Noise Now
Noise Now is an enhanced commitment to being of service to all audiences. We strive to celebrate underrepresented populations, communities of color, young people, and all others not equitably represented in the theatre.
Our stages have always been a space for healing. Today, connecting over universal human stories has never been more necessary. We look forward to seeing you at the theatre as we rise together and step back on stage.
Learn more about Noise Now’s mission.
Masks are strongly encouraged and will be available onsite. Medical-grade surgical masks or respirators (e.g. N95, KN95) are recommended. Learn more about our Covid safety policy.
Upcoming Live Events:
An Improbable Fiction | April 3 at 7:30 pm
It’s plague time, and Shakespeare’s characters are out of sorts (and out of work). Several of our favorites Shakespearean characters reunite at The Boar’s Head Tavern to celebrate life and ruminate on the state of the world.
Learn More
Trans Chorus of Los Angeles | April 8 at 7:30 pm
Join the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles for a pre-show performance of pieces inspired by Kiss of the Spider Woman.
Learn More
Images | May 13 at 4 pm & 7 pm
Inspired by visual images of the diversity of Los Angeles County, TheatreWorkers Project will collaborate with formerly incarcerated and justice impacted members of Cal State LA’s Project Rebound community to develop an original theatre piece based on the participants’ poetry and prose.
Learn More
The Dance and the Railroad | May 19-21, 2023
A haunting and powerfully affecting work revolving around two Chinese artists and their fellow railroad workers, who stage a strike to protest the inhuman conditions suffered by the Chinese laborers in the American West of 1867.
Learn More
Virtual Panels with Noise Now:
Indian Folk Dance: An Interactive Workshop
Join Noise Now as Shivani Thakkar (Artistic Director, MKM Bollystars Dance Company) leads an interactive movement workshop inviting viewers to practice simple moves from Indian folk dances at home. Explore history, insights, and origins of these beautiful regional dances – each traditionally performed at community gatherings and celebrations. Tune in and enjoy this interactive, family-friendly event for audiences of all ages!
MKM Bollystars Indian Classical Dance Workshop
Join us as Shivani Thakkar (Artistic Director, MKM Bollystars Dance Company) shares history and insights on Indian Classical Dance and Theatre. Historically, dance and theatre were one art form in India, and as the two separated, many theatrical and story-telling elements have continued within the dance form. Featuring interactive components, the workshop will invite audiences to practice Indian hand gestures (mudras), learn the 5 basic rhythms, and understand the relationship between the Indian and Western theatre.
The Three-Fifths Project by Photographer Ibarionex Perello
Join Ibarionex Perello as he discusses his recent ANW photography exhibition, The Three-Fifths Project, which explores the legacy of slavery and institutional racism. The title is derived from the Three-Fifths Compromise in the US. Constitution. Inspired by August Wilson’s play, Gem of the Ocean, the photographs reflect the perpetual sense of tension, anxiety and insecurity faced by people of color, while also evoking the sense of bloodline and legacy.
Black Arts Leaders & The Ground on Which We Stand
Join arts leaders Nancy Cheryll Davis (Towne Street Theatre), Malik El-Amin (Griot Theatre), Abdullah Hall (Trans Chorus of Los Angeles), and Yvonne Lee (Lower Depth Theatre) as we discuss the history and legacy of the organizations they lead. ANW has had the privilege of collaborating with each of these organizations through Noise Now, an initiative launched in February 2019 to highlight stories from diverse cultures and communities, ensuring that classic theatre is representative and inclusive of all voices.
The Ground on Which I Stand
The following speech was delivered by playwright August Wilson on June 26, 1996, at the 11th biennial Theatre Communications Group national conference at New Jersey’s Princeton University. This text represents the complete and definitive version of Wilson’s address, as published by TCG in September 2001. Read “The Ground on Which I Stand.”
Noise Now – Re-imagining Classics
What defines a classic? Why do we revisit them time and time again? What new, cultural lenses can we apply to these ancient stories? Join Director of Cultural Programming Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx and Noise Now artists as they discuss what goes into adapting classics for modern and diverse audiences.
Panelists include Elmira Rahim (Élan Ensemble), Karole Foreman (The Signal Hill Sandbox), Shivani Thakkar (MKM Bollystars), and Shalini Bathina (MKM Bollystars).
NOISE NOW RESIDENCIES
Noise Now is providing rehearsal space and other resources to foster the development of new work and to build allyship with peer organizations. Read more.
PAST NOISE NOW EVENTS
See a list of our past Noise Now events here.
Support for Noise Now is made up of program-specific donations from our patrons (acknowledged in our donor listing), with the remainder covered by General Operating funds from the theatre. Noise Now does not rely on foundation, government, or corporate support. If you are interested in supporting the program, please contact us at development@anoisewithin.org!