Productions

The Secret Garden

Thank you for attending The Secret Garden. We hope to see you at Black Nativity in December.

Classical Voice of NC Review

September
9,10, 16, 17, 23 & 24 at 8pm
11, 18 & 25 at 2pm
24 at 3pm

11401 Leesville Road
Raleigh, NC 27615

Tickets
Adults $20
Students/Seniors $15
Groups of 10 or more $12
(919)264-7089

Based on the beloved book by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Musical book and lyrics by Marsha Norman. Music by Lucy Simon. Directed by Deb Royals.

Special events:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 - 7:30 pm SOLD OUT Pre-show discussion with NC Warn

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 -SOLD OUT Free babysitting services for the first 20 children registered sponsored by SEED Raleigh
www.Seedraleigh.org

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 & 24 -7:30pm SOLD OUT Pre-show event with Performance for Social Changes students from Duke University

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 – 2:00 pm SOLD OUT Audio Described Performance provided by Arts Access (some audio described seats still available by emailing marketing@thejusticetheaterproject.org


This Tony Award winning musical tells the story of Mary Lennox, a lonely little girl sent to live with her uncle Archibald in England after being orphaned by a cholera epidemic in India.

Still grieving over the loss of his beloved wife Lily and distraught over the condition of his bedridden son, Archibald casts a dark shaddow over the manor until Mary discovers a secret garden. By nursing this garden back to life, Mary restores life to her grieving uncle, and to his son.

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2010- 2011 Season

Our Town
By Thorton Wilder
September 10 - 26, 2010
Directed by Kevin Ferguson
 
“Astonishingly Reinvented ….
An intimate production that breathes life into one of the 20th Centuries Great plays” - Associated Press

Tuesdays with Morrie
Tuesdays with Morrie
By Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom
February 11-27, 2011

Directed by Andy Hayworth

Featuring David Henderson and John Honeycutt

Home
By Samm-Art Williams
June 10 - 26, 2011

With Joseph Callender, Rasool Jahan, Joy Williams
Artistic Team:
Director - Sean A. Brosnahan, Scenography- Shannon Clark

“Home is an uplifting folk ballad about the pure in heart . Welcome Home.” - New York Times
Cephus Miles struggles to stay true to himself amidst a rapidly changing and turbulent America. Leaving behind the family farm in NC, he heads north to seek refuge and prosperity. Nominated for the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award.


Memories and Wishes. A Living History of the Raleigh Safety and Community Club
June 25, 2011

Join The Justice Theater Project and The Safety Club on Saturday, June 25th at 5:00 pm for "Memories and Wishes. A Living History of the Raleigh Safety and Community Club ". Free and open to the public. Bring a lawn chair. Featuring Grammy Nominated Gospel singer Cynthia Jones. Ethnographic research conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Nelson. Directed by Dr.Elizabeth Nelson, and featuring performances by UNC CH students in the Communications Studies Department. Light refreshments after the show. www.passagehome.org 513 BranchStreet, Raleigh. Based on the stories and memories of original members of the South Park Community during the formation of The Raleigh Safety and Community Club. History come to life for the community.

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2011-2012 Season - Our Planet. Our People. Our Plight.

The Secret Garden
Musical book & lyrics by Marsha Norman
Music by Lucy Simon
September 9 - 25, 2011

Based on the popular children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this Tony Award winning musical features a young girl whose personality blossoms as she tends to a neglected garden.



Molly Daughter
By Deb Randall
Music By Alan Scott
February 10-26, 2012

Set in the Pennsylvania anthracite coal fields of the 1870's, this poignant one-woman show set to music features Artistic Director Deb Royals, and explores the Molly Maguires' fight against inhumane working conditions, prejudice, unjust criminal prosecution, and the exploitation of natural resources for profit.



Light on the Horizon
By Deb Royals
June 8 - 24, 2012

Premiere performance of an original work that brings to life the everyday voices of the explosive, personal and extensive impact caused by the largest oil spill in US history, The Deepwater Horizon. Based on one year of interviews with residents around the Gulf of Mexico region including fishermen, oil rig workers, small business owners, conservationists, the Vietnamese community, casino workers, and residents.



NEW! "Black Nativity" by Langston Hughes
December 16 - 18, 2011
Saint Marys School, Raleigh
(This show is not included in our season membership package. Tickets will be sold individually)

The Black Nativity uses scripture, verse, music and dance to tell the original story of the Nativity. Based on the Gospel of St. Luke as adapted by Langston Hughes, this song-play touches a cord in the hearts of all.

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Memories and Wishes - A Living History of the Raleigh Safety and Community Club

Memories and Wishes. A Living History of the Raleigh Safety and Community Club
June 25, 2011 5:00 pm
The Safety Club

Free and open to the public. Bring a lawn chair. Featuring Grammy Nominated Gospel singer Cynthia Jones. Created and directed by Dr.Elizabeth Nelson, and featuring performances by UNC CH students in the Communications Studies Department. Light refreshments after the show. www.passagehome.org 513 BranchStreet, Raleigh. Based on the stories and memories of original members of the South Park Community during the formation of The Raleigh Safety and Community Club. History come to life for the community.

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Home by Samm-Art Williams

Experience the story of everyman Cephus Miles, who leaves behind his family farm in NC and travels north for more opportunities. His epic journey from adolescence to adulthood spans the 1950’s through the Civil Rights Era and the Vietnam War, showing us all the importance of coming home.

Tony Award Nomination for Best Play, Drama Desk Nomination for Best Play, Outer Critics Circle Award, NAACP Image Award, North Carolina Governor’s Award.

Clare Hall on the Campus of St. Francis of Assisi
11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh
June 24 & 25 at 8:00 pm
June 26 at 2:00 pm

With Joseph Callender, Rasool Jahan, Joy Williams
Directed by Sean A. Brosnahan
Scenography by Shannon Clark

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 2:00 pm– Audio Described Performance by Arts Access


Tickets available at the door. Buy One Get One free this weekend, all shows. General Admission Seating.
919-264-7089

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Black Nativity by Langston Hughes

December 16 at 8pm -
SOLD OUT

December 17 at 8pm
SOLD OUT

December 18 at 2pm
SOLD OUT

December 18 at 8pm
SOLD OUT

ALL seating is General Admission. No reserved seats.
First come First Serve.
Doors open 30 minutes prior to curtain.
Show length is 1 hour 45 minutes with an intermission.

Saint Mary's School Pittman Auditorium
900 Hillsborough Street, Raleigh 27603

PARKING: Please enter through Gate 4 on Saint Mary's Street. Car Pooling is encouraged.

Email marketing@thejusticetheaterproject.org for more information. Or call (919)264-7089

The Justice Theater Project brings a new holiday tradition to downtown Raleigh!

"Black Nativity by Langston Hughes is the joyous retelling of the birth of Jesus based on the Gospel of St. Luke, combined with the poetry of Langston Hughes.

A traditional cast and multicultural chorus of angels will perform contemporary, traditional and original gospel music with scripture, verse and dance.

Directed by Deb Royals. Music Direction by Carolyn Colquitt. Choreography by Regina Stevenson.

Plenty of free parking when you enter the gates of Saint Mary's School through Saint Mary's Street using Gate 4.

A ticket is required for any patron sitting in a seat, even small children. Children under two that sit on a parents lap will not need a ticket. NOTE: This historic auditorium has tight seating. Holding a child on your lap might not be the easiest option.

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Molly Daughter

by Deb Randall, Music by Alan Scott
February 10 - 26.
Friday and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 2pm
$20 Adults, $15 Senior/Student, $12 Groups of 10 or more
Clare Hall, The Catholic Community of Saint Francis of Assisi
11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh 27613

In 1877, music was the poor mans printing press. Molly Daughter combines mesmerizing live music on stage with the history of Irish immigrant coal mining families, as told by the women left behind. These are the women who carried on while their men were imprisoned, and the women still searching their heritage and history today for answers to their ancestors deaths.

You've heard of the Molly Maguires - the secret society of coal miners who battled against the exploitation of the mine owners - Molly Daughter gives you a glimpse into the women's stories- the wives, mothers, sisters, children and grandchildren of the men who were sent to jail and paid the ultimate price for their fight against exploitation and greed.

Featuring Deb Royals (JTP Artistic Director),and Renee Wimberley, with musical accompaniment by Coty Cockrell and Jason Hedrick. Directed by Carnessa Ottelin. Scenography by Tom Wolf. Costumes by Nora Murphy. Stage Management by Jason Hassell. Choreography by Keval Kaur Khalsa.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Friday, February 10th - OPENING NIGHT! Don't miss our traditional opening night reception after the show - sponsored by Trali Pub in Brier Creek. Celebrate the opening of Molly Daughter in true Irish style!

Sunday, February 12th - 2pm performance- $10 matinee

Saturday, February 18th - 7:30 pm Pre-show discussion with labor history specialist Dr. David Zonderman. Explore the history of working conditions yesterday and today.

Sunday, February 19th- 1:30 pm Pre-show discussion- "The Gospel at Work" - Join Frank Lescko, Saint Francis of Assisi Coordinator of Justice and Peace - as he describes the Catholic Churches' history and beliefs on the sanctity of work as a natural human right.
Saint Francis seniors day! Reservations required for reserved seating and a champagne reception after the show with the cast and crew.

Friday, February 24th - 7:30 pm Pre-show discussion by NC Warn. Coal and our past and current reliance on it as a source of energy. What are the costs to society and the environment?

Sunday, February 26th - 2pm Audio Description for the visually impaired by Arts Access. Complimentary admission for the visually impaired and their driver. Reservations required.

All seating for Molly Daughter is general admission.

Please let us know if you have a wheelchair or any impairment that requires a reserved seat and we will gladly accommodate you.

Tickets available by web site or with advance payment by check, by contacting marketing@thejusticetheaterproject.org. 919-264-7089.

All tickets are non refundable.

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Tuesdays with Morrie

By Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom

February 11 - 27, 2011
Directed by Andy Hayworth
Featuring David Henderson and John Honeycutt

Thank you for attending!

The Reviews Are In!

"John Honeycutt turns in a career-best performance as Morrie, beaming the character's warmth and unquestioning love with engaging charm." Roy C. Dicks, The News and Observer

Read the entire review at http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/02/16/991866/unmaudlin-morrie-avoids-excess.html

"Watching Honeycutt and Henderson work together is a real treat for the avid theatergoer." - Alan R. Hall, Classical Voice of North Carolina

Read the entire review at http://cvnc.org/article.cfm?articleId=213

Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2pm

$15 Adults, $12 Students and Seniors, $10 groups of 10 or more

Reservations Required. Box office opens one hour before curtain time.

If you have made a reservation, please arrive at least 15 minutes before curtain to purchase your tickets and secure a seat. If you are unable to attend, please notify us. We reserve the right to give away reservations 15 minutes before curtain time.

Etix must be exchanged for an admission ticket at the box office. Purchasing by etix GUARANTEES YOU A SEAT AT THE SHOW.

Clare Hall, St. Francis of Assisi, 11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh. To purchase tickets, click on "Buy Tickets" on the left of this page, or call (919)264-7089 and leave a message.

This heartfelt true story explores culture, family and the meaning of life. Experience the final lesson of Morrie Schwartz, a lifelong teacher.

"A touching, life-affirming, deeply emotional drama with a generous dose of humor." The New York Times.

Special Events....

“Tuesdays with Morrie” By Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom, based on the book by Mitch Albom is an intimate portrait of a man and his legacy of love and lifelong learning.  Featuring area veteran actors David Henderson as sportswriter Mitch Albom and John Honeycutt as college professor Morrie Schwartz, who rekindle their relationship as student and mentor.  Described by the New York Times as “a touching, life-affirming, deeply emotional drama with a generous dose of humor.”

The issue community and our responsibilities as individuals will be addressed during two nights of pre-show discussions. Join us Saturday night, February 26 as Assistant Pastor Tracy Bell of Poplar Springs Christian Church leads our pre show discussion at 7:30 p.m.

During each performance representatives from the ALS Association - Jim “Catfish” Hunter Chapter will be in the lobby to answer questions and talk about ALS in our Triangle Community.  For more information, visit www.CatfishChapter.org.

Ticket Information

Reservations can be made by clicking on the left side of our web page where it says “Buy Tickets”.

These etix are nonrefundable, but guarantees you a seat at the show.

You can also email marketing@thejusticetheaterproject.org to secure your reservation. Please include how many in your party and what performance you would like to attend.

You may pay for your tickets before the show begins.  If you make a reservation and are then unable to attend, please contact us immediately. 

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the show begins. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO GIVE AWAY ANY UNPAID RESERVATIONS 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE SHOW BEGINS.

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Our Town by Thornton Wilder

Thank you to everyone that came out to see the show.

Join us in February for "Tuesdays with Morrie".

(919)264-7089
Adults $15, Seniors/Students $12

"Our Town" information:

Click HERE for Robert's Theater Review of the show in Trianlge Arts and Entertainment .

Want to see more? Here's a peek at the show....
Our Town

Immediate. Intimate. A rethinking of an American standard. A new aesthetic concept based on the current Off-Broadway production by David Cromer. The cast wears contemporary clothing that could have come from their own closets, allowing them to blend with the audience in this intimate production where you feel you are a member of the Grover's Corners community. Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, this production is without sentimentality or the false balm of nostalgia. Featuring a multi cultural cast.

Originally staged in 1938, “Our Town” has become so familiar that many miss the philosophical depths due to the traditional staging and packaging.  This stripped down version dissolves the barriers between the cast and the audience. Wilder’s text performed in this way pulls focus way back to reveal a cosmic dimension, where joy and sorrow are equal from the vantage point of the stars.  There is a flourish in the third act that heightens Emily’s realization that the living are unable to “realize life while they live it… every, every minute.”, helping us, as Wilder sought, to make the simple and ordinary a sacrament.

The issue community and our responsibilities as individuals will be addressed during two pre-show discussions with State Representative Chris Heagarty. September 12 at 1:30 pm and September 18 at 7:30 pm.

“Our Town”, is directed by Kevin Ferguson, stage management by Elsbeth Turner, lighting design by Tom Wolf, costuming by Nora Murphy, set design by Lexie Nichols, properties design by Elsbeth Turner, assistant direction by Christine Zagrobelny and assistant stage management by Jason Hassell.

The Cast:  Stage Manager: J. Chachula, Mrs. Gibbs: Susannah Hough, Doctor Gibbs: Stephen LeTrent, George Gibbs: Lucas Campbell, Rebecca Gibbs: Kate Brittain, Mrs. Webb: Megan Mazzocchi, Editor Webb: Jack Prather, Emily Webb: Ali Hammond, Wally Webb: Brian Driskill, Simon Stimson: Ian Finley, Mrs. Soames: Renee Wimberley, Howie Newsome: Sean Brosnahan, Joe Crowell, Jr.: Glenn Driskill, Sam Craig: Josh Teder, Joe Stoddard: Bing Cox, Constable Warren: John Honeycutt, Professor Willard: Lester Hill, Si Crowell: Eli Miller, Irma: Barbette Hunter, Citizen: Colleen Guest,  Citizen: Laura Sheridan, Citizen: Rob Cui

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“supremely well thought-out production”: Tuesday, September 14

Justice Theater Project’s Our Town — 2010-11 Season
Stresses Home and Community

by Alan R. Hall

September 10, 2010, Raleigh, NC:: The Justice Theater Project introduced its new season and its new home this past weekend as it opened Thornton Wilder’s classic three-act play, Our Town. As did I when I heard about it, you may be asking, “Why is the Justice Theater Project doing Our Town?” The show is the first of the three-show 2010-11 season, whose theme is “Home and Community.” The classic theater work opened Friday night at the Clare Hall, on the grounds of St. Francis of Assisi, on Leesville Road in North Raleigh. The church will be the home of the JTP for the next few years.

As all those who are familiar with it know, Our Town is not so much a play about people as it is a play about place and time. The time is the turn of the century, and by that we mean the turn of the twentieth century. "Our Town” is Grover’s Corners, NH, in the year 1901. Stop and think: there is electricity but no running water (except for hand pumps); the streets are dirt, no sidewalks; no cars during act 1, too many cars by the end of the show, a dozen years later. The main source of news is the newspaper, a biweekly publication run by Editor Webb (Jack Prather). The Webb household is one of the two centered upon in Grover’s Corners; the other is the house of the town’s doctor, Doc Gibbs (Stephen LeTrent). Doc and his wife (Suzannah Hough) and kids, George (Lucas Campbell) and Rebecca (Kate Brittain), live right next door to the Webb household, which is run by Mrs. Webb (Megan Mazzocchi), and houses another two kids, Emily (Ali Hammond) and Wally (Brian Driskill).

The whole of the play is overseen by the Stage Manager (J. Chachula), a sort of father-figure narrator who keeps the play rolling and gives commentary on what is going on in town. He also gets to play the drugstore shopkeep and one of the many pastors who people Grover’s Corners. It is the Stage Manager who sets the tone for the play, presenting a friendly and knowledgeable voice that could not be better done by anyone than Chachula. The only thing more I could have asked for would be a gentle New England accent.

The entirety of the show is peopled by a scant 22 people, a number that seems small only when you realize that this cast manages to populate a town of 2000 folks. The ensemble cast includes the church choir of 10 and their director, Simon Stimson (Ian Finley). It also encapsulates the entirety of the Grover’s Corners cemetery, who witness the burial of Emily Webb Gibbs in act 3. This ensemble could not have been better. The tone is captured wholly and uniquely by this cast, who take us back in a time capsule over one hundred years with the ease and steady hand of a master.

Because the play is so much dependent on tone and not character, the biggest thing to note is that most of the play is done in pantomime. This is true in every case for a production of Our Town, for the introduction of completely cooked meals and a live horse onstage would completely upstage the show otherwise. Which makes it worth mentioning that, in this production, Emily’s visit in act 3 back to the world of the living is done .....THIS PART DELETED TO NOT SPOIL THE ENDING...... makes the ghostly visit of act 3 that much more poignant and deserves a special mention for its WOW appeal and perfect execution.

The Justice Theater Project continues its opening play for the 2010-11 season through September 26 — for details, see our calendar. It is a supremely well thought-out production, smoothly and quietly (quite a compliment for this show) performed by this ensemble. This one is well worth the trip. The directions to St. Francis of Assisi (linked from the church's website) are quite easy for those who wish to see a truly well done tribute to Thornton Wilder’s nod to a simpler time.

Read more...

Productions

Women Overcoming Obstacles - “Not Just Them. Not Just You. Just Us. Justice”

Please join the women of Passage Home and their children as they tell their stories of overcoming obstacles in order to reunite as a family.

This original theater piece will include Gospel music and movement. There are no actors. Meet the actual women who have overcome great odds and that have graciously agreed to tell their stories, share their lives, and celebrate their success with the community. Each year Deb Royals, Artistic Director of The Justice Theater Project, works with a community partner to create original theater with original voices. We would like to thank Passage Home for opening their doors and their hearts to us. Please join us.

Free and open to the public.Donations gladly accepted at each performance. Sponsorships are always welcomed.

Friday, June 18th at 7:00 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 11401 Leesville Road, Raleigh.
Saturday, June 19th at 4:00 p.m., Poplar Springs Christian Church, 6115 Old Stage Road, Raleigh.

"With God's grace- failure is never final - we are a people - a congregation, and love can do the work."


Independent Article about Passage Home and JTP
http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/the-consequences-of-cutting-the-corrections-budget/Content?oid=1422124

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2009-2010 Season!

Each year, JTP explores in-depth a theme of social justice concern.

2009-10 finds us all turning back to the family .How family is affected when our fathers, sons, mothers and daughters come back from war. How a family of sisters so solidly held together all of their lives can be suddenly scattered to the winds on the breath of a radio wave. How a family desperately wanting more for their children can resent them for the opportunities that they themselves were denied. How families are made and remade after overcoming great obstacles.

Thought-provoking. Entertaining. Inspiring.

The Justice Theater Project is a non-profit theater company dedicated to the idea that art inspires change.

Marketing@thejusticetheaterproject.org

Laundry and Bourbon
By James McClure
September 11-27, 2009
St, Mary’s School, Hillsborough Street, Raleigh

Fences
By August Wilson
February 12- 28,  2010
Saint Mary’s School, Hillsborough St. Raleigh

Annual Forum Event- June 2010
June 18 at 7 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi, Raleigh
June 19 at 4:00 p.m., Poplar Springs Christian Church, Garner
Free and open to the public

Each season JTP creates an original play with a community partner. This year JTP and the Passage Home “Woo Women” will present original writings and performances depicting women and children’s successful transition from addiction, homelessness and incarceration back to family. Free.

Dancing at Lughnasa
By Brian Friel
June 11 - 27, 2010
Cardinal Gibbons Performing Arts Center, Raleigh

Five unmarried sisters in a small Irish village hope and dream of a better life, while music from their radio transforms and transports them. This haunting play is a tribute to the spirit and valor of family.
Winner of 3 Tony Awards.

Ticket Information

All tickets are available at the door, and through this web site beginning two weeks before each production.

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Dancing at Lughnasa

Thank you for attending! See you in September for the new, modern version of "Our Town".

Five unmarried sisters in a small Irish village in 1936 hope and dream of a better life, while music from their radio transforms and transports them. This haunting play is a tribute to the spirit and valor of family.
Winner of 3 Tony Awards.

During the festival of Lughnasa, which celebrates the pagan god of the harvest with drunken revelry and dancing, their spare existence is interrupted by brief, colorful bursts of music from the radio, their only link to the romance and hope of the world at large.

The play is told through the memory of the illegitimate son of one of the sisters as he remembers the five women who raised him, his mother and four maiden aunts.
He is only seven in 1936, the year his elderly uncle, a priest, returns after serving for twenty-five years as a missionary in a Ugandan leper colony.

The sisters acquire their first radio, whose music transforms them from correct Catholic women to shrieking, stomping banshees in their own
kitchen. He meets his father for the first time, a charming Welsh drifter who strolls up the lane and sweeps his mother away in an elegant dance across the fields.

This haunting play is a tribute to the spirit and valor of family.

The play is told through the memory of the illegitimate son of one of the sisters as he remembers the five women who raised him, his mother and four maiden aunts.
He is only seven in 1936, the year his elderly uncle, a priest, returns after serving for twenty-five years as a missionary in a Ugandan leper colony.

He meets his father for the first time, a charming Welsh drifter who strolls up the lane and sweeps his mother away in an elegant dance across the fields. This haunting play is a tribute to the spirit and valor of family.

The sisters are played by Susannah Hough (Kate), Leanne Heintz (Maggie), Renee Wimberly (Agnes),  Betsy Henderson (Christine),  Christine Zagrobelny (Rose), The male members of the cast are Michael Keough and John Honeycutt (sharing the role of Father Jack), Ryan Brock (Michael), Adam Sichel (young Michael), Jason Sharp (Gerry).
Dancing at Lughnasa is directed by The Justice Theater Project’s Artistic Director, Deb Royals. The associate director is Brett Stegall. The design team includes sound designer Julie Jones,  lighting and set designers Lexie Nichols and Rebecca Buck,  costuming designer David Serxner,  stage manager Andy Hayworth, oundboard operator Elsbeth Turner.

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Fences

By August Wilson

Only ONE more show at 2:00 pm. today! Tickets may be purchased at the door. Box office opens 1 hour before curtain.

Please allow time for parking, purchasing tickets, or turning in your etix.

919-264-7089 for information.

Showtimes:
.
Sunday, February 28 at 2:00 p.m.

Saint Mary's School Pittman Auditorium, 900 Hillsborough St. Raleigh. (Corner of Hillsborough and Saint Mary's, enter on College Road, Gate 4)

SPECIAL EVENTS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 – 2 pm Audio Described Performance

When his rise through the Negro baseball leagues hit the ceiling of racial prejudice, Troy Maxson turned away from a world of unfulfilled promises and denied opportunities.

His son Cory, an emerging football star, sees the world through very different eyes, and his wife Rose yearns for an outlet for her love.

A story of four generations of African Americans that explores justice, fair treatment and social change during the 1950's

Winner of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize. The role of Troy was originally portrayed on Broadway by James Earl Jones, and will be reprised in April by Denzel Washington.

Educational/Experiential guides available by accessing these web pages:

http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-fences/further.html

http://www.enotes.com/fences

Cast:

Troy Maxson: John Rogers Harris
Jim Bono: Lester Hill
Rose: Barbette Hunter
Lyons: Tyrone Hicks
Gabriel: Thomasi McDonald
Cory: Jade Arnold
Raynell: Rachel Woods Barnes on Feb 13, 19, 20 and 26
and Maya Bryant on Feb 12, 14, 21, 27, and 28

The Artistic Team:

Artistic Director: Deb Royals
Stage Manager: Brett Stegall
Associate Director and Choreographer: Joy Williams
Costumer: David Serxner
Assistant SM: Liz Segre and Collin Ruffin
Marketing: Melissa Zeph
Technical Director and Lighting Designer: Dan Sepke
Sound Designer: Julie Jones
Assistant Costumer: Aislinn Murphy
Production Consultant: Herb Eley

Tickets: $15 Adults, $12 Students/Seniors, $10 Groups of 10 or more

Reservations: (919)-264-7089

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“Fences” Media Release: Friday, January 15

A detailed Media Release is available by clicking "read more"
Read more...

‘There’s a man I want you to meet…” Byron Woods review, Independent Weekly: Friday, February 19

POSTED ON FEBRUARY 17, 2010:

Justice Theater Project's Fences
By Byron Woods


Read more...

Productions

Gimme Five for Justice!

$5 can and DOES make a difference! Donate to JTP and get that warm, fuzzy feeling. (Oh, and get a $5 off coupon, too!)

Now we can tune the piano and present fantastic local singing talent to you during the run of "Working".

Spend $5 this spring AND get a $5 off coupon to a great local restaurant.

Just click HERE to go to our Fund Raiser Blog and Give us Five! (You can give us more than five, we won't mind)

Your printed receipt is also a coupon to either Bogart's American Grill or The Red Room Restaurant on Glenwood Avenue.

Want to tell us what you think? The Gimme Five for Justice Blog is a great way to let the world know how The Justice Theater Project has touched your life through theater, camps, outreach or education.

We can't wait to hear from you, and THANKS for giving us five!

Here are the GREAT things you will fund for next year:

A Forum Theater original event in collaboration with Passage Home. Three fantastic main stage plays that include "Laundry and Bourbon", "Dancing at Lughnasa" and "Fences". Three summer camps to provide area youth with a safe and fulfilling theater experience. Monthly FREE acting classes for adults and teens at Poplar Springs Christian Church.... and SO MUCH MORE!

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Laundry and Bourbon

THANK YOU for attending!


The reviews are in! Laundry and Bourbon is "... as potent as a Triple Shot"!
http://cvnc.org/reviews/2009/092009/Laundry.html

A comedy rich with humor and raw reality. Featuring Rachel Green, Betsy T. Henderson and Canady Vance Thomas.

Welcome to a back porch: Anywhere, USA.

It’s a hot summer afternoon in 1974. Elizabeth, Hattie and busy body Amy Lee are folding laundry, drinking bourbon and coke, gossiping, and exchanging insults while awaiting the return of Elizabeth’s wayward husband, Roy, who hasn't been the same since his return from Vietnam.

The dynamic combination of area theatre veterans and best friends Betsy T. Henderson, Rachel Green and Canady Vance Thomas gives a comfortable and playful feel to this 1970's back porch cat fight. The constant breeze on this sweltering summer night is not enough to cool down the heat amongst these girls as they compare husbands, bridge club rivalry, infidelity, the introduction of mahjong, how to raise children and how to pick the right door on Monty Hall's "Let's Make a Deal", which is blaring from the television in the background. The stoic optimism and patience Elizabeth shows for her missing Vietnam Veteran husband Roy melts the heart of even these caustic women.

There's plenty to laugh about and much to contemplate in this tender and lively comedy.

Photography by Paul Hurschmann

The issue of war and the resistance to change was addressed during two nights of pre-show discussions with area experts on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as a means of opening a dialogue concerning the obstacles and issues faced by our returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. 

Saturday, September 26, pre show discussion with Dr. Greg Inman and Mr. Ray Koval, Raleigh Veterans Association.

“Laundry and Bourbon” is directed by The Justice Theater Project’s Artistic Director, Deb Royals.  Sound Design by Julie Jones, lighting by Daniel Sepke, stage management by Andy Hayworth, and set design and construction by Deb Royals and Brett Stegall.

The Justice Theater Project (JTP) is an advocacy and activist theater company whose mission is to use the dramatic arts to bring to the fore of public attention the needs of the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed.  Each year JTP presents a diverse combination of original works, main stage productions, and community outreach events focusing on issues of social justice.
“Laundry and Bourbon” was performed at 8:00 p.m. on September 18, 19, 25, 26 and September 20, 27 at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for students and senior citizens, and $10 for groups of 10 or more. 

Ticket Information

Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for students and senior citizens, and $10 for groups of 10 or more.  Sunday, September 13 at 2 p.m. is $5.00 admission day.

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=5871&cobrand=thejusticetheaterproject

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Laundry and Bourbon review by Robert W. McDowell, Classical Voice of North Carolina: Wednesday, September 16

Justice Theater Project’s Production of Laundry and Bourbon Is as Potent as a Triple Shot

by Robert W. McDowell

September 12, 2009, Raleigh, NC: The Justice Theater Project’s current production of James McLure’s Laundry and Bourbon is as potent as a 180-proof triple shot of bourbon whiskey, straight. Ostensibly a knee-slapping Southern-fried comedy about three gossipy housewives in tiny Maynard, Texas, this three-character play takes a serious turn when their freewheeling conversation turns from catty comments about each other, their feckless husbands, and their irritating kids to sober speculation on what’s wrong with Elizabeth Caulder’s hard-drinking, skirt-chasing husband, Roy, who hasn’t been home in two days.

Roy Caulder is the much-discussed but never-seen “Elephant in the Room” — in this case, the cluttered back porch — of the rundown clapboard house that he shares with Elizabeth when he’s not out, tooling around Maynard in his cherished pink 1959 Thunderbird convertible, ogling other women, and looking to drown his Vietnam flashbacks and his current worries in an ocean of Lone Star beer. Roy hasn’t been right since he came back from Vietnam two years ago, and he is about to step on Elizabeth’s last nerve, while he is drinking himself into oblivion. Yet she loves him anyway, truly, madly, deeply; and there are growing signs that Roy is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome — but the problem of PTSD is not yet well known on the scorching summer afternoon in 1974 when the play takes place.
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Productions

Working - A musical by Studs Terkel

Working

The Reviews are in!

"Strong Performances found in Studs Terkel musical" - The News and Observer

"The Justice Theater Project scores big with WORKING..." - Triangle Theater Review,

Thank you for attending! See you in September for "Laundry and Bourbon".

We hope you enjoyed the ultimate People's Musical written by the late Pulitzer Prize winning oral historian Studs Terkel

"Working" is based on interviews with American workers from the book "Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do" by Studs Terkel.

"Working" features local professional singers and actors, with original music by James Taylor and Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked", "Pippin", and "Godspell").

CAST: LeDawna Akins, Susan Burcham, Bing Cox, John Honeycutt, Barbette Hunter, Byron Jennings, Kevin Lawrence, Andrea Shulz Twiss and Deb Royals.

See photos and bios at www.jptworking.homestead.com.

Ticket Information

http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/venueSearch.jsp?venue_id=1631&cobrand=thejusticetheaterproject

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Dignity Forum Theater Event

THANK YOU to the over 600 people who came to support the young adults, and to experience an interactive forum theatre event!

Join us for a final performance at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church as we become a part of The Franciscan Coalition's ongoing 'Sojourns for Justice' series.

What is Dignity? How do you define it? Can someone take it away from you? Can you give it to others?

These questions are being explored by the young adults of Poplar Springs Christian Church in Raleigh, with the help of JTP's artistic Director, Deb Royals.

This collaboration will culminate in a "forum theater" style performance on Wednesday, April 29th at 7:00 pm at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church 11401 Leesville Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613
(919) 847-8205 . www.stfrancisraleigh.org

This event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are needed.

Here's a web site with all the specifics about the show and the actors: http://jtpdignityforum.homestead.com/Index.html

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the dialogue.  You are encouraged to take part in the “discussion” using the power of theater as your tool.

What is Forum Theater?

“Forum Theater” is an interactive theater experience rooted in the practices of 2008 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Augusto Boal.  Its purpose is to move the audience from spectator to “spectactor” so as to open up a discussion around current issues of social concern.  The audience is given an opportunity to get “into” the performance, make their voice heard and create an intervention with regard to the theme.  The theme for this “Forum” event is Dignity.  Please feel free to become a part of the discussion and ask questions as a participant in this unique style of theater.  The facilitator known as the “Joker”  in “Forum” events will clearly explain how everything works.  Your presence and your voice are integral to the process.

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Productions

Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me

Thank you for attending!

Written by Frank McGuinness. Directed by Carnessa Ottelin

February 27 and 28 at 8 PM. March 1 at 2 PM

The Justice Theater Project concludes the critically acclaimed production of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me with a weekend of three final performances. This amazing collaboration combined with a stellar script is what the Independent Weekly calls "clever directing by Carnessa Ottelin and the well-cast, dynamic trio of performers... by the final curtain, the audience has fallen in love with these men."

The News and Observer says "...the production entertains and enlightens, showcasing three fine talents."

The Triangle Theater Review calls it a "...must see drama... Don't miss it.".

Witness the emotional, intense and trusting interaction between David Henderson as Edward the Irish journalist, Ryan Brock as Michael the English professor, and Byron Jennings as Adam the American doctor.

Inspired by the true account of former prisoner Brian Keenan, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me won the New York Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Play, the Writers Guild Award for Best Play, and was nominated for Best Play at the Tony Awards.

Saint Mary's School Pittman Auditorium, Raleigh.

Based on Irish playwright Frank McGuinness' Tony nominated play, "Someone Who'll Watch Over Me" explores the relationship between three men trapped together as hostages in a basement somewhere in Lebanon. One American, one Irishman and one Englishman struggle to maintain their sanity, humanity and hope. visit www.jtpsomeone.homestead.com for all information about the show.

The Reviews are in!

The Independent: http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A287865

The News and Observer: http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/1411462.html

This is not your typical hostage drama.  There is no onstage violence, no debates about politics, no speeches about man’s inhumanity to man.  Just three ordinary men using jokes, fantasies and spiritual credos to survive captivity.

Inspired by the true account of former prisoner Brian Keenan, “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” received a Tony nomination in 1992.

Featuring Ryan Brock as Michael the English professor, David Henderson as Edward the Irish journalist,and Byron Jennings as the American doctor, Adam.

Educational guides with supplemental material suggestions are available for high schools and universities. Email Marketing@thejusticetheaterproject.org.

Ticket Information

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The Line in the Sand: Stories from the US/Mexico Border

Questions or reservations: 259-6936 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Reservations not required.

The Line in the Sand was written by a group of actors and writers from Catholic Relief Services (a national organization based in Baltimore, MD), who visited areas on both sides of the border between Mexico and Arizona in 2005 and interviewed citizens of both countries, immigrants and non-immigrants.

The play presents the dire situation that those people find themselves in. Not only is the story line compelling and moving, but it is told in the voices of real people and shows the various ways that many people, again not just immigrants, are affected by the lack of practical and humane immigration legislation.

The Line in the Sand tells many stories, including that of a father searching for information, explanation and understanding with regard to his daughter’s and others unsuccessful journey through the desert. 

Performances will take place June 6, 7, 13 & 14 at 8 pm, and June 8 & 15 at 2pm.  All performances will be at Cardinal Gibbons Performing Arts Center, 1401 Edwards Mill Road, Raleigh 27607.  Across from the RBC Center.

Post Show Discussions and Events:

Friday, June 6:  Complimentary Opening Night Reception!

Saturday, June 7:  Post-show discussion with Cullen Larson, Catholic Relief Services, as well as Joseph Wolyniak and Patrick McIlmoyle, St. Francis Catholic Church.

Saturday, June 14:  Post show discussion with Aida Ocana, Catholic Relief Services; Tennessee Watson, Duke Center for Documentary Studies; and Debbie McCullough and Delle McCormick of BorderLinks.  Borderlinks is an international, experiential, education program.  http://www.borderlinks.org

Art Exhibit:  In addition to the performance, there is an exhibit of artwork by Tucson Artist Debbie McCullough, and the “Border Wall Project” created by students from the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University who recently returned from a Borderlinks experience. 

Ticket Information

$15 adults, $12 students/seniors, $10 groups of 10 or more
June 8 is pay what you can day!
Reservations recommended, but walk-ins welcome
All tickets are general admission
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
919-259-6936

Performance Location:

Cardinal Gibbons Performing Arts Center
1401 Edwards Mill Road, Raleigh
(Across from the RBC Center)

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In the Wings:  Border Issues Come Into Play: Thursday, June 05

By Orla Swift

The border of the United States and Mexico is as dramatic a setting as you could ask for in a timely stage drama, particularly as our presidential contenders debate (or ought to be debating) immigration issues.

So Justice Theater Project artistic director Deb Royals-Mizerk knew "The Line in the Sand: Stories from the U.S./Mexico Border" would make a compelling season closer.


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Productions

Still…Life

SATURDAY NIGHT PATRONS:
Please Park in the Rosemary Street Public Parking Lots. You can then take a shuttle bus to Memorial Hall and walk across the street to Swain Hall.

"Still...Life", an original play written by members of The Justice Theater Project and directed by UNC's Joseph Megel, will be performed at Swain Hall on the UNC Chapel Hill campus as part of the Carolina Performing Arts Criminal/Justice. The Death Penalty Examined. year of death penalty discussion.

An exploration of a killing state.  North Carolina.

Still…Life examines the Death Penalty in North Carolina using interviews with people from across the state that have been impacted by the Death Penalty.  This process began in June, 2005.  Interviewees included Death Row inmates, their families, victims, chaplains, attorneys, a warden, prison guards, and others. 

The cast features local professional actors, including David Henderson, Deb Royals, John Honeycutt, Annissa Clark, Kimberly Hardy, and Joseph Calendar.  Technical Production and design by Thomas Mauney and Rob Hamilton. Photographic images projected throughout the performance are provided by photojournalist Scott Langley, from his “Documentary Project on the Death Penalty”.

In 2003 the North Carolina Senate passed moratorium legislation that included a two-year halt of executions and a review of the state’s death penalty system to ensure, among other things, that no innocent person is sentenced to death in North Carolina.  Recently, The North Carolina Medical Board has ruled that it is unethical for a physician to take part in a State sanctioned execution.  The State Government of North Carolina is currently deciding how to proceed with executions without the presence of a physician.  These recent developments surrounding the Death Penalty in North Carolina have raised the awareness of this emotional issue. Still…Life is attempting to represent both sides of this North Carolina issue through authentic North Carolina voices.

Ticket Information

Friday March 28, 8pm, Saturday, March 29, 8pm, $15 adults, $12 seniors/students
Saturday, April 5, 8pm and Sunday, April 6, 2pm. $15 adults, $12 seniors/students

Join us after the final show on Sunday, April 6th, for a discussion facilitated by Rene Alexander Craft and reception with the actors.
www.carolinacreativecampus.org

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Expresate : To Express.  The Price You Pay.

TONIGHT'S SHOW CANCELED: SATURDAY, JANUARY 19.

DUE TO THE SLOW MOVING WEATHER SYSTEM HEADING OUR WAY, AND TEMPERATURES DIPPING BELOW FREEZING, WE REGRET THAT WE ARE CANCELLING TONIGHT'S SHOW.

Thank you to all the patrons that were able to come out on Friday night and interact with the teens. The teens did a magnificent job and we are proud of their accomplishments.

The Justice Theater Project presented one evening of interactive performances based on scripts created by local farmworker teens. A facilitator guided the audience as they asked questions, stopped the show, and became a part of the event. Rooted in Augusto Boal's Forum Theatre model, The Justice Theater Project's objective is to create discourse around issues of social concern, firmly situating JTP as the only theater company of its kind in Central North Carolina.

This unique experience opens up a space where audience and teens express thoughts and feelings on the current conditions and issues involving farmworkers, their families, and societies ever changing views on immigration, identity, perception and human dignity.

In collaboration with Student Action with Farmworkers Project Levante.

Facilitated by Deb Royals, Artistic Director, The Justice Theater Project. 

Sponsored by The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Inc., The United Arts Council of Wake County, The North Carolina Arts Council, and Student Action with Farmworkers.

http://www.saf-unite.org

Ticket Information

Tickets are available at the box office.  $15 adults.  $12 seniors & students.  $10 groups of 10 or more.  Please email melissa@thejusticetheaterproject so we’ll know how many tortillas to buy! 

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The Grapes of Wrath

The Justice Theater Project began a year-long exploration of displacement and migration by presenting Frank Galati’s Tony Award-winning adaptation of the Steinbeck classic, "The Grapes of Wrath".

John Steinbeck’s tale of Tom Joad’s reunion with his family takes place just as they are being forcibly displaced from their land. The story depicts the plight of farmers during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930’s, in an America that consisted of the “Have’s” and the “Have-Not’s”.

“Tom Joad’s story transcends history,” said Artistic Director Deb Royals Mizerk, “When you think of migrant workers traveling with their families in search of work and the American Dream, or people scattered across the country by Hurricane Katrina, you can relate to the Joad family and their search for a better life. The Grapes of Wrath shows the strength and spirit of the ‘common man’ throughout the world.”

The cast consisted of local theater professionals combined with student actors, featuring Sean A. Brosnahan as Tom Joad, Kevin Ferguson as Jim Casey, Susannah Hough as Ma Joad, Geof Shuford as Pa Joad, Dawn Gum as Grandma, John Honeycutt as Grandpa, Larry Evans as Uncle John, and high school student Jaclyn Amanna as Rose of Sharon.

Under the direction of Thomas Mauney, the creative team included scenic designer Miyuki Su, costume designer LeGrande Smith, with additional set and lighting design by Thomas Mauney.

The abstract set represented natural settings through earth-driven texture and color with simplified lines. No lace or trim are used in costuming to further depict the families who are stripped of everything they own when they lose their land and are forced to migrate to California in search of work. Jewelry would have been sold off before any farm equipment, making Ma’s gift of earrings to Rose of Sharon a precious sacrifice.

The Justice Theater Project (JTP) is an advocacy and activist theater company whose mission is to use the dramatic arts to bring to the fore of public attention the needs of the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. Each year JTP presents a diverse combination of original works, main stage productions, and community outreach events focusing on issues of social justice.

This unique approach employs the arts to engage audiences and expose them to issues of social concern, which firmly cements JTP as the only theater company of its kind in Wake County. During the coming year JTP will develop programming including discourse, original writings, and performances that highlight immigration - these works speak to immigration from the perspective of the Latina/o Immigrant community in North Carolina, looking to both their struggle and isolation.

Read the book, see the play! A facilitator’s guide to John Steinbeck’s novel can be accessed at www.NeaBigRead.org/Books/GrapesofWrath.

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Orla Swift on the Best in Theater: Saturday, September 01

You'd think that after almost 70 years, the ills of this nation that John Steinbeck described so eloquently in "The Grapes of Wrath" might be behind us. But we are not that wise a nation.
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Productions

Still… Life.

Thank you to every one that was able to attend the workshop performances of Still...Life. Your valuable comments and questions have directly impacted the ultimate full production that will take place on April 13 and 14, 2007, at the Cardinal Gibbons High School Performing Arts Center.

Thank you again for your support.

This collaborative work in progress has included the following artists, production team and cast members:
Scott Langley, Catholic Worker House, Photographer
Thomas Mauney, Technical Director
Shannon Clark, Set, Light, Costume Design
Tom Wolfe, Video Imaging and Digital Design
Al Wodarski, Sound Design
David Henderson, Actor
John Honeycutt, Actor
Torrey Lawrence, Actor
Carole Marcotte, Actor
Jackie Marriott, Actor
Deb Royals, Actor
LaMark Wright, Actor

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Dead Man Walking

The Justice Theater Project presented Dead Man Walking at the Cardinal Gibbons High School Performing Arts Center from February 1 to February 10, 2007.

Dead Man Walking was presented by special arrangement with Tim Robbins and the Dead Man Walking School Theater Project.

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Witness

Based on Newberry Award winner Karen Hesse's moving novel, Witness is the quietly moving story of a small Vermont town in the early 1920's. On the edge of tragedy when the Ku Klux Klan moves in, Revelation Falls is a community torn apart as it learns about racism, bigotry, and human kindness.

The Justice Theater Project invites you to look into the hearts and minds of victims, friends, and enemies as you Witness what is undoubtedly powerfully insightful and thought provoking theater.

Public performances of Witness will run from February 18-20 and February 25-27, 2005 at the Cardinal Gibbons Theatre.

THEOLOGIAN Stanley Hauerwas speaks on how faith-filled people should respond to hatred and violence at The Justice Theater Project’s February Community Forum. Sunday, February 27, 7PM, St. Francis of Assisi Church.

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Leading Theologian Stanley Hauerwas to Speak at JTP Community Forum in February: Friday, February 18

Theologian Stanley M. Hauerwas speaks on how people of faith should respond to hatred, hostility, and violence at The Justice Theater Project’s February Community Forum.

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Productions

A Lesson Before Dying

The News and Observer Arts and Entertainment article, "A Year in the Arts: Best Theater" (Sunday, December 25, 2004) named The Justice Theater Project's production of "A Lesson Before Dying" one of the top 10 best locally produced shows of 2004. Our most recent production of "Nickel and Dimed" was also mentioned in the article as a "timely issue with strong political resonance".

From The Independent Weekly (Wednesday, January 5, 2005), The Justice Theater Project’s “A Lesson Before Dying” won the “Special Achievements in the Humanities” Award; about the award, the Indy writes: “Inaugurated last year to recognize work that goes well beyond the traditional definitions of ‘community outreach,’ this award recognizes work whose humanitarian impact clearly extends beyond the walls of a theater, to aid—and, at times, challenge—this region as it grapples with the issues of our day.”

The Indy also recognized “A Lesson Before Dying” as one of 2004’s top 10 “Best Productions”; three of our actors won awards in the 2004 “Best Supporting Actors” category; and Deb Royals-Mizerk was recognized as one of only seven “Best Directors” of 2004.

About The Justice Theater Project’s Production of A Lesson Before Dying

In 1948 Louisiana, the sensitive and innocent Jefferson is condemned to death by an all white jury. At his trial, Jefferson’s lawyer claims the uneducated Jefferson is no more a human being than a hog, lacking the mental skills to commit the pre-meditated murder he is charged with. Jefferson takes his lawyer’s words to heart and, once in prison, acts as though he were as intelligent as a hog, insisting that he will be dragged like a hog to his death in the electric chair. His godmother, Miss Emma, terribly distressed by the situation, insists that Jefferson be educated so as to die with dignity at the time of his execution. Miss Emma persuades a reluctant schoolteacher, Grant Wiggins, to face his own cynicism and negativity to try to get through to Jefferson before he dies. Not surprisingly, the teacher learns as much as the condemned.

Ernest J. Gaines’ celebrated novel makes an engrossing, moving and ultimately devastating play for the stage.

The Justice Theatre Project in cooperation with the Arts for Justice Ministry at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church brings this compelling and transformative story to life. In light of the proposed moratorium on the death penalty in NC and recent events around wrongful convictions, it is a timely and unique event. The production of “A Lesson Before Dying” will feature an innovative “Talk-Back” segment to encourage dialog and discussion among the audience.

“A Lesson Before Dying” is about the ways in which people insist on declaring the value of their lives in a time and place in which those lives count for nothing. It is about the ways in which the imprisoned find freedom even in the moment of their death. It powerfully addresses the basic predicament of what it is to be a human being striving for dignity in a world that often denies it. The death penalty is an important and timely topic. In 2003, 65 executions were committed in the US: 24 in Texas, 14 in Oklahoma and 7 in North Carolina.

A Columbia University study (“A Broken System, Part II: Why There Is So Much Error in Capital Cases, and What Can Be Done About It”) has concluded that the nation’s death penalty system is “collapsing under the weight” of errors.

North Carolina is a death-penalty state with a sentencing rate that is four times that of Virginia, and nearly twice the rate of Texas. A moratorium resolution has growing bipartisan support. 70% of North Carolinians favor a moratorium and more than 80% of North Carolinians believe it is likely there are innocent people on death row in the state.

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Best Theater: Monday, December 27

Theater doesn't get more relevant than The Justice Theater Project's "A Lesson Before Dying." On the stage was a drama about a wrongly accused prisoner awaiting his execution. In real life, a month before the play opened, there was North Carolina death row inmate Alan Gell, exonerated six years after a jury had found him guilty of murder. To underscore the connection, Gell introduced the play at one of its three Raleigh performances.
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JTP 2004 Indy Awards: Wednesday, January 05

In the Wednesday, January 5, 2005 edition of the Independent Weekly, The Justice Theater Project’s “A Lesson Before Dying” won the “Special Achievements in the Humanities” Award.
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Productions

Nickel and Dimed: on (NOT) Getting By in America

Playwright and director, Deb Royals-Mizerk directs Joan Holden's theatrical adaptation of social critic Barbara Ehrenreich's best selling book, Nickel and Dimed.

Nickel and Dimed "…helps us make sense of the looking glass land that exists alongside our own, one that we interact with everyday but which so few of us really take the time to see." —Anchorage Press

Millions of Americans work for poverty level wages, work two jobs, and support themselves and their families on less than $8.00 per hour. Contrary to popular belief, laziness has nothing to do with their inability to improve the circumstances of their lives.

The Justice Theater Projects invites you to re-examine some of your own assumptions about American life by attending the North Carolina theatrical premier of Nickel and Dimed.

Nickel and Dimed is the story of the working poor who just barely scrape by cleaning houses, waiting tables, and re-stocking shelves across America.

The play chronicles the real-life journey of Barbara Ehrenreich who spends several months working different low wage jobs and trying to make ends meet on what she earns.

Is it possible to pay rent, get gas, afford child care, or even buy food and clothes on less than $8.00 per hour?

Come find your own answer by joining us for the provocative, terribly real and delightfully funny Nickel and Dimed!

By Barbara Ehrenreich. Adapted by Joan Holden. Directed by Deb Royals-Mizerk.

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Nickel and Dimed Dramatizes Life: Tuesday, November 23

When author and social commentator Barbara Ehrenreich decided to look at the rising tide of poor people in America, she realized that the best way to understand what was so troubling about the situation was to experience it first-hand. So she set a few basic rules for herself and then, leaving her upscale Florida neighborhood and rather confused boyfriend behind her, she set off for places where she would be unrecognized and set about learning what "minimum wage" really meant. The result, which was supposed to be merely a Harper's Magazine article, developed into a full-scale non-fiction book, which spent two years on The New York Times best-seller list.
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