Ritual Art Troupe

For immediate release:
Media Contact: Stardust Doherty
theatre-makers@ritualart.org
Fringe Festival contact: Nicole Gluckstern
publicist@sffringe.org

20/20: A Presidential Re-Election Play Where You Decide the Future
Coming to the 2019 San Francisco Fringe Festival on September 7, 8, 11, 14!

What happens if the President is re-elected? In 20/20, a new play by Theatre Makers, the answer is up to the audience. 20/20 will be presented as part of the 28th annual San Francisco Fringe Festival. Performances are on September 7 at 6:30pm, September 8 at 2:00pm, September 11 at 8:30pm, and September 14 at 5:00pm at the EXIT Theatre (mainstage), 156 Eddy St, in San Francisco.

Developed by grassroots company Theatre Makers, 20/20 combines speculative fiction and political satire in a new work from co-writers Stardust Doherty and Kari Barclay. What would happen if the President were impeached? 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.”

Actor Jess Thompson (Anna) commented, “Being on stage gives me a lot of energy, but I’m also excited to be merging that with social justice.”

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 a common ground for 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.

Now celebrating its 28th season, the San Francisco Fringe Festival is produced by EXIT Theatre and is the oldest grassroots theatre festival in the Bay Area, and the second-oldest Fringe Festival in the US. The festival is part of a global Fringe community, and is run in accordance with CAFF (Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals) principles, including non-curated, unjuried show selection, and 100% of ticket sales going to the artists. In all, 21 unique productions will be performed in EXIT Theatre—at 156 Eddy Street—from September 5-14, 2019.

More Show Info and Graphics: http://ritualart.org/2020
Actor/Crew Bios & Headshots: http://ritualart.org/2020/bios/

Theatre Makers: http://ritualart.org/theatremakers/

Ritual Art Troupe: http://ritualart.org/mission/

This Release: http://ritualart.org/wordpress/?p=952
This Release (PDF): http://ritualart.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2019/07/2020.media-release.20190709.pdf

For interviews, inquiries, and more info, please contact:
Stardust Doherty at theatre-makers@ritualart.org or Nicole Gluckstern at publicist@sffringe.org

For Calendar Editors

What: 20/20: A Presidential Re-Election Play Where You Decide the Future

When: September 7 at 6:30pm, September 8 at 2:00pm, September 11 at 8:30pm, and September 14 at 5:00pm

Where: EXIT Theatre (mainstage), 156 Eddy St., SF, 94102; 415-673-3847; www.sffringe.org

Ticketing: $13 ($15.99 online). Tickets available at the door 30 minutes before curtain. Show starts on time with no late seating. Frequent Fringer passes are also available at the Fringe hospitality desk during the festival.

Advance Ticket link: https://20-20.brownpapertickets.com

Facebook event page link: https://www.facebook.com/events/450405595516289/