "SF by the Bay" science fiction and fantasy celebration. Performances are free of charge on February 29 at 10:30am at the Bernal Branch Library (500 Cortland Avenue), February 29 at 3:00pm at the Richmond Branch Library (351 9th Avenue), and March 1 at 2:00pm at the Main Public Library (400 Larkin Street, Latino/Hispanic Community Room), in San Francisco.

Developed by grassroots company Theatre Makers, 20/20 combines speculative fiction and political satire in a work from co-writers Stardust Doherty and Kari Barclay. What would happen if the President were impeached? (that scenario came true!) If a corporation or the military staged a coup? If San Francisco became an independent country? A diverse cast of new talent performs roles ranging from dissident Muni drivers to frantic tech CEOs to new-age cult leaders to the President himself. With comedy and depth, the show asks how our current political situation will shake out.

"20/20 engages audience participation around the events of our day, highlighting social, political, economic, and environmental change (SPEEC) themes to fuel co­ creation of our collective future," said co writer Stardust Doherty.

"The world is full of possibility," said co-writer Kari Barclay. "We've taken 20/20 to extremes of utopia and dystopia, and I'm excited to see which scenarios the audience chooses for the actors to perform."

The "20/20 Free Library Tour" is a revival of the play's award-winning original presentation at the 2019 San Francisco Fringe Festival.

Show Synopsis: The year is 2020. The President has been re-elected, the climate is heating up, the economy is in meltdown. In this satirical participatory performance, audience members choose the scenarios to stage: impeachment? a coup? a revolution? 20/20 asks what people power looks like in a time of vast uncertainty when even choosing to do nothing has consequences.

Theatre Makers provides common ground for diverse communities to collaborate on, incubate, and stage both newly created and historically relevant audience-participatory plays based on social, political, economic, and environmental change (SPEEC) themes. The project welcomes those interested in dramatic and musical theatre, professional and amateur theater, commercial and non-profit theatre, including non-traditional theatrical events (performance art, street theater, pop-up theatre, home theatre, puppet shows, etc.) with activities including, for example:

• Discussions of all aspects of theatre creation and production

• Exchanging information on opportunities available

• Collaboration on incubating audience participatory plays and musicals based on social, political, economic, and environmental change (SPEEC) themes

• Workshops of plays and musicals under development

• Readings and staged readings of plays and musicals for educational and motivational purposes

Theatre Makers particularly fosters events that are inclusive and affirming of people based on class, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, age, and other identities.

Theatre Makers is a project of the Ritual Art Troupe, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering and developing multi-disciplinary arts, including conception, investigation, development, production, and sharing of musical, dance, visual, theatrical, cinematic, and literary works with special attention to conserving our cultural heritage, serving a wide range of audiences, and encouraging creators and creations from diverse communities.

For more information, visit http://ritualart.org/2020.

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