By Jessie Kilguss | Development Director
Arts for All is thrilled to present our 2015 Audience Project Tour, “Voice Power!” written and performed by Darian Dauchan and directed by Jennifer McGrath. We will bring this exciting production, free of charge, to over 2,500 under-served New York City children this fall, many of whom have never seen professional theater due to cost. In addition to the fiscal cost, the time necessary to engage deeply with art is often prohibitive. Poet and musician Darian guides young audiences on a vocal odyssey through rhymes, beat boxing, and acapella melodies in search of one of civilization’s most valued treasures- the power of the voice!
Writer and performer Darian Dauchan is an accomplished solo performer and actor who has appeared on both Broadway and Off-Broadway theatre. His solo shows have been produced, workshopped, and presented at the Roundabout Threatre Company, Classical Theatre of Harlem, NYC Fringe, Access Theatre, Kitchen Theatre Company (Ithaca, NY), Playhouse on the Square (Memphis, TN”, Whitefire Theatre (Los Angeles, CA), and Theatre Row. Additionally, his popular Obama poem during the historic 2008 election has received over 73,000 views on YouTube. Darian is the founder of the Spoken Word Almanac Project and has received a grant from the New York State Council of the Arts.
Working with Darian Dauchan is director Jennifer McGrath. Jen is a director, choreographer, stage manager, teacher, and event planner and producer. Some favorite directing credits include Citizen Girl, The Burning Cities Project, and a tri-state area arts education outreach tour of the South African play Woza Albert! Some of her guest work has been at NYU’s Playwrights Horizons Theater School and the La Guardia High School for the Performing Arts. She worked with the “Music Unites New York” Youth Choir as staging choreographer, and stage managed for Jazz at Lincoln Center both in New York and at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
Assisting the production is production manager Mélissa Smith. Mélissa has been a teaching artist with Arts for All since the fall of 2010. She has taught and facilitated workshops in improvisation, dance, creative writing and theatre techniques to a variety of ages. She is a professional actor (SAG/AFTRA, AEA candidate) with an eclectic resume including Educational Children’s Theatre, dance & musical theatre, improvisational comedies, Shakespeare, devised work and more.
Rehearsals for this high energy, storytelling show begin November 3rd, 2015 at the Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center and will also run from the 10th to the 13th before the launch of the tour on the 17th. We will hold 10 assemblies at 7 schools and outreach centers, as well as a performance at our Barnes and Noble TriBeca fundraiser.
We would love to hear your feedback on this program. Please feel free to contact Development Director, Jessie Kilguss at Jessie@arts-for-all.org with your thoughts on this or any other program at Arts For All. Thank you for you unwavering support and we look forward to updating you on this project in the near future.
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