New York (Top40 Charts/ Our Time Theatre Company) - Being a teenager can be one of the most wonderfully miserable times in a person's life. Kids are mean, school is hard, parents just don't understand. Now, imagine if you were a teenager who stuttered - not only would you be stuck in a body that was changing every day, you'd be shamed and ridiculed just for trying to talk. That was before Our Time, a non-profit organization that provides children who stutter with unconditional acceptance...a creative forum, where they can express themselves through art, music, writing and theater, slowly and without risk of being derided. Kids who stutter are eloquent and brilliant when given the time to express themselves...at Our Time, they get it.
On December 11th and 12th, three teenage girls who stutter - Ashlee Walsh, Michelle Polinsky and Alison Williams - will embark on an evening of courage and liberation, as they direct plays which they've written as part of Our Time's One-Act Play Project. Writing and directing a play is one of the ultimate challenges at becoming an effective communicator, for any aspiring artist. For a teen who stutters, it's Mount Everest. In two weeks, Ashlee, Michelle and Alison will reach the summit.
In fact, the evening will be filled with milestones for these young women. In addition to having professional actors perform their work, they will participate in a post-performance Q&A session, on stage, in front of a full audience. These Q&A sessions are powerful and inspiring - a rare chance in the teens' lives to speak about their artistic and personal experiences in front of a large group of people. It is a night for them to shine and to celebrate their achievements.
The plays will be presented at The Peter Jay Sharp Theater in New York City, as the three teens are given the opportunity to present their work in a coveted off-Broadway theater space on 42nd street.
The performances will feature Our Time Alumni as well as professional actors: Kaliswa Brewster, Noah Cornman, Carl Danielsen, Danielle Diesu (Our Time,) Dashiell Eaves, Chelsea Lacatena, Ryan Millager, Keira Naughton, Joseph Popovich Jr. (Our Time,) Jacquelyn Revere, Shirley Rumierk, Adam Vanker (Our Time).
Our Time's One-Act Play Project
Friday, December 11th - 8pm
Saturday, December 12th - 2pm & 8pm
The Peter Jay Sharp Theater
416 W. 42nd St. (between 9th & 10th Aves) New York City
Tickets ($12): www.ticketcentral.com or call 212.279.4200
From Associated Press to NY-1 News, from Entertainment Weekly to Back Stage Magazine, press has taken notice of the extraordinary work being done by Our Time. By building confidence in these children who stutter, and working in tandem with educators, Our Time can help improve performance in school as well as in the day-to-day lives of these kids. Founded by Taro Alexander, a person who has stuttered since the age of five, Our Time brings sensitivity and compassion to a group of youngsters who are often consumed by shame, or, worse, ignored. It is the only such organization in America.
Watch ASSOCIATED PRESS's Television segment on Camp Our Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftK2pd3EDnc
Read the AP Print article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32553108
Watch NY-1 TV's 'NEW YORKER OF THE WEEK' Segment on Our Time Founder Taro Alexander: http://ny1.com/1-all-boroughs-news-content/top_stories/?ArID=101422
Our Time recently released the acclaimed Benefit CD, 'Listen' - a collection of 15 original songs, written by children who stutter, and recorded by iconic artists including Carly Simon, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Duncan Sheik, Mandy Patinkin and many others. USA TODAY featured the album twice - as an exclusive 'Coming Attraction' preview: http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2009-04-23-listen-stutterers_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip, and as a 'Listen Up Music Pick'.
Check out additional coverage in Entertainment Weekly http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/06/duncan-sheik-exclusive-charity.html and in Back Stage: http://www.backstage.com/bso/news-and-features-news/keeping-up-with-the-beat-1003986089.story.
Taro Alexander has also been profiled on NBC NIGHTLY NEWS with BRIAN WILLIAMS. A clip of the interview, as well as audio samples of music from the 'Listen' CD, may be found here: http://www.sethcohenpr.com/player/listen/. An Our Time segment will soon be seen on IMPRINT-TV as well.
Our Time Upcoming Events:
What: Weekly Workshops/Rehearsals/Film Shoots
When: Saturdays*, from October 10th, 2009 - June 5th, 2010
Pre-Teens - 11:00am - 1:00pm
Teens - 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Where: Atlantic Theater Company - 76 9th Avenue (between 15th & 16th Street)
(*note, some weeks do not have workshops, contact Our Time for schedule).
Annual Gala - April 19th, 2010 - NYU's Skirball Center & Rosenthal Pavilion - Our Time youth present original poems, scenes, and songs (written by the kids themselves) alongside professional artists. Previous participants include Paul Rudd, Jeffrey Wright, Daryl Hall, Lauren Ambrose, Ron Rifkin, Sam Waterston, Rosie Perez, Phylicia Rashad, Jane Alexander, Mariska Hargitay, Cynthia Nixon, John Slattery, Kelli O'Hara, Mandy Patinkin, the casts of STOMP, Spring Awakening and Avenue Q, Jesse L. Martin and members from the original cast of RENT, and John Oliver and other comedians from The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, among others.
Teen & Pre-Teen Shows - Original plays/musicals written & performed by kids who stutter - June 18-20, 2010 Cherry Lane Theater
Camp Our Time - August 8-15, 2010 - Camp Our Time is a sleep-away camp for youth who stutter, their young family members, and friends, ages 8-18. Camp takes place at Iroquois Springs (an ACA Accredited Camp) in Rock Hill, New York, 90 minutes from New York City.
Learn more about Our Time here: http://www.ourtimetheatre.org/
