Actors Gang Inc

THE ACTORS' GANG (TAG) MISSION IS TO PRESENT NEW, UNCONVENTIONAL AND UNCOMPROMISING PLAYS AND DYNAMIC REINTERPRETATIONS OF THE CLASSICS; RESTORE THE ANCIENT SENSE OF THE STAGE AS A SHARED SACRED SPACE; INTRODUCE THEATER TO CHILDREN AND HELPS THEM FIND THEIR OWN CREATIVE VOICES; AND BRING THE FREEDOM OF SELF-EXPRESSION TO THE INCARCERATED.

ONE OF TAG'S OUTREACH PROGRAMS IS THE PRISON PROJECT (TAGPP). TAGPP PROVIDES JUSTICE-INVOLVED PARTICIPANTS OPPORTUNITIES TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY SEE THEMSELVES AND OTHERS SO THEY CAN MAKE DIFFERENT CHOICES IN LIFE. WORKING IN AN ARTISTIC PRACTICE ALLOWS THE EXPLORATION OF FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS IN A SAFE PLACE WITHOUT JUDGEMENT.AS PART OF TAG'S COMMITMENT TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, AND IN RESPONSE TO CALIFORNIA'S HUGE RECIDIVISM RATE AND EXCESSIVE OVERCROWDING, THE ACTORS' GANG PRISON PROJECT (TAGPP) WAS LAUNCHED IN 2006. TAGPP NOW CONDUCTS PROGRAMMING IN 14 CALIFORNIA PRISONS AND 16 YARDS. TAGPP CONTINUES ITS WEEKLY REENTRY PROGRAM AT WALDEN HOUSE IN LOS ANGELES TO SERVE AS AN OFF-RAMP FOR THOSE EXITING THE PRISON SYSTEM. TAGPP'S YOUTH PROJECT UTILIZES THE DOCUMENTED POWER OF THE ARTS TO REIMAGINE WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH AND SUPPORT CHILDREN WHO ARE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED. THE ACTORS' GANG PRISON PROJECT ALUMNI ADVOCACY PROJECT (TAGAAP) LAUNCHED IN 2018 CONTINUES TO GROW AND EXPAND. TAGPP RECENTLY HIRED A FORMERLY INCARCERATED PARTICIPANT AS THE FULL-TIME ALUMNI ASSOCIATE TO MANAGE THE PROGRAM. TAG HAS ALSO HIRED 17 FORMERLY INCARCERATED PARTICIPANTS AS TAS, ALLOWING THEM TO PAY IT FORWARD AND HELP OTHERS SUCCEED IN ATTAINING PAROLE, WORK IN THE COMMUNITY AND BUILD HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS.DURING THE LAST YEAR, TAGPP TAS INTERACTED WITH 425 PARTICIPANTS IN PRISONS. THESE WORKSHOPS CONTINUE TO USE THE WORKSHOP MODEL TAGPP HAS HONED OVER THE YEARS. WORKSHOPS BEGIN WITH AN INTENSIVE FOUR HOURS OF CLASS EACH DAY FOR SEVEN DAYS. FOLLOWING THE INTENSIVE, TAS MEET WITH PARTICIPANTS REGULARLY TO CONTINUE TO GUIDE THE WORK. BETWEEN MEETINGS WITH TAS, THE PARTICIPANTS WORK IN PEER-LED SETTINGS. WORK WITH THOSE EXITING PRISONS CONTINUED IN LOS ANGELES REENTRY FACILITIES. TAS WORKED WITH 18 PARTICIPANTS IN PROGRAMS CONDUCTED IN TWO PARTNERSHIPS, ONE WITH THE ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION (ARC) AND ONE AT HEALTHRIGHT 360 WALDEN HOUSE. TWENTY-FOUR YOUTHS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAMS CONDUCTED THROUGH THE ACTORS' GANG YOUTH PROJECT (TAGYP). OVER THE LAST YEAR, TAS BROUGHT PROGRAMMING TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY PROBATION'S CAMP KILPATRICK AND CONTINUED THE PARTNERSHIP WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO PROVIDE PROGRAMMING FOR YOUTH IN COURT-ORDERED COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. TAGYP DEVELOPED A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY WARRIORS 4 PEACE, A GANG-INTERVENTION AGENCY IN NORTHEAST LOS ANGELES. THE ALUMNI ADVOCACY PROJECT (TAGAAP) ALSO CONTINUES TO WELCOME NEW FORMERLY INCARCERATED PARTICIPANTS INTO A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY, NOW WITH 56 ACTIVE MEMBERS. MEMBERS OF THE TAGAAP ARE IN DEVELOPMENT OF AN ORIGINAL PLAY BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCES WHILE INCARCERATED. THEY DEVELOPED THE PROJECT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF LONGTIME TAG ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE MEMBER AND DIRECTOR OF PRISON PROGRAMMING, JEREMIE LONCKA. THE SCRIPT WAS RECENTLY COMPLETED AND PERFORMANCES ARE SLATED FOR 2023.

FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, SINCE 1981, TAG HAS PERFORMED FOR AND CREATED COMMUNITY WITH AUDIENCES AROUND THE WORLD. TAG HAS PRESENTED OVER 150 ORIGINAL, SOCIALLY RELEVANT, UNCONVENTIONAL AND UNCOMPROMISING PLAYS AND DYNAMIC REINTERPRETATIONS OF THE CLASSICS IN LOS ANGELES, THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE. TAG PRODUCTIONS CREATE THEATRICAL EXPERIENCES THAT ENTERTAIN, INSPIRE, AND ENGAGE ACTIVE ONGOING DIALOGUE ABOUT OUR SOCIETY, CULTURE AND THE HUMAN CONDITION. TAG ASPIRES TO PROVOKE NEW THINKING AND ACTIVISM ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES INCLUDING CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, EQUALITY AND TOLERANCE. THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, TAG HAS DEVELOPED THEATER THAT REFLECTS THE CONCERNS OF OUR COMMUNITY, SHINING A LIGHT ON THE BEHAVIOR OF THOSE IN POWER AND CELEBRATING THE STORIES OF THE ANONYMOUS AND MARGINALIZED.TAG OFFERS A "PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN" PERFORMANCE EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT FOR THE RUN OF EVERY PRODUCTION - A CORNERSTONE OF TAG'S PHILOSOPHY THAT EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO LIVE THEATER REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC STATUS. THERE ARE MANY FIRST-TIME PATRONS WHO ATTEND THESE PERFORMANCES WHO HAVE NOT PREVIOUSLY HAD ACCESS TO LIVE THEATER OR EVEN THOUGHT IT WAS POSSIBLE. TAG OFFERS REDUCED PRICES AND COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TO STUDENT GROUPS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THE AREA. TAG ALSO HOSTS SPECIAL MATINEES DEDICATED FOR ITS STUDENTS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED LIVE THEATER. STUDENTS ENTHUSIASTICALLY EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE PROFESSIONAL ACTORS PERFORM IN THE "STYLE" EXACTLY AS THEY HAVE LEARNED IT. TAG'S FINAL VIRTUAL PRODUCTION WAS PRESENTED IN DECEMBER 2021 WHEN TAG'S ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE CREATED AN ORIGINAL FAMILY HOLIDAY SHOW ENTITLED PUPPETS FOR ALL, PRESENTED VIA ZOOM. THE PRODUCTION REMAINED AVAILABLE TO STREAM THROUGH THE WINTER HOLIDAY SEASON. IN MARCH 2022 TAG RESTAGED "CAN'T PAY? DON'T PAY!" BY DARIO FO. THIS PRODUCTION WAS FORCED TO CLOSE IN THE MIDDLE OF ITS RUN EXACTLY TWO YEARS EARLIER WHEN COVID-19 LOCKDOWN MEASURES WENT INTO EFFECT. TAG HANDLED THIS REOPENING WITH GREAT CAUTION AND WAS ABLE TO AVOID COVID OUTBREAKS THROUGHOUT THE REHEARSAL PERIOD AND THE RUN OF THE PERFORMANCE. THE NEW HVAC, AIR PURIFICATION SYSTEM PURCHASED IN 2020 HAS PROVEN TO BE AN IMPORTANT AND SUCCESSFUL SAFETY MEASURE. "CAN'T PAY? DON'T PAY!" WAS THE FIRST PRODUCTION AFTER TAG ENTERED A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW TEENTIX BRANCH IN LOS ANGELES THAT OFFERS $5 TICKETS TO TEENAGERS POSSESSING THE FREE DIGITAL TEENTIX PASS.PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, THE ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE MET IN PERSON WEEKLY TO TRAIN TOGETHER. DURING THE PANDEMIC THEY CONTINUED TO MEET WEEKLY VIRTUALLY ON ZOOM. THEY RETURNED TO MEETING IN-PERSON IN SPRING OF 2022. THESE WORKSHOPS CONTINUE NOW AND HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN BUILDING RECENT PRODUCTIONS. AND A NUMBER OF NEW MEMBERS HAVE JOINED THE ENSEMBLE PROVIDING NEW PERSPECTIVES AND POSSIBILITIES.TAG'S SECOND PRODUCTION OF 2022 WAS "AS BOO LIKE IT," LAUNCHING TAG'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON. THIS ORIGINAL ADAPTATION MARKED THE RETURN OF TAG'S FREE SHAKESPEARE-IN-THE-PARK SERIES AFTER A TWO-YEAR HIATUS DUE TO COVID. TAG OFFERED THE SERIES EVERY WEEKEND IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST IN CULVER CITY'S MEDIA PARK, ADJACENT TO TAG'S THEATER IN THE HISTORIC IVY SUBSTATION. BY WEAVING MODERN, CULTURAL, ICONIC REFERENCES INTO CLASSIC TEXTS, TAG CREATES SHOWS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR MULTI-GENERATIONAL AUDIENCES. OVER 2,500 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE OUTDOOR THIS WAS THE 15TH ANNUAL PRODUCTION IN THIS EXTREMELY POPULAR SERIES. DUE TO POPULARITY AND POSITIVE THEMATIC MATERIAL SUCH AS EMPATHY, FORGIVENESS, KINDNESS, SELF-CONFIDENCE TAG HAS RECEIVED A GRANT TO TOUR THESE PRODUCTIONS TO LOS ANGELES COUNTY SCHOOLS. THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON CONTINUED WITH A PRODUCTION OF "UBU THE KING" IN OCTOBER. THIS FRENCH ABSURDIST SATIRE WAS THE PRODUCTION THAT LAUNCHED TAG IN 1982. ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TIM ROBBINS DIRECTED A GROUP OF FELLOW UCLA ALUMNI AND STARRED IN THE TITLE ROLE IN THIS FIRST PRODUCTION UNDER THE ACTORS' GANG BANNER, PERFORMING MIDNIGHT SHOWS IN HOLLYWOOD. THIS YEAR, THE PLAY WAS PRESENTED AGAIN ON TAG'S STAGE WITH A NEW CAST UNDER ROBBINS' DIRECTION. THE PRODUCTION WAS A HUGE SUCCESS, SELLING OUT ALL TEN OF ITS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES, PROMPTING AN EXTENSION INTO NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. "UBU THE KING" WILL GO ON HIATUS DURING THE RUN OF TAG'S HOLIDAY SHOW AND RETURN TO THE STAGE IN JANUARY 2023 FOR ANOTHER SIX-WEEK RUN.DURING THE HIATUS OF "UBU THE KING," TAG WILL PRESENT THE HOLIDAY SHOW "SHAMBLES," A CIRQUE-INSPIRED HOLIDAY SHOW CREATED AND DIRECTED BY STEFAN HAVES, A COMIC ACT DESIGNER FOR CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. "SHAMBLES" IS AN IMMERSIVE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY SHOW THAT FEATURES MEMBERS OF THE TAG ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE IN ADDITION TO PERFORMERS OUTSIDE THE TAG ENSEMBLE WHO SPECIALIZE IN ACROBATICS, MUSIC AND CIRCUS ARTS. TAG HOSTED A 40TH ANNIVERSARY BENEFIT CONCERT AT THE ELI AND EDYTHE BROAD STAGE IN SANTA MONICA. THIS EVENT WAS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT AMONG TAG'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ADVISORY BOARD, STAFF, AND PRODUCTION TEAM. THIS EVENT ATTRACTED AN INTERGENERATIONAL AUDIENCE COMPRISING LONGTIME SUPPORTERS OF TAG AND NEWCOMERS. THE EVENT FEATURED VIDEOS THAT BROUGHT MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FROM NOTABLE TAG SUPPORTERS INCLUDING JACK BLACK, COMMON, ALOE BLACC, DON CHEADLE, EDDIE VEDDER, AND GIANCARLO ESPOSITO AND INCLUDED INFORMATION ABOUT TAG'S PROGRAMMING IN THE THEATER, SCHOOLS AND PRISONS. THESE INFORMATIVE MESSAGES WERE WOVEN INTO THE CONCERT BETWEEN MUSICAL PERFORMANCES BY MENDELEYEV, MADISON CUNNINGHAM, AND JACKSON BROWNE.

THE OTHER OUTREACH PROGRAM IS THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT (TAG-ED). ALL TAG PROGRAMMING IS BASED IN THE 16TH CENTURY ITALIAN ART FORM, COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE THE SAME TRAINING AS THE PROFESSIONAL ACTORS' GANG ENSEMBLE. EMOTIONAL STATES (HAPPY, SAD, AFRAID AND ANGRY) ARE EXPLORED THROUGH COMMEDIA CHARACTERS IN AN IMPROVISATIONAL FORM. THIS HIGHLY STYLIZED, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL WORK REQUIRES FOCUS, EXPRESSIVE USE OF THE VOICE AND BODY, AND DIRECT EYE CONTACT WITH THE AUDIENCE. TAG-ED PROGRAMS USE THE COMPANY'S SIGNATURE STYLE OF THEATER-MAKING AS A TOOL TO EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE TO SUCCEED ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY. TAG-ED PROGRAMS BEGAN IN 2000. FROM THE BEGINNING, THE PROGRAMS HAVE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND THEIR SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. TAG-ED PROVIDES FREE IN-SCHOOL INTEGRATED ARTS EDUCATION WORKSHOPS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SATURDAY CLASSES AND SUMMER THEATER PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS FROM SIX TO 18 YEARS OLD TO 2,500 DIVERSE STUDENTS IN THE GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA. ALL LAUSD STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE PROGRAMMING ARE IN TITLE I SCHOOLS. MANY OF THE STUDENTS TAG-ED WORKS WITH, LIVE IN UNDER-RESOURCED AND HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. SOME ARE IN FOSTER HOMES, HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED, OR HAVE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL, AND, THEREFORE, ARE MARGINALIZED IN THE SYSTEM.TAG-ED WORKSHOPS INFUSE THEATER ARTS INTO THE CURRICULA AND ARE DESIGNED TO MAKE TRADITIONAL ACADEMICS ACCESSIBLE, RELEVANT, AND FUN BY INCORPORATING DRAMATIC PLAY, CREATIVE THINKING, AND EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION. THIS FORM OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING CREATES A SAFE ZONE WHERE STUDENTS CAN SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND IDEAS WITH CONFIDENCE IN FRONT OF THEIR PEERS. TAG-ED PROGRAMS AFFECT HOW STUDENTS LEARN, INTERACT WITH OTHERS AND VIEW THEMSELVES. WORKING WITH CLASSROOM TEACHERS, TEACHING ARTIST'S (TAS) BRING THE SUBJECT MATTER TO LIFE WITH VARIOUS ACTIVITIES. TAG-ED TAS ARE TRAINED TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW CALIFORNIA ARTS STANDARDS INTO THE WORK. CREATIVE AND REFLECTIVE WRITING FROM A COMMEDIA CHARACTER'S POINT OF VIEW ARE ESSENTIAL ASPECTS OF THE WORK AND ENCOURAGE CREATIVE AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS. STUDENTS CREATE AND PRESENT THEATRICAL COMPOSITIONS FOR THEIR CLASSMATES. DURING THE REFLECTION PERIODS, STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY EXHIBIT A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MATERIAL. TAG-ED SURVEYS SHOW THAT 75% OF STUDENTS SAID THEY WERE BETTER ABLE TO UNDERSTAND CLASSROOM MATERIAL AFTER THE WORKSHOP.TAG-ED RETURNED TO IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS IN THE LATTER HALF OF 2021 THROUGH ITS IN-SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS ON SITE AT VARIOUS LA COUNTY SCHOOLS. IN 2022, TAG-ED WAS ABLE TO SUPPLEMENT THIS WITH A RETURN TO FULL SCALE IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING SUMMER PROGRAMS, SATURDAY TUITION CLASSES, AND ITS CULVER CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (CCUSD) AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AT TAG'S THEATER. TAG-ED CONTINUES TO CONDUCT BOTH ITS ENSEMBLE IN THE CLASSROOM AND INTEGRATED ARTS PROGRAMS. IN THE SPRING OF 2022, TAG-ED PROVIDED PROGRAMMING IN SIX LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (LAUSD) SCHOOLS: CHEREMOYA ELEMENTARY, HARVARD ELEMENTARY, ALONZO ELEMENTARY, HOLLYWOOD HIGH, AND LOCKE HIGH SCHOOLS. LOCKE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMMING WAS OFFERED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EDUCARE FOUNDATION. LAUSD'S HAMILTON HIGH SCHOOL ALSO PARTICIPATED IN PROGRAMMING CONDUCTED ON-SITE AT TAG'S THEATER. A PARTNERSHIP WITH INNER CITY ARTS BROUGHT TAG-ED PROGRAMMING TO ICEF VISTA ACADEMY. DURING THE SUMMER, TAG-ED REPLACED ITS STANDARD SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS WITH AN EXTENDED PARTNERSHIP WITH COMPTON UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (CUSD), PROVIDING WORKSHOPS TO SIX SCHOOLS WITHIN THAT DISTRICT. DURING THE FALL, TAG-ED RETURNED TO ICEF VISTA ACADEMY AND PROVIDED WORKSHOPS TO TWO LAUSD SCHOOLS: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY AND BOYLE HEIGHTS CONTINUATION HIGH SCHOOL. THE CCUSD AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM CONSISTED OF100 STUDENTS FROM VARIOUS DISTRICT SCHOOLS. THEY PARTICIPATED IN TAG'S THEATER CLASSES CULMINATING IN PERFORMANCES FOR STUDENTS' FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.