Arts for Social Awareness

OperaWorks’ Arts for Social Awareness Project (ASAP) was created to bring awareness to current social issues through live musical-dramatic productions in intimate theater spaces. Each new work is created from interviews and interactions with people affected by and/or working within each issue. Performances are fully staged and costumed with the musical score improvised each night. Talkback sessions are scheduled at the conclusion of each performance with leaders in the field of the social topic addressed. Selected performances will be preserved on film for future use by advocacy groups.

The Discord Altar

Arts for Social Awareness Project flagship production

April 10 – May 3, 2015 • Secret Rose Theatre • North Hollywood, CA

With a libretto by award-winning playwright Meghan Brown and music improvised nightly by the cast, The Discord Altar was an original opera/play/musical that delved into the epidemic of homelessness. It ran for four weekends in North Hollywood’s intimate Secret Rose Theatre. The cast included seven classically trained singing-actors, a pianist, and a fusion sound sculpture artist. All performances concluded with a talkback session with different homeless shelter representatives and advocates from around the Los Angeles area.

Creators
Playwright: Meghan Brown
Director: Amanda McRaven (NAACP Nominee, Best Director)
Music Director & Pianist: Ann Baltz (NAACP Nominee, Best Music Director)
Fusion Sound Sculpture Artist: Ray Salas

Cast
Drew: Babatunde Akinboboye
Richie: Julia Aks
David: James Hayden
Vanelda: Anjelica McRae
Emily: Alina Roitstein
Lena: Annie Sherman/​Laura Parker

Talk Back Guests
Downtown Women’s Center
Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission
L.A. Family Housing
The Los Angeles Mission
Los Angeles Youth Network
The Midnight Mission
My Friend’s Place
The Rock Club “Rock for Vets”
The San Fernando Valley Rescue Mission
Temple Isaiah
Ian Smith – Marine Corps, Iraq War veteran & Homeless advocate
Wendy Colman Levin – Home for Good Business Leaders Task Force