Graduate and undergraduate students from EMU’s Communication, Media and Theatre Arts Department have teamed up with the YYEA: Crosstown Theatre Troupe, a local youth theatre troupe exploring youth voice through theatre, to create a Community Performance about Ypsilanti and for the people of Ypsilanti. Those persons interviewed in creation of the project include residents from across Ypsilanti including Parkridge, Willow Run, West Willow, Ypsi’s South Side, Ypsi’s North Side, Downtown Ypsi, Depot town and EMU, community stakeholders, local business owners, youth who live and/or go to school in Ypsilanti, students commute to EMU’s campus, and many more.
The goal of this project, titled the Community Performance with EMU (CPE), is to use performance as a means of generating community dialogue on issues relevant and pressing to the Ypsilanti community at large. The Community Performance with EMU (CPE) is a city-wide performance project focusing on some of the most pressing issues in Ypsilanti. This theatre piece is based on a series of interviews and story circle sessions with the Ypsilanti community. The findings from these speak outs have become the basis of the production which intends to both empower and inform the citizens on issues most important to them. CPE is directed by local professor, theatre artist, and Ypsilanti Resident Jessica ‘Decky’ Alexander.
For additional information on CPE contact Jessica ‘Decky’ Alexander at jalexande1@emich.edu, 734-487-6570; Meriah Sage at msage@emich.edu, 734-487-6570 or Yi Hsin Lu at ylu2@emich.edu 734-487-6570.
