Gets To The Heart Of What DIvides People - The Washington Post
Boston, Massachusetts (PRWEB) March 18, 2014
The hilarious two person romp combines fast paced sketches, Improvisation, interactive video, puppets and even a game show to create and entertaining and thoughtful show designed to promote cross cultural sensitivity about the nature of differences.
The show takes the audience along the journey of two people divided by a generation, who are attempting to create a project in intercultural awareness. The two dig into African-American and Jewish cultural history and through that; see the way that racism and bigotry play out in the lives of all Americans.
The show is the 2014 recipient of the “Best Diversity Artist” award presented by Campus Activities Magazine; the most widely read campus programming magazine in America. Additionally, the comedy will be presented with the “2013 – 2014 Best Diversity Lecturer” award by the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) at their national conference in Atlanta this April.
“I think this is the first time ever one group has pulled this off,” says EMMY award winning co-writer and actor Ron Jones. “Because the students voted to make this happen feel all the more validating.”
Though the show has toured for several years, 2013 marked a re-imagining when show creators Jones and Larry Jay Tish decided to add the voice of Millennials to the comedy.
“Because so much of the work we do is with young people, we thought it was especially important to speak with them and, not just to them. Enter 23-year-olds Simon Pringle-Wallace and Adobuere Ebiama. The two younger actors assisted in the re-writing of the show so it reflected their generational point of view.
“The world is not getting any more insular. It’s only getting broader and more interconnected,” says Pringle-Wallace. “The abundance of commercial and social media make for new challenges that past generations did not know from and may not fully get.”
Through comedy, the show draws a line from the social conscience and activism of the 50's and 60's to how those same issues play themselves out in today's world. It also builds a template of how institutional and systematic hatred and bigotry have always operated.
“My generation can sometimes be conflict averse, but it is not that we do not care,” says new female actor Ebiama. “Oftentimes it is just about us feeling comfortable to articulate our feelings. I think the show can help people better do that; not just young people.”
The show is always followed by a discussion with the audience. “We do this to give the audience a chance to share their feeling and opinions. Many of the discussions have been incredible,” says Jones.
“I especially like speaking to the women after the show,” says Ebiama, “I'm not sure how often women get to hear their voice in this way on the stage. They really seem to appreciate what we are doing.”
Though the awards represent the work they have done in the college world, the comedy consistently tours to theaters, high schools and community organizations all across the country.
“Our hope is to get people talking. No matter what race, gender, religion or age,” adds Tish. “After we have all had a good laugh together, it is much harder to see somebody as a threat.”
"The Black Jew Dialogues" is the flagship program of Dialogues on Diversity. The company's mandate is to use theater based programming to help individuals and institutions maximize their potential by promoting cultural curiosity and understanding.
For more information on the performers, program and touring schedule, you can visit http://www.dialoguesondiversity.com. All performers are available for interviews through the website.