The 2020 Noise Now Season Partners A Noise Within Theatre with 10 Los Angeles Cultural Organizations

Building upon its previously announced season theme of “Spirits Rising,” Pasadena-based repertory theatre A Noise Within will partner with ten Los Angeles cultural arts organizations for ten events in the Noise Now series running from late August through the beginning of January 2021.

Noise Now is a cultural initiative entering its second year, following its February 2019 launch, and is aimed at sharing artistic resources and producing events that are  accessible to all audiences. A particular focus is placed upon underrepresented groups, communities of color, young people and any other populations which are not equitably represented in theatre.

“Noise Now and A Noise Within are committed to making classic theatre as accessible and inclusive as possible,” says ANW Director of Cultural Programming Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx. “In alignment with our season theme, ‘Spirits Rising,’ these fall projects celebrate stories of rising from the ashes, rebirth, and confronting the ghosts of our past. These characters, like all of us today, are on the precipice of transformation. Whether it be losing a cherry orchard, surviving a war, or defending one’s innocence, the stories this fall celebrate the resilience in us all.”

For its first event of the fall 2020 season, Noise Now will bring back “Rule My World,” an urban opera retelling of Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra,” on Aug. 23 and 24 after having to cancel it in the spring season due to COVID-19. After that, Noise Now will partner with MKM Bollystars Dance Company for the third time to present “Her Story,” an Indian dance interpretation of Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” on Oct. 23 and 25.

Following that performance, Noise Now will again collaborate with Towne Street Theatre and present a staged reading of a new play on Nov. 1. Then, Noise Now will be working with acclaimed director Gregg T. Daniel on the workshop performance of “Vanye” on Nov. 6.

A modern adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” presented in a collaboration with Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble, “Vanye” will explore the life of a black family in St. Louis. In conjunction with UCLA’s Diversifying the Classics Project, Noise Now will finish out November with LA Escena, the newest festival of Hispanic classical theatre in the

U.S., from Nov. 13 through 15.

After a Thanksgiving break, Noise Now will explore gentrification in Los Angeles through a modern adaptation of Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” in “The Grove” on Dec. 5 and 6.  Next, Noise Now will work with Saudade Theatre Company to present “For the Sake of Dreaming,” which explores the lives of two actors and their pursuit of the American Dream, on Dec. 11.

Then, as ANW prepares to bring classic Greek myths to life with “An Iliad” and “Metamorphoses” in spring 2021, Noise Now and Élan Ensemble will uncover the horrors of war for five women in ancient Greece in a reimagining of “Trojan Women” on Dec. 19.  In January, Noise Now will present a staged reading with Unbound Productions on Jan. 2, 2021. Finally, after a sold-out show last December, “Latina Christmas Special: An American Comedy of Latina Proportions” returns to Noise Now to close out the season on Jan. 2 and 3, 2021.

Noise Now’s efforts have expanded the audiences that come through the doors of A Noise Within. Fifty-nine percent of patrons who have attended Noise Now programming have never been to A Noise Within before. Additionally, Noise Now audiences include 46 percent people of color and 34 percent of patrons under the age of 40.

“In these uncertain times, our stages remain a space for healing,” Muñoz-Proulx said. “Noise Now was launched over a year ago with a commitment to creating a forum for our community to gather, to question, and to share. The act of connecting over shared experiences has perhaps never been so necessary. We look forward to seeing you at the theatre as we rise together and step back on stage.”

Noise Now events are designed to be accessible to all audiences. Tickets for Noise Now events are “Pay What You Choose” and can be reserved at anoisewithin.org/noise-now.