NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, June 24.
PORT ANGELES — Young people will display their concerns about local politics directly to lawmakers during performances tonight and Saturday as part of the Youth Empowerment Project.
The project is a legislative theater event produced by the League of Women Voters of Clallam County and Mandala Center for Change of Port Townsend.
Both performances — each an original 10- to 15-minute play — are at 6:30 p.m. at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St.
Admission to both performances is free.
About one dozen Clallam County youths worked under the direction of Marc Weinblatt, Mandala Center for Change artistic director.
Legislative theater is a form of interactive theater that incorporates actors performing a play, audience participation and elected officials and policymakers as observers, said Deborah Martin, League of Women Voters of Clallam County president.
Area politicians have been invited to attend, she said.
The premise of this legislative theater production is that elected officials and policymakers attend this event to learn — first-hand from Clallam County youths and the community — not only what challenges are faced by local youths but also possible solutions, Martin said.
Founded in 1999, the Mandala Center is a multi-disciplinary arts education organization dedicated to community dialogue, social justice and societal transformation.
During the Youth Empowerment Project, participants worked with Mandala Center staff to write, act and produce a short play that reflects their world and its challenges, Martin said.
Audience participation
The short play is performed twice, Martin said.
The second time, members of the audience are encouraged to take over a role and present an alternative outcome, she said.
The audience then writes one or more proposed pieces of legislation or policy on cards that are collected and read by the master of ceremonies.
Then the audience votes, the votes are tallied and the proposed pieces of legislation are passed or not.
Elected officials and policymakers in attendance observe the entire process and leave knowing what problems exist and what their constituents would like to see done, Martin said.
Members of the audience go home having learned first-hand about issues and possible solutions for their community, while participating youths leave with the knowledge that the community cares about them and is willing to work with them to address their unique challenges, Martin said.
The project has been funded entirely through donations, Martin said, part of which allow every participating youth to receive a small stipend for their weeklong commitment.
To date, contributors include 1st Security Bank, the Sequim Rotary Club, city of Port Angeles, Peninsula Behavioral Health, Clallam Transit, Costco, League of Women Voters Washington Education Fund, League of Women Voters Clallam County, Mandala Center for Change and individual contributors.
For more information, visit www.lwvcla.org or www.mandalaforchange.com, or email eherrling@msn.com.
