Youth Underground Ambassadors create and perform original theater that investigate social issues relevant to young people and our world through a series of interviews with the community. In summer 2016, that topic revolved around the Achievement Gap, and Circle Up! was born.

Production Team:
Playwright/Creator: Betsy Bard
Director: Vincent Ernest Siders

About the Play:
See and hear what is going on in urban high schools by listening to the voices of real students, and the educators who work with them, as they describe the effects of opportunity gaps and implicit bias on their everyday lives.

Unlike a traditional play with a single protagonist storyline, Circle Up! is a series of monologues and scenes based on interviews. Actors portray many different characters, sometimes within the same scene, all talking about the topic of the Achievement Gap.

The conversation doesn’t end when the performance ends. In addition to the performance itself, Youth Underground formats all productions to include a talkback. The purpose of bringing investigative theatre to life is to spark a dialogue, and we want the youth ensemble who are performing to have the opportunity to contribute and listen to the communities.

 

Performances:
To inquire about booking a performance of Circle Up! at Central Square Theater or in your Community, please contact Education Manager Kortney Adams: kaa@centralsquaretheater.org.

 

Youth Underground Programming is made successful with support from: