Liberation City – The Lighthouse Project was supported through Coastal Carolina University’s Student Achievement Funding and the University’s Department of Theatre. We were in the third year of this partnership. CCU theatre students participated in workshops with community folx incorporating storytelling and applied theatre techniques which explored the experiences, dreams, and desires of youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness. We asked of ourselves – if everyone were to have the same opportunity and community nurturing, wouldn’t everyone be thriving?
The Liberation City party, performance, and panel was our testament to how community could come together to envision a city where everyone is flourishing. We realize that every act of dehumanization is an opportunity for re-humanization. Through the values of embodied listening, community-centered partnership, and collective creation-making, we affirm that “beautiful things can come from broken soil.” Everyone deserves dignity.
Everyone has a voice to be heard. Everyone belongs within the vision of our city.
So, Liberation City was to be that interactive space, welcoming all to the conversation.
Liberation City centers performance with and for impacted communities in order to elevate community-centered social, political, & economic solutions for youth homelessness.
Four performative events/social actions were to take place in March 2020, but our performances/events were cancelled due to COVID-19. In the interim, we’ve moved to a digital platform to continue our efforts, however, the loss of live performance coupled with desired social action is still a deep wound of disappointment and hurt for everyone involved, especially during a time of significant pause and emergent shifts.
Cast: Lauren Bassard, Tessa Belongia, Brittney Cassidy, Alexa Castro-Giovanni, Jonah Collins, Drake Cunningham, Dee Danis, Donovan Green, Carson Hebblethwaite, Sarah Krawczyk, Jervon Monroe, Benett Sullivan, Mackenzie Volpert / Creative team: Directorial affiliate: Robin Russell, Stage manager: Cooper McGill, Dramaturgy and musician: Rebekah Holt, Set design consultant: Jonathan Wentz, Sound design and engineering: Walter Tucker, Marketing and lobby display: Melissa-Anne Blizzard
Lost Works: What Could Have Been 