Playwright Wendy Graf (No Word In Guyanese for Me) explores the journey of an “all American girl” (Annika Marks and Jeanne Syquia, alternating) as she develops from innocent youth to radicalized extremist.
Who will save the children? All American Girl follows Katie, a bright and attractive girl committed to rescuing innocents from hardship and poverty. How does a seemingly ordinary American kid become radicalized? Is violence ever justified? These are some of the questions Graf asks in her newest play.
“I’ve always been interested in understanding the choices people make that end up determining who they are,” she explains. “I ...Read More
Playwright Wendy Graf (No Word In Guyanese for Me) explores the journey of an “all American girl” (Annika Marks and Jeanne Syquia, alternating) as she develops from innocent youth to radicalized extremist.
Who will save the children? All American Girl follows Katie, a bright and attractive girl committed to rescuing innocents from hardship and poverty. How does a seemingly ordinary American kid become radicalized? Is violence ever justified? These are some of the questions Graf asks in her newest play.
“I’ve always been interested in understanding the choices people make that end up determining who they are,” she explains. “I don’t think there’s any single point that determines the road taken in life – the left turn instead of the right. This play doesn’t offer any answers, simply vantage points at which we pause and ask ‘what if?’ ”
“This play scared the hell out of me when I first read it,” says director Anita Khanzadian. “This young woman starts out wanting to save the world, to do right. But painful events in her life drive her to see everything through a different lens. The point is that this can happen to anyone. It’s not that different from blowing up abortion clinics. Extremism is not exclusively Muslim. It’s human.”
All American Girl was developed and read in Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA and Pacific Resident Theatre writing groups, and also received workshops at Fresh Produce’d LA, ALAP New Works Lab and the MET Theatre in Hollywood. The play was a winner at the 23rd annual Last Frontier Theatre Conference.
All American Girl opens on Friday, July 3 (with Jeanne Syquia) and Sunday, July 5 (with Annika Marks) and continues on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. through July 26 (dark July 4). All tickets are $30 except the performances on July 3 and July 5 (opening weekend), for which tickets are $34 and include a post-show reception. The Lounge Theatre is located at 6201 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood CA 90038. To purchase tickets, call (818) 765-8732 or go to www.InterACTla.org.
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