April 11th &12 and 18th & 19th at 7pm, 2003

Tickets are $7. $6 for students/seniors

Darkhorse Theater

4610 Charlotte Avenue

Call 298-3592 for Reservations

Real Life Players present 10^th anniversary production

The Real Life Players, the midstate's only teen owned and operated theater company, celebrates its tenth year with the presentation of "The Illusion of They".

The "Illusion of They" is an original production and the result of a process that began in September. For three to four Sunday afternoons, the 20 members gather at St. George's Episcopal Church to determine the plot, develop characters, discuss scenarios, and contribute lines. The result is approximately 150 pages of notes. Valli Baldwin, Artistic Director and sole adult member of the company, calls herself a quilter who has to then take the patches of information and weave them together with a common thread. The result is a play produced and performed by teens using their creative and diverse voices to address real life issues affecting today's youth.

When asked to reflect on the company's 10-year milestone Baldwin imparted, "I am utterly amazed that a teen owned and operated non-profit has successfully survived for ten years."

The play, featuring a cast and crew made up of youths ranging from 11-19, will be presented on Friday, April 11; Saturday, April 12; Friday, April 18; and Saturday, April 19. All shows are at 7 p.m.

Every year, the Real Life Players have donated the proceeds from the show to a Nashville non-profit organization that impacts youth. This year, the group will make a donation to Oasis Center's Youth Leadership and Crisis Intervention programs. In the last decade, the troupe has donated more than $20,000 to organizations including Vanderbilt's Pediatric HIV/Aids Clinic, Oasis Center's Teen Crisis Line and Transitional Living Program, Stagework's scholarship fund, and the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Real Life Player Joseph Meyers comments, ‚"We are inspired by the idea of teens helping teens, and the Oasis Center furthers that concept." Player Grace Killman states, "Oasis' mission is multifaceted; Oasis offers programs for teens and families in crisis and offers programs which provide teens opportunity for leadership within Oasis and in the community.‚"

Ticket prices are $6 for students and $7 for adults. Ticket orders are recommended and may be placed after April 1 by calling 383-7484.

For more information, call Valli Baldwin, Artistic Director, at 298-3592.