PORT TOWNSEND — In a rare “legislative theater” event, the Poetic Justice Theatre Ensemble will present “Gambling with Our Lives: Healthcare Access and Affordability,” this Tuesday and Thursday, Oct. 20 and 22, in downtown Port Townsend.
Admission is free while donations are welcome at the two 6:30 p.m. performances at the Cotton Building, 607 Water St.
The public is invited to both, as they promise to be very different, said Poetic Justice codirector Marc Weinblatt.
“Come participate actively or simply witness the process,” he added.
Legislative theater is a unique way for people to propose new policies to local lawmakers, Weinblatt said, adding that the method has been used to change laws around the world.
Finding a health care provider is one of the biggest concerns for many in this community; the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, didn’t fix that, said Jenifer Taylor of Jefferson County Citizens for Healthcare Access.
“Our doctors and dentists get paid so little under the subsidized plans that some of them can’t afford to take Apple Health and Medicaid patients,” she added.
“We need to talk about and work on this issue, until things change.”
Poetic Justice’s legislative theater is just the start of this dialogue, said Weinblatt, who calls the event a kind of town hall with a creative twist.
Each performance, he said, starts with a short play based on local community members’ real-life experiences of unaffordable healthcare, high bills and confusion about the system.
Next, audience members will be invited on to the stage to talk about solutions to the problems presented — on the individual, institutional and government levels.
A community dialogue ensues, leading into the legislative theater: a mock legislative session when audience members propose policy ideas and vote on them.
Weinblatt and the Poetic Justice ensemble have invited local lawmakers and candidates to these events.
Among those who have confirmed their attendance of one or both are state Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim; Jefferson County commissioners Kathleen Kler and Phil Johnson; Port Townsend City Council members Michelle Sandoval and Deborah Stinson; and Jefferson Healthcare hospital commissioners Jill Buhler, Matt Ready and Tony DeLeo.
“One thing we do well in Port Townsend is thinking outside the box and taking action to create the change we want.
“Health care is no different,” said Zhaleh Almaee Weinblatt, a member, codirector and trainer with Poetic Justice.
“It’s not enough to vent our frustrations to a friend about what’s not working.
“Theater is a powerful tool for community dialogue,” she said.
Now in its 15th season, Poetic Justice is a multi-ethnic, multi-generational troupe of local actor-activists who use theater as a tool for awareness and social change.
A program of Port Townsend’s Mandala Center for Change, the ensemble seeks to stimulate deep dialogue and invite positive action toward a more just and joyous world.
For more information, see www.mandalaforchange.com or phone the center at 360-344-3435.
