CASTING CALL! The WHY of MY City


SAINT LOUIS STORY STITCHERS ARTISTS COLLECTIVE ANNOUNCES CASTING CALL FOR The WHY of MY City

The WHY of MY City is a multi-year signature program that captures and documents pieces of black history through written word and art while training the next generation to become active, engaged citizens. Our goal is that programs become a force multiplier, rippling into families, schools, and neighborhoods, offering solutions to common urban problems.

Saint Louis Story Stitchers has commissioned playwright Mario Farwell to write a new script for The WHY of MY City, centering on St. Louis’s Black neighborhoods and historic figures. The new play will be presented to the public June 15 and 16, 2023, as part of Juneteenth celebration.

The play will include community members and will be staged at the .ZACK Theatre at Kranzberg Arts Foundation. Story Stitchers is honored to work with Gregory S. Carr as director. This is Gregory’s first project with Saint Louis Story Stitchers.

Synopsis of the play: Wanda, a young African American, returns to St. Louis after graduating high school.  She wants to explore opportunities, but Zoot Suit, a well-known gangster, entices her to come work for him.   The community rallies to prevent Wanda from making a serious mistake and with the help of Scott Joplin, Madam CJ Walker, Cool Papa Bell and Tina Turner, they manage to save her from the clutches of Zoot Suit.

To learn more about opportunities to get involved or to register for an audition or interview, visit The WHY of MY City landing page: HERE

CASTING CALL:

LOCATION: The Center, 3701 Grandel Sq, Studio 1A, St. Louis, MO 63108

DATES AND TIMES:

CASTING CALL

LOCATION: The Center, 3701 Grandel Sq, 1A, St. Louis, MO 63108

Wednesday, May 10, 6:00-10:00 PM Auditions and Interviews

Saturday, May 13, 12:00-5:00 PM, Auditions and Interviews

Wednesday, May 17,  6:00-10:00 PM Call Backs

REGISTER LINK FOR AUDITIONS WITH DIRECTOR GREGORY S. CARR: HERE

TICKETS TO THE PLAY: $10 on MetroTix

Acknowledgements

The WHY of MY City is presented with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, Missouri Humanities Council, a state agency, The Lewis Prize for Music 2021 Accelerator Award, and Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

About Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective

Saint Louis Story Stitchers is a nationally recognized Artists Collective known for high quality art and innovative youth violence prevention programs.

Story Stitchers is committed to placing youth at the center of the work both in identifying topics for exploration as well as the methods for engagement. This approach builds a community of youth and professional artists who respect one another. Gun violence continues to be a pressing public health crisis that consumes the attention of the engaged youth, and artistic expression helps youth work through the pain and loss they have experienced.

Stitchers collect stories, reframe and retell them through art, writing and performance to promote understanding, civic pride, intergenerational relationships and literacy. Projects create a platform for community engagement through an artistic lens and with it the Saint Louis Story Stitchers work to shift perceptions and realities and bring hope to the Saint Louis community. Our goal is to promote a better educated, more peaceful and caring region through storytelling.