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Feature Story - Homeless Theatre Troupe Thrives in Oakland
In 2005, a new acting company was born in Alameda County. The Seldom Seen Acting Company isn't the typical ensemble of local prima donnas looking for their next community theater gig. They're homeless men, all clients of the Champion Guidance Center, who came together to perform great works and to write and perform some of their own stories about the daily struggles of living on the streets of Oakland.
Under the able guidance of Shakespeare instructor Donna Foley, the men have been meeting since early last year. In that time, some of the participants have dropped in and out of the program. Others have left entirely- to jail, the streets, or both. A few men have been part of the troupe since its inception, finding an emotional and creative outlet for the daily challanges of homelessness, hunger and addiction.
The group came together for its first performance in December, when the men performed a series of monologues before an audience of roughly 125 people at the Oakland Museum of California's James Moore Theatre. Both instructor Foley and Champion Guidance Center Manager Stephen Krank hope to schedule more performances this year, including, perhaps, performing in local schools.
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Please Join us. Attend a short performance by the Seldom Seen Actors and tour our Downtown Campus
March 16, 2007