American Dreams


"THIS SMART, PROVOCATIVE PLAY DESERVES TO GO ON TO BE PRODUCED IN AS MANY U.S. CITIES AS ARE ON THE MAP"



CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER





American Dreams




An immersive, interactive theatrical event that imagines a world where the only way to become a U.S. citizen is by competing in a nationally-televised game show run by the U.S. government.


The live "studio" audience votes after each of the five rounds, determining which contestant will win the ultimate prize - citizenship to the "greatest country on earth."


Weaving multiple levels of audience engagement with up-to-the-moment questions about immigration and citizenship, this playful participatory performance invites us to explore who and what we choose to believe – and how those choices shape who we are as people, communities, and nations.



ARTIST STATEMENTS





Leila Buck



At a time when so many feel a deep divide between various definitions of who “we” are, AMERICAN DREAMS strives to offer something more essential than ever: The opportunity to connect our hearts and minds with people, places and ideas we might not encounter otherwise. I believe that those moments are a reminder that the distance between “us” and “them”, “here” and “there” is often shorter than we think.





TamiLLA Woodard



Through this work, I want to harness what is unique and vital about live performance in an increasingly virtual and disconnected world: The ability to respond in real-time to what is actually happening within, between and around us, in shared space, together – and in that process, to shift how we see ourselves, each other, and the possibilities in between.





Jens Rasmussen



As an immersive show that was created through devising, American Dreams represents the leading edge in both form and technique in theatre today. But it is also grounded, accessible, entertaining theatre, meant for "regular folks" all across this country. All these things, taken together, make American Dreams one of the most important pieces I have ever worked on, and I can’t wait to share it.



Cleveland Plain Dealer



"It's interactive, fun and darkly comic. The ensemble is unnervingly believable, hosts and hopefuls alike. And, although we are ostensibly watching the competitors, it's actually we who are under scrutiny."


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BEST OF 2018:
FROM ‘AMERICAN DREAMS’ TO ‘BOOGIEBAN’



"American Dreams offered more than smart performances, whiz-bang visuals, ripped-from-the-headlines subject matter, and clever, cheeky packaging. Never shrill or preachy, “American Dreams” engaged our heads and hearts, asking us to confront a thorny problem only the most disingenuous pundits and politicians promise has an easy fix."


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AMERICAN THEATRE MAGAZINE:
IMMIGRANT REPRESENTATION MATTERS TOO



"Isam Zaiem, an American Dreams audience member and himself an immigrant, confessed that he didn’t realize how difficult it would be to make a decision. “How do you choose which of the three applicants should have the opportunity to become an American citizen?"


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THE SCENE



“If a good play should make you think about an issue and make you a bit uncomfortable about your preconceived notions, then American Dreams does the job.”


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TOP TEN STAND-OUT MOMENT OF 2017-2018 SEASON



The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society honored American Dreams, as one of the top 10 achievements in the American theatre for diversity and inclusion.


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TALKIN BROADWAY



“It is involvement theater at its best.”


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KILROY'S LIST: AMERICAN DREAMS - HONORABLE MENTION



After just two public readings in LaGuardia Performing Arts Centers Rough Draft Festival, American Dreams​ landed on the Kilroy's Honorable Mention list.


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The Team



Leila
Buck



Writer & Conciever



Leila is a Lebanese-American writer, performer, and intercultural facilitator who has lived and worked in more than 20 Arab and European countries and throughout the US

www.leilabuck.com



Tamilla Woodard



Director & Developer



Tamilla is the Associate Artistic Director of WP Theater and co-founder of PopUP Theatrics, which has created immersive and participatory theatre for audiences in Europe, South America, Mexico and the US since 2007. Associate Director for the TONY AWARD WINNING, Hadestown.

www.tamilla.com



Jens Rasmussen



Collaborator/Deviser



Jens is an actor, educator, and producer with over 20 years of experience creating work focused on social justice

www.jensrasmussen.info



Imran Sheikh



Deviser



Imran Sheikh is a first generation Pakistani-American actor who is focused on bringing the universality of theatre as a study of the human condition to communities across America.

@imransheikhinfo



Ali
Andre Ali



Actor



Ali Andre Ali is an actor and musician based in New York. As an actor he has worked on various new work in New York and regionally. As a musician he writes and performs with his music duo fajjr+ali www.aliandreali.com



Andrew Aaron Valdez



Actor



Andrew Aaron Valdez is an actor, director, playwright, poet, and educator, and is a C.A.R.E. Teaching Artist at Cleveland Play House, Steering Committee Member of the Latinx Theatre Commons, and a 2019/2020 Americans for the Arts (AFTA) Arts & Culture Leaders of Color Fellow.



ADDITIONAL CREDITS FROM PREMIERE:
CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE, RAYMOND BOBGAN - PRODUCER



ORIGINAL STUDIO CAST:
JOSHUA D. BROWN, CHRISTOPHER HISEY, LYNNA METRISIN, BRENTON SULLIVAN
& INDIA NICOLE BURTON-ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

ORIGINAL DESIGN & TECHNICAL TEAM:
WES CALKIN, MERIT GLOVER, SAM KUSNETZ, T. PAUL LOWRY,
KERRY MCCARTHY, RYAN PATTERSON
& COLLEEN MCCAUGHEY-STAGE MANAGER



History



October 2016 - First developmental reading at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center and Queens College thanks to a grant from Queens College’s Center for Economic, Racial, Religious, and Ethnic Understanding with actor/devisers Jens Rasmussen, Monte Bezell, Ahmad Maksoud, and Rasha Zamamiri

Spring 2017 - Rough Draft Festival at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center.

Osh Ghanimah, Jens Rasmussen and Imran Sheikh offer key language, ideas, and improvisations toward the characters of Adil, Chris, and Usman.

Summer 2017 - Kilroys List Honorable Mention

November 2017 - New character of Alejandro is developed in collaboration with Andrew Aaron Valdez, Jens Rasmussen, and veteran Jason Drevenak

January 2018 - UTR Pitch at Under the Radar Festival, NYC

February 2018 - World premiere at Cleveland Public Theatre. Cast: Leila Buck, Jens Rasmussen, Imran Sheikh, Ali Andre Ali, Andrew Aaron Valdez.

Summer 2018 - Featured in American Theatre Magazine

October 2018 - Named a Top Ten "Standout Moment" for diversity and inclusion in the American Theatre for 2017-18

December 2018 - Named Best Ten Plays of 2018

​

CURRENTLY BUILDING

​ELECTION 2020 TOUR

Contact us to learn how to become a part.



ELECTION 2020 TOUR



Launching September 2020 in Arizona



Having garnered both critical, industry, and audience acclaim, American Dreams is now in conversation with producers and presenters across the country. Adapting the National New Play Network´s Rolling World Premiere model, we intend to bring American Dreams to communities of all sizes. Contact us to find out how you can bring this timely show to your audience.


BRING AMERICAN DREAMS
TO YOUR COMMUNITY

Running Time





75 minutes with no intermission



Personnel





Cast and Crew of 10 plus a scalable number of non-scripted - support roles depending on venue's budget.



Venue Requirements





Proscenium configuration with rear projection capabilities. Minimum playing space: 30’ wide, 16’ deep

Detailed technical rider available upon request



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