Dmae presents an encore broadcast of an interview with Kevin Jones, artistic director of The August Wilson Red Door Project which is presenting a new production called The EVOLVE Experience. This work combines gripping and timely monologues from of Hands Up about racial profiling of African Americans by police and the recent original pieces from the world premiere of Cop Out: Beyond Black, White & Blue. After their successful tour of Hands Up about racial profiling of African Americans by police othat was performed before over 12,000 people, Jones decided to create a follow up show from the perspective of law enforcement. This was no easy task because of deep divides between communities of color and police. Jones tells us how he commissioned and worked with 21 writers to develop the monologue pieces of Cop Out.
(Airs 11am 5/14/19 on KBOO 90.7 FM or always on stagenstudio.com and always on iTunes)
Featured music by David Ornette Cherry. Hear his music at DavidOrnetteCherry.com
With monologues from Hands Up and Cop Out: Beyond Black, White & Blue
Directed by Kevin Jones. Co-directed by Louanne Moldovan, Damaris Webb and Phil Johnson
All shows at: The Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center
5340 N Interstate Ave, Portland, OR 97217
May 18th at 7:30pm, 19th at 2pm and 23rd-24th at 7:30pm and 25th at 2pm.
Hands Up: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments monologues:
Superiority Fantasy by Nathan James
Holes in My Identity by Nathan Yungerberg
Abortion by Nsangou Njikam
How I Feel by Dennis Allen II
Cop Out monologues:
The PSA by Shepsu Aakhu
Happy Birthday Officer Hughes and Place Your Hands On Your Head In Holy City by J. Nicole Brooks
Full Stop by Bonnie Ratner
The Things You Can’t Unsee by J. David Shanks
So I Was Driving Along by Andrea Stolowitz
Featured actors are Bryant Bentley*, Christopher Hirsh*, Paul Susi, Tyharra Cozier, Julana Torres*, Tim Golden, Rico Anderson*, and Jonathan Thompson.
KEVIN JONES (DIRECTOR): Kevin is the CEO and co-founder of The August Wilson Red Door Project, a non-profit that uses art to change the racial ecology of Portland. The Red Door Project has been the recipient of Portland Monthly’s best new nonprofit award and the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Juice Award for innovation. In 2017 the Red Door was recognized as the Organization of the Year by the City of Portland.
In 2016, The Red Door Project produced The New Black Fest’s Hands Up: 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments, a collection of monologues exploring black people’s reactions to racial profiling. These performances are followed by professionally facilitated conversations designed to evoke new thinking on this topic. Hands Up was presented to over 10,000 people in the last two years. Their work with Hands Up has led the Red Door to partner with the Portland Police Bureau where they are working closely with the Training Division. Kevin is an award-winning actor and director with over 30 years’ experience in regional theaters throughout the US and abroad.
- KBOO