Audience Testimonial: “Thanks to you and the troupe for presenting your thought-provoking 20/20. I continue with afternoon reveries, mostly of ways that decentralized revolution can happen. There’s rich fodder for me in several other scenarios. Blessing and thanks, Watersnake”
Media Coverage: Associated Press / Mercury News listed the 20/20 video as one of their Streaming Picks on May 14, 2020:
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-mercury-news/20200514/283991834467994
For immediate release:
Media Contact: Stardust Doherty, theatre-makers@ritualart.org
Released on May 6, 2020
20/20: A Presidential Re-Election Play Where You Decide the Future
Now Available for Streaming Online!
What happens if the President is re-elected? In 20/20, a play by Theatre Makers, the answer is up to the audience. 20/20 is now available as a series of ten videos you can stream online from the comfort of your home at http://ritualart.org/2020/video
Developed by grassroots company Theatre Makers, 20/20 combines speculative fiction and political satire in a work from co-writers Stardust Doherty and Kari Barclay. What would happen if the President were impeached? (that scenario came true!) If a corporation or the military staged a coup? If San Francisco became an independent country? A diverse cast of new talent performs roles ranging from dissident Muni drivers to frantic tech CEOs to new-age cult leaders to the President himself. With comedy and depth, the show asks how our current political situation will shake out.
“20/20 engages audience participation around the events of our day, highlighting social, political, economic, and environmental change (SPEEC) themes to fuel co creation of our collective future,” said co writer Stardust Doherty.
“The world is full of possibility,” said co-writer Kari Barclay. “We’ve taken 20/20 to extremes of utopia and dystopia, and I’m excited to see which scenarios the audience chooses for the actors to perform.”
The “20/20 Video” is a series of videos documenting the play’s award-winning original presentation at the 2019 San Francisco Fringe Festival.
Show Synopsis: The year is 2020. The President has been re-elected, the climate is heating up, the economy is in meltdown. In this satirical participatory performance, audience members choose the scenarios to stage: impeachment? a coup? a revolution? 20/20 asks what people power looks like in a time of vast uncertainty when even choosing to do nothing has consequences.
Theatre Makers provides common ground for diverse communities to collaborate on, incubate, and stage both newly created and historically relevant audience-participatory plays based on social, political, economic, and environmental change (SPEEC) themes. The project welcomes those interested in dramatic and musical theatre, professional and amateur theater, commercial and non-profit theatre, including non-traditional theatrical events (performance art, street theater, pop-up theatre, home theatre, puppet shows, etc.) with activities including, for example:
- Discussions of all aspects of theatre creation and production
- Exchanging information on opportunities available
- Collaboration on incubating audience participatory plays and musicals based on social, political, economic, and environmental change (SPEEC) themes
- Workshops of plays and musicals under development
- Readings and staged readings of plays and musicals for educational and motivational purposes
Theatre Makers particularly fosters events that are inclusive and affirming of people based on class, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, (dis)ability, age, and other identities.
Theatre Makers is a project of the Ritual Art Troupe, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to fostering and developing multi-disciplinary arts, including conception, investigation, development, production, and sharing of musical, dance, visual, theatrical, cinematic, and literary works with special attention to conserving our cultural heritage, serving a wide range of audiences, and encouraging creators and creations from diverse communities.
20/20 Video: http://ritualart.org/2020/video
20/20 Fringe Show Info and Graphics: http://ritualart.org/wordpress/2019/09/16/20-20-at-the-fringe/
Review of Original Production: https://theatrius.com/2019/09/14/20-20-envisions-post-trump-future-at-s-f-fringe-festival/
20/20 SF Free Library Tour: http://ritualart.org/2020
Theatre Makers: http://ritualart.org/theatremakers/
Ritual Art Troupe: http://ritualart.org/mission/
Donate: http://ritualart.org/donate
This Release: http://ritualart.org/wordpress/?p=2398
For interviews, inquiries, and more info, please contact:
Stardust Doherty at theatre makers@ritualart.org
For Calendar Editors
What: 20/20: A Presidential Re-Election Play Where You Decide the Future
When/Where: Anytime from the comfort of your home at http://ritualart.org/2020/video
Ticketing: All performances free of charge and open to the public