Grossmont College Theatre Arts Program Presents JUST LIKE US In December

The award-winning Stagehouse Theatre at Grossmont College will present the powerful documentary-style play Just Like Us by Karen Zacarías, directed by Walter Allen Bennett.

This deeply moving play adapted from Helen Thorpe's bestselling book, follows the lives of four Latina teenage girls in Denver—two documented, two undocumented—as they grapple with the challenges of adolescence and the impact of immigration status on their futures. As their tight-knit friendships are tested by the disparities in their opportunities, a political storm emerges, further complicating each girl's journey. Just Like Us explores critical questions about identity, belonging, and what it means to be American in today's world.

Director Walter Allen Bennett shares his inspiration for the production: “Rather than a melting pot, America has always been a cultural quilt. Each patch of that quilt has had its unique journey to citizenship. Some citizens were already here. Others came via Ellis Island, some traveled across the desert and in the middle of the night, and, of course, some were in the belly of a boat from across an ocean. As a nation, we have struggled with who is and who is not a citizen and what makes any patch in that quilt just like us citizens of the United States. That struggle of self-identity drew me to the play “Just Like Us” because it is America's constant struggle as to how a nation of immigrants can struggle with immigration.”

The cast of Just Like Us includes Lizzie Cisneros, Ivett Cuen, Javier Guerrero, Irma Jordan, Jamie Krumenacker, Verónica Márquez, Tori Mitchell, Diego Montalvan, Amelie Padilla, Ray Newton Jr., and Prizzy Rogers.

Performances will run November 21-23 & December 5-7, 2024. The performance schedule is Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm and Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm. Tickets are available online at www.Stagehousetheatre.com or by phone at (619) 644-7234. Ticket prices are $18 for the general public, $14 for seniors, military personnel, and educators, and $10 for students. For those interested in securing season tickets, packages can be purchased for $60 each. 

The Theatre Arts Department at Grossmont College is renowned for its critically acclaimed productions at the Stagehouse Theatre. It provides a professional entry to practice their craft both on stage and behind the scenes and has instructors with credits at prestigious theaters such as La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe and original Broadway productions, including the Tony Award-winning Come From Away.

Guests can enter the Stagehouse Theatre through the Performing and Visual Arts Center at Grossmont College, 8800 Grossmont College Drive, El Cajon, CA 92020. Guest parking is free until further notice. 

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