W.E.T. presents Hero The premiere production from the Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre program Hero Written & Performed by Kalila Griffin and Koe Sozuteki Directed by Rhonda J. Soikowski June 21 – 24, 2007 Thursday through Sunday at 8pm WET Theatre 609 19th Ave E at E Mercer St SEATTLE, WA –Washington Ensemble Theatre (WET) is proud to introduce the premiere of QTET: Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre - a new program giving voice and artistry to LGBT youth in the community. What does it mean for a fairy tale to have two princesses? Can you still be a hero if you’re wearing the dress? Led by WET Associate Artist Rhonda J. Soikowski, emerging teen playwrights Kalila Griffin and Koe Sozuteki give voice to what it means to be young and ‘out’ in <strong>Seattle</strong>. HERO. explores LGBT perspectives on identity as two young women go on an adventure to discover how the girl can save the girl and live happily ever after. HERO. is the flagship production of Queer Teen Ensemble Theatre, a new citywide teen program which WET will offer annually as part of the theatre’s educational outreach programming. Though a generous grant from the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, WET was able to offer LGBT teenagers full scholarships to participate in this new ensemble theatre project. Using the WET model for ensemble-generated new works, the students collaboratively produced a production based on their own experiences surrounding identity. With statistics showing that 9% of high school students identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Questioning, WET is proud to offer a place for these emerging voices to express their struggles, triumphs and unique perspectives on the stories they tell best – their own. ARTIST BIoS: Rhonda J. Soikowski (Director; Associate Artist) Rhonda has been acting, directing and generating new work in collaborative process for ten years. She holds a BFA in Acting with an Original Works emphasis from Cornish College of the Arts, is an Associate Artist with Washington Ensemnble Theare and an Alumni Member of DirectorsLab Chicago. <strong>Seattle</strong>-premiered new work’s under her direction include The Show, a one man show with Troy Misklevitz at both On the Boards and WET, A Day in Dig Nation, a one man show with Michael McQuilken at Re-Bar, Fellow Passengers, an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for three actors at Strawberry Theatre Workshop and Split, a one-act play by Jen Grigg produced by EXITheatre. She was also involved in the generative process as an actor for the creation of both Paper Airplane and Extropia with former <strong>Seattle</strong> Arts collective Collaborator. Rhonda has taught theatre arts at Cornish College, Lake Washington Girls Middle School and North Lawndale Charter High School in Chicago. At WET Rhonda has appeared in Swimming in the Shallows directed by Katjana Vadeboncoeur and most recently in Iphigenia in Aulis directed by Lathrop Walker. For more information on Rhonda visit www.soikowski.com. Jessica Trundy (Project Manager) Jessica is a <strong>Seattle</strong> based lighting designer for theatre, dance and opera. Recent designs include Bust by Lauren Weedman at the Empty Space Theatre, Zoe Scofield’s there ain’t no easy way out at On The Boards, and Plainsong and House of Spirits for Book-it Repertory Theatre. She received her MFA from the University of Washington, and her BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Visit www.jessicatrundy.com for images of past and current designs. Jessica works administratively at WET in the production department. Her recent designs at WET include Iphigenia in Aulis, Crumbs are also Bread, What is Sexy?, and Crave. Kalila Griffin (Writer/Performer) Kalila is a sixteen year old high school student going into her junior year. She enjoys acting, writing, and photography. She has had a great experience working with QTET at the Washington Ensemble Theater. She is also very happy to have been able to work with the talented dynamic duo, Rhonda J. Soikowski and Jessica Hatlo. She would like to thank her parents for driving her to rehearsals and Rhonda for coming back to <strong>Seattle</strong>. Jessica Hatlo (Assistant Director) Jessica is a writer, director and performer from San Jose, California. She is currently a senior at Cornish College of the Arts seeking a Theater BFA with an emphasis in Original Works. Her recent acting credits include Mrs. Peachum in The Beggars Opera, The Virgin Mary in The New Playwright Festival’s workshop of Mechanical Angels, The Buttonmoulder in Peer Gynt, and Rachel in the sophomore ensemble Nest at Cornish. Jessica’s recent directing credits include She Bit Me by Suzan Lori Parks as a part of <strong>Seattle</strong>’s 365 project. Her other projects this summer include her 4th year as part of the <strong>Seattle</strong> Center Academy, a unique summer arts program for 7th & 8th graders, and developing The Bird Flew Theater Co.- a women’s original works ensemble of which she is a founding member. She is thrilled to be the co-pilot for QTET’s first year and gives a special thanks to Rhonda J for helping her get WET. Koe Sozuteki (Writer/Performer) Koe is a seventeen year old genderqueer pansexual individual. Koe grew up polyamorous and sex positive which she reports played a large part in shaping her into the awesome person that she is today. Over the last year and a half Koe has made quite an impact in the LGBTQ Youth community here in <strong>Seattle</strong> by organizing dances, lobbying on issues that effect the community, raising awareness through panels at local high schools and celebrating her own queerness by attending the LGBTQ Camp Ten Trees and through drag performances as ‘Lady Koko Divarms.’ Koe recently received MPowerment’s Upcoming Queer Youth Activist of the Year award and the LGBT Center’s Cherry award for outstanding Queer youth activism. She believes that by having a good time with her identity she is filling a void for people who aren’t comfortable being themselves, to whom she says “Hey, voyeurism is participation.” WASHINGToN ENSEMBLE THEATRE (W.E.T.) is committed to the creation of relevant, immediate and bold theatrical events. Through collaborative artistic leadership and decision-making, W.E.T. empowers artists to have a daring voice in the creative process and in the global community. Currently, W.E.T. is under the umbrella of Theatre Puget Sound as a non-profit organization in the state of Washington. www.washingtonensemble.org Tickets are $10, available at the door or in advance through Brown Paper Tickets. For ticket orders call 800-838-3006 or visit www.brownpapertickets.com. 20 <strong>Seattle</strong> Gay News PRIDE ‘07 Celebrations June 22, 2007
June 22, 2007 PRIDE ‘07 Celebrations <strong>Seattle</strong> Gay News 21