Touring Outreach

We are currently revamping our Touring Outreach program. Stay tuned for news!

From 2007-2020, Writers Theatre Education toured a production of The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights by Yolanda Androzzo directly to young people across the city! The show reached over 83,000 young people across Chicagoland. The MLK Project promotes civic responsibility and social justice through dialogue and discussion. 

The MLK Project: The Fight for Civil Rights
Written by Yolanda Androzzo
Produced by Writers Theatre

The MLK Project is a one-woman show that follows a Chicago student’s personal transformation through studying the Civil Rights Movement. Alaya uses her fists as an outlet for anger, but after interviewing local heroes of the Movement she discovers she can put “anger into action” and that her power is in her voice and her hip hop, not violence. Weaving together real interviews, poetry, hip-hop, history and multimedia projections the performance features stories of both celebrated and unsung Chicago-based Civil Rights Activists. In a tour-de-force performance the actress portrays:

• Reverend Samuel “Billy” Kyles who was present on the evening Dr. King was killed
• Spoken word artist and activist Sista Yo
• Reverend Jesse Jackson, longtime fighter for social justice
• Puerto Rican poet and activist David Hernandez
• And more!

“The program was excellent and beneficial for all. It was especially relevant and relatable to our students because of the references to Chicago… I liked how students were engaged throughout as beat-keepers, etc. This was a prime example of the importance of theatre education in schools. Excellent performance from beginning to end!”

– Teacher, Elm Place Middle School

 “The acting was phenomenal. My classmates and I really enjoyed how you put acting and education together. I was able to feel how it must’ve been for African Americans back then because of all the detail you were able to put in the performance… our thank you ends here but the knowledge you have given us will last forever.”
– Student, Jane Addams Elementary

PICTURED: CAREN BLACKMORE AS ALAYA THE MLK PROJECT. PHOTOS: TOM MCGRATH