Theatre Of The Oppressed NYC To Perform Play Addressing Affordable Housing Problems At Brooklyn Borough Hall

BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL – Theatre of the Oppressed NYC will present Apartment Complex, a play that addresses the struggles many New Yorkers face in finding and securing safe and affordable housing.

Created and performed by members of the Housing Works Theatre Troupe, a group composed of New Yorkers living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, Apartment Complex is based on the real-life experiences of its actors.

The show will be staged at Brooklyn Borough Hall as an example of Legislative Theatre, in which city halls are transformed into performance spaces where government officials, policy makers, and New York City residents participate in productions based on real-life struggles. The goal of Legislative Theatre is to develop policy ideas that will make a difference in the lives of New Yorkers who face injustice and discrimination. Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Diana Reyna will be among the local officials participating in the event.

Following the performance, audience members will be invited onstage to brainstorm with members of Theatre of the Oppressed NYC and the Housing Works Theatre Troupe, finding solutions to the problems depicted in the show. Policymakers will then present proposals based on the ideas discussed and audience members will get to debate and vote on the best solutions, insisting that the participating government representatives commit to acting on the ideas.

Policy proposals developed at previous Legislative Theatre performances include requiring on-duty NYPD officers to wear body cameras and banning the questioning of housing applicants about their criminal pasts.

A NYC law passed in 2014 that allows New Yorkers applying for Municipal ID cards to leave the gender box blank was supported by Council Member Carlos Menchaca (District 38) and inspired by a play about discrimination against transgender New Yorkers.

RSVP: 2017 Legislative Theatre Festival from Theatre of the Oppressed NYC on Vimeo.

Founded by Katy Rubin in 2010, Theatre of the Oppressed NYC collaborates with communities throughout New York City including the homeless, immigrants, LGBTQ youth, people living with HIV/AIDS, prisoners, teens and teachers. Theatre groups are formed to produce original, interactive plays inspired by real‐life challenges to engage audiences in “theatrical problem‐solving.”

“By imagining and rehearsing solutions together onstage, we prepare ourselves to take action offstage!” the group’s Facebook page says.

Apartment Complex
Wednesday, November 29, 6pm to 9pm
Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, Downtown Brooklyn
FREE