National Endowment for the Arts FY 2017 Fall Grant Announcement

gentrification and immigrant and indigenous perspectives on belonging. Stories will be collected through
community salons with East Lake residents facilated by ensemble members. The resulting production will be
performed both at Pangea World Theater and in site-specific locations along East Lake Street.
Pasadena Playhouse State Theatre of California, Inc. (aka The Pasadena Playhouse)
$35,000 Pasadena, CA
To support the world premiere production of "Shout, Sister, Shout!," a new musical about the life and music of
Rosetta Tharpe. Based on a biography of Tharpe by Gayle Wald, the project will be directed by Randy Johnson,
and written by Cheryl West. The musical will tell the story of pioneering African-American singer-songwriter, and
guitar virtuoso Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who influenced scores of popular musicians including Elvis Presley, Johnny
Cash, Little Richard, and Etta James. The production will be accompanied by community outreach activities
including a lecture series, visual art installation, and post-show dialogues.
Penumbra Theatre Company, Inc. (aka Penumbra Theatre)
$20,000 Saint Paul, MN
To support the world premiere production of "GIRL Shakes Loose Her Skin," a new musical by Imani Uzuri and
Zakiyyah Alexander. Rooted in the history of the Black Arts Movement, the musical draws upon the work of
Philadelphia Poet Laureate Sonia Sanchez to connect past and present experiences of women of color. The piece
is focused on the story of a young Black woman's journey to womanhood through a series of charged
encounters involving race, class, privilege, gender, sexuality, and equity. Penumbra will develop contextual
materials and activities to engage audiences in the Twin Cities community around issues of race and social
justice, including study guides, classroom discussions, post-play discussions, and study groups.
People's Light & Theatre Company (aka People's Light)
$40,000 Malvern, PA
To support the world premiere of "Project Dawn," a new play by Karen Hartman. The play was inspired by the
work of Philadelphia organizations working to improve the lives of women involved in human trafficking and
prostitution. Hartman created a fictional story based on the work of Project Dawn Court, a problem-solving
court that functions with the assistance of attorneys, safe houses, and social workers to improve the lives of
these women. The play is the first production to emerge from the theater's New Play Frontiers program, a longterm
initiative designed to develop and produce new plays exploring American identity through stories of deep
meaning to specific local populations.
Play Production Company, Inc. (aka The Play Company/PlayCo)
$10,000 New York, NY
To support the New York premiere of "Villa" by Chilean playwright and director Guillermo Calderon at the Play
Company. The play tells the story of Chilean citizens grappling with what to do with Villa Grimaldi, a historical
site where thousands were tortured and killed by the Pinochet regime. In the play, three women are charged
with deciding the future of the estate, and they wrestle with how the Chilean people can come to terms with the
unwanted legacy of an unspeakable past. This will be the first English language production of the play in the
United States, and special outreach will be conducted to attract Chilean and South American audiences.
PlayPenn, Inc.
$20,000 Philadelphia, PA
To support the New Play Development Conference. The focus of the conference will be development workshops
in which competitively selected playwrights will be invited to work with a director, dramaturg, designers, and
actors to develop new works. Each workshop will culminate in a public reading before a general audience.
Some details of the projects listed are subject to change, contingent upon prior Arts Endowment approval. Information is current as of
December 7, 2016.