Guest Artist Series
CREATIVE TEAM
Directed by Simone Williams
Assistant direction by Simone Abraham
Performed by Jamaka T. Davis, Inayah El-Amin, Marci Lucht, Ninchai Nok-Chiclana, Valencia Proctor & Tazrae Jemeli Song’ony
Original Music by Umar Malik
Design work by Mitchell Frazier, Jada LaFrance & Yhantè Williams
Stage managed by Mayra Gurrola Calderon
Open Eye welcomes Exposed Brick Theatre’s Through Our Eyes festival, featuring the world premiere of two plays commissioned in 2020, Freeing Assata and A Love Story in 8 Scenes; along with a variety of workshops celebrating the power of storytelling.
Freeing Assata explores the incarceration and liberation of the revolutionary political activist, Assata Shakur. Shakur, after being wrongfully incarcerated and subject to harsh / unconstitutional conditions as a political prisoner, escapes prison with the assistance of her ancestors. Freeing Assata is written to honor our black political and ethereal (s)heroes who often manifest as one.
A Love Story in 8 Scenes is about Ihsan, a teenage Muslim girl who thinks she's got it all figured out...so far. And she light weight does - until Memo, a non binary teenager, moves in next door which turns Ihsan's world upside down. When love and religion clash, which one do you choose?
Freeing Assata & A Love Story in 8 Scenes will both perform on the same evening.
Content Warning: Freeing Assata includes depictions of abuse, harsh and unconstitutional prison treatment, racially fueled dialogue and adult language. A Love Story has some adult language.
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TICKETS
$20 - Free (Sliding Scale), General Admission
Economic Accessibility is deeply important to Exposed Brick Theatre, which is why we offer several options for ticket prices. Audience members can choose to pay $20, $15, $10, $5 for their tickets or select the option for a free community ticket.
AGE RECOMMENDATION: 14 and up
CONTENT WARNING: Freeing Assata includes depictions of abuse, harsh and unconstitutional prison treatment, racially fueled dialogue and adult language. A Love Story has some adult language. -
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 9, 7:30 pm
Saturday, Sept. 10, 7:30 pm
Sunday, Sept. 11, 2:00 pm
Thursday, Sept. 15, 7:30 pm
Friday, Sept. 16, 7:30 pm
Saturday, Sept. 17, 7:30 pmRUN TIME: Approx. 90 minutes, with an intermission.
WORKSHOP & EVENTS
Schedule, details, and tickets below. -
ACCESSIBILITY
Contact Open Eye at boxoffice@openeyetheatre.org or 612-874-6338 for accessibility information and requests.
The performance on Sunday, Sept. 11 will be audio described by Laura Wiebers.
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COVID PRECAUTIONS
For the safety and peace of mind of our audience members, artists, and staff, Open Eye Theatre requires that audience members and staff wear face masks in the theatre. Masks must securely cover the nose and mouth and will be made available for those who arrive without them. Proof of vaccination is not required at this time. Open Eye bases our COVID-19 policies on the most recent CDC information. We greatly appreciate your compliance with this policy and thank you for helping to ensure that the show will go on!
WORKSHOPS & SPECIAL EVENTS
Spontaneous Storytelling
Sunday, Sept. 11, 3:30 pm following the 2:00 show
Lauren Rae Anderson & Alex Barreto Hathaway will lead a 60 minute devising workshop that uses games and playful exercises to inspire spontaneous storytelling. This workshop is for adults & high school age youth.
Decolonizing the Artist
Tuesday, Sept. 13, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
In this workshop taught by Nora Montañez Patterson artists will learn to decolonize and grow the American theater canon starting with self-exploration. We will expand the artistic self through writing, playful exploration and the power of performance as a tool for social change. This workshop is for adults & high school age youth.
Patience & the Lion's Whisker
Saturday, Sept. 17, 1:00 pm
A special performance by Speaking Out Collective
This puppet show is an adaptation of an East African folktale. The story is about how trust and love grow in a Somali family that changes when a young boy meets his new step-mother. Followed by a puppet making activity for kids and caretakers. All ages welcome, created with early learners in mind (children from birth to age 8).
Exploring Childhood Through Your Senses
Sunday, Sept. 18, 1:00pm
Using theater as a vehicle to unlock and explore the sight, sound, feel (and smell) of your childhood to celebrate, reflect, process and reconcile how childhood stories & experiences live (with)in us. Taught by Eliza Rasheed. This writing workshop is for adults.
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Sterling Miller
Sterling Miller is an interdisciplinary healing artist from the Twin Cities, and is honored to be a part of the coalition of playwrights selected by Exposed Brick Theatre for the Through Our Eyes project and to premiere Freeing Assata. Sterling has worked at numerous theaters in the Twin Cities including Pillsbury House Theatre, Penumbra and Theatre Mu. Sterling has also received a Creative Support for Individuals grant from MSAB and a Creative Response grant from the City of Minneapolis. Sterling is a graduate from Dillard University and an alumni of the British American Drama Academy.
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Siddeeqah Shabazz
Siddeeqah Shabazz (she/her) is originally from Oakland, CA with degrees in theatre from the University of La Verne and the Guildford School of Acting in England. She has been an actor for the last 20 years and has spent the last 10 years working in arts education. Siddeeqah is the Executive Director of Kulture Klub Collaborative. As an actor, Siddeeqah has worked with the Long Beach Playhouse and Lewis Family Playhouse in southern California, as well as numerous theaters in Minnesota. She is also a burgeoning playwright and director and a Doctor Who (2005), Harry Potter, and fiber arts enthusiast! A Love Story in 8 Scenes is her playwriting debut.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. This activity is also supported by the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America grant.
Visit Open Eye Theatre
506 E. 24th Street
Minneapolis, MN
Free parking is available in the lot on the southeast corner of 24th Street and Portland Avenue, courtesy of Lutheran Social Services.