We the People Theater Arts Initiative

06/28/2024

In the early morning hours of June 28th 1969, police officers raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay-friendly bar in New York's Greenwich Village. Police violence against homosexuals was common in the 1960s, with such raids a normal feature at many LGBT nightlife establishments. On this occasion, however, the raid did not go as planned. As the Stonewall Inn was being cleared, a large crowd assembled outside and began to challenge the police. Six days of demonstrations and rioting ensued, with "Stonewall" becoming a watershed moment for the gay resistance and liberation movement in the United States and other nations. Within two years of the Stonewall Riots there were gay rights groups in every American city, as well as across Canada, Australia, and Western Europe. In June 1970, the first public gay pride marches took place commemorating the one-year anniversary of the uprising, a radical observance which continues to this day.

05/17/2024

"Lend Me Your Ears," is a writing project that brings together student playwrights and professional actors.
The students, after reading "Romeo & Juliet" and engaging in thought-provoking theater, music and art exercises, have crafted powerful pieces exploring the themes of love, conflict, and gun violence in their community.
Their work will be presented in a short film on May 19th at the Hippodrome Theatre 7PM in the Cinema.
Musical performance by artists Mariama Ndure, Xander Crook , Robert Edmondson and Bim Akinsiku

This program is funded in part by One Nation One Project-GNV, an initiative of the City of Gainesville.

05/17/2024

Happy Friday !!!

Welcome to Rhyme Island, a youth rap initiative powered by GMCBeats and the Kabin Studio, in collaboration with the Creative Ireland Programme and Cruinniú n...

03/08/2024

Lend Me Your Ears is a writing series that pairs student playwrights with professional actors. Hippodrome Theatre The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding

02/07/2024

Week 3 of the writing series Lend Me Your Ears.
Students discussed the underlying causes of violent behavior and then began their writing process. Their work will be brought to life by professional actors and members of the community.

01/15/2024

https://youtu.be/8zVbd3a3QMM?si=qRFi8io7hz-GLHo3

We the People Theater's actor/activist asked people in their community to talk about their favorite Martin Luther King quotes .

01/06/2024

We The People Theater uses theater arts to foster positive character development and growth in youth. This development allows them to become productive and responsible citizens of their community; thereby becoming conscientious citizens of the world.

10/30/2023

Thank you Scott Stanton for sharing your stories and your art with our students.

10/03/2023

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/09/29/a-proclamation-on-national-arts-and-humanities-month-2023/

During the throes of the American Revolution, General George Washington wrote a letter to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences saying, “The arts and sciences [are] essential to the prosperity of the State and… the ornament and happiness of human life.” His words are a reminder that, s...

08/16/2023

Bread and Puppet

Bread and Puppet continues to be one of the oldest, nonprofit, political theatre companies in the country.

Peter Schumann’s Bread and Puppet Theater is going strong and, at 89, so is he. But what will happen to his company when he is gone?

08/08/2023

Transmitting Shakespeare to the Next Generation

Dakin Matthews, one of the stars of “Camelot” on Broadway, helps younger castmates hone their craft with Shakespeare lessons between shows.