We’re so excited to be back in session for Handful Players’ 2017-18 season! We’re offering free dance and theater classes every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday after-school at the African American Art & Culture Complex to enrich the talent, creativity and potential of San Francisco’s youth! Join us as we welcome new and returning students from The Western Addition Beacon Center, Margaret Hayward Rec-Connect and Booker T. Washington Community Service Center. The group will work all year with our artists and instructors to create Handful Player’s next production, which will have its World Premiere on May 12, 2018.
And that’s just the beginning! We’re also providing after-school musical theater programs at the Buchanan YMCA to elementary students from John Muir, Rosa Parks and New Traditions schools. Middle schoolers at KIPP SF Bay Academy with a passion for dance are attending our after-school classes. And at Booker T., middle school students will immerse themselves in the art of spoken word and dance and we’re even offering a little clowning (around) for the 1st & 2nd graders.
New & Familiar Faces
Fall marks the return of some familiar faces as well as some bright new artists to Handful Players. We’re happy to welcome back Embodiment Project dancer Amber Julian, in a dynamic new capacity. Amber teaches our middle school dance program at Booker T., helping them break in their new facility! Joining Amber at Booker T. is the incredibly talented and eloquent Tassiana Willis. Tassiana is launching a new spoken word program. Wonderful additions to our broad handful of talent!
Our New Resident Playwright
Handful Players is proud to announce this season’s resident playwright: Roy Conboy, a gifted writer, director and teacher of Latino/Mixed Blood descent. Roy will write an original play addressing themes that are academically, culturally and socially relevant to the students of the Western Addition. The play, starring the kids, will have its world premiere next year at the African American Art & Complex. As the head of San Francisco State University’s Playwriting Program for more than 20 years, Roy has brought the program to national prominence, with several graduates achieving internationally acclaimed, award-winning careers. In addition to his vast experience as an educator, Roy is committed to working with young people. Two children’s plays he wrote, “Hot Tamale/Tamale Caliente” and “El Canto del Roble/The Song of the Oak”, recently toured Central California schools through PCPA Theaterfest of Santa Maria. Roy joins an illustrious group of playwrights who have generously contributed their talents to Handful Players over the past decade, resulting in 95 original plays: Marcus Gardley, Nick Olivero, Andrew Saito, Eugenie Chan, Jeff Raz, Lauren Gunderson and Chinaka Hodge.
We are thrilled to offer such a full and enriching new season to students of the Western Addition, and we’re overjoyed at the chance to work with a handful of amazing artists who bring the learning to life.
With new programs, new faces and new talent, this year promises to be one full of fun, growth and creative expression.
We can’t wait for the curtains to rise!