THE PLAY VOICES OF NOW WAS PERFORMED
The performance Voices of Now was presented today at the Belgrade Dance Institute, supported by the US Embassy in Belgrade. The play is part of the Arena Stage Theater based in Washington. The audience was addressed by the Dean, Prof. dr Vladimir Tomašević, while Cultural Affairs Officer of the US Embassy, Holly Zardus, spoke about the play.
The project was created during a one-week theater workshop in Zagreb (December 2022) organized by the Office of Culture and Media of the US Embassy in Zagreb. Under the leadership of trainers from Arena Stage, 25 participants between the ages of 18 and 24 from different ethnic, socio-economic, and religious groups created an open forum on issues such as the war in Ukraine, global security, and what young people can do to build safe and prosperous communities in the region. The program emphasizes communication, tolerance, and finding a common language through the creation of a play that addresses these issues. The primary goal of the project is to foster regional stability, promote tolerance, and encourage healthy communities through open and honest communication about differences and similarities that exist between us. Young people from Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina participate in the performance.
Voices of Now creates autobiographical plays and films with ensembles of high school, young, and adult artists both locally and internationally. Voices of Now performances/films are fast-paced, collaboratively written, physically driven pieces that pose significant social questions relevant to the ensemble artists and their communities. The primary goal of Voices of Now is to create positive change within the artists’ communities by engaging in dialogue focused on each ensemble member’s unique life experience.
