by Flora Newbigin, Programme Delivery Manager at Cardboard Citizens 

BRIC Arts in Brooklyn pulled a full house this week for the first performance of 99 Problems, the latest Forum play devised and performed by the troupe at Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets (YO S.O.S.). The piece highlighted the multiple pressures faced by young people in NYC today and the challenge of finding someone to talk to who actually wants to listen.

by Flora Newbigin, Programme Delivery Manager at Cardboard Citizens  

‘The Runaround’, a Forum Theatre performance exploring injustices in the health care system, was my first taste of the fantastic work of TONYC. I am visiting New York from London, where I work with Cardboard Citizens, a theatre company and charity working with homeless and ex-homeless individuals. Like TONYC, Cardboard Citizens work is rooted in Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed methodology and so I was keen to see familiar methods of Forum Theatre in action in a different context.

Our resident Joker and Creative Advocacy Coordinator Rebecca Kelly-Golfman breaks down the impact of our recently released Legislative Theatre Report. This report collects and chronicles the last five years of our Legislative Theatre work, and dives deep into what can happen next, with contributions from government officials, advocates, and community artists. We assess the work and its impact, and propose solutions to our own roadblocks.

Read a recap of the Ali Forney Center Theatre Troupe's Get Out: Homeless Edition, by our Communications & Design Apprentice, Gariyana!

By Letitia Bouie and Katy Rubin

Letitia and Katy here, reporting from the plane trip home to NYC, from Montreal. We just wrapped up an exciting and exhausting week-long exchange of arts and homelessness practitioners from Canada, United States and the UK, organized by With One Voice. We are full of ideas, reflections and next-steps, and very grateful to the organizers, Matt and Ellie, for welcoming Theatre of the Oppressed NYC into this international network!

by Gariyana Williams, Joker-in-Training

The Housing Works Theatre Troupe recently put on Apartment Complex on October 5th at Judson Memorial Church. This show has been worked on for the last year, growing and changing with each performance.

Going from watching the actors while they are rehearsing to actually seeing them perform in front of an audience is completely different experience. Some of the actors improvised the night of the show, like Bill folding up BeBe’s eviction notice into a paper airplane and throwing it up was not planned or practiced but it was great for the show.