The Cedar-Riverside Arts Zone for Youth (CRAZY) & Voices of Cedar-Riverside

Bedlam Theatre operates the Cedar-Riverside Arts Zone for Youth (CRAZY) as an umbrella structure with multiple activities in theater, comedy, spoken word and spectacle. Through multiple community partners, Bedlam looks to help achieve these neighborhood goals
and priorities of:
• positive, quality activities for neighborhood youth
• youth employment
• neighborhood safety and opportunity
• building the network of neighborhood organizations and individuals working together to meet these needs.

INVEST in the artistic opportunities and passion of young people within Cedar Riverside.Help bring their voices to Minnesota audiences and communities.

Ongoing programming includes:

Acting CRAZY

A free weekly class born out of local youth interest in sketch comedy and improvisation. The tagline “Watch comedy, study comedy, perform comedy” captures the structure of most evenings- professional guest artists perform their work, lead the participants in exercises, which then culminate in performances for their peers.

Outloud

A weekly spoken word, hip hop and poetry open-mic/workshop at Brian Coyle Community Center with slams at Mixed Blood Theatre. The afternoons are facilitated by spoken word artists Abdi “Phenomenal” Farah and Farrington Starnes.

Additionally CRAZY works to connect Bedlam to other aspects of the community and integrate teaching artists to existing youth programs in partner organizations

In 2011, CRAZY activity includes the milestone of a professional youth ensemble working together with writers, designers and trainers to gather community stories and create an original production “Voices of Cedar Riverside.” This production comes out of collaboration with Mixed Blood Theater and is part of a fiscal year 2011 recipient of an Arts Access grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. It’s initial development phase is funded, in part, by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

This development phase, achieved through a process of conducting a year long story circle process through the immigrant experiences of the majority East African community in Cedar-Riverside. With facilitation of Maren Ward of story circles by Bedlam Producing Director Maren Ward, a script has been developed by local playwright David Grant. Now with an ensemble of 16 hired youth and young adults, the process of rehearsal of the script is beginning under the direction of Executive Artistic Director John Francis Bueche.

The production KU SOO DHAWOW XAFADEENA: WELCOME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD will be shown in July 23-31 at the Cedar Cultural Center.

The vision of “Voices” beyond this development phase, is a production to be produced and shown not only throughout the Twin Cities but connecting with communities by touring in 2012. The hope is that this will be a catalyst for discussion and dialogue around issues facing new Minnesota citizens and how we as one community can come together to address them.

Your investment supports teaching artists, youth employment, maintenance & equipment, space and time.

If you’d like to volunteer your time with the Cedar Riverside Arts Zone for Youth, email wemakeit@bedlamtheatre.org with the subject line “CRAZY Volunteer” and tell us about your skills and interest.

Want to make an In Kind donation? Email wemakeit@bedlamtheatre.org with the subject line “CRAZY stuff”

• We always need quality pens and notebooks.
• We always need food, Restaurants and food sources can sponsor one event, a series of events or a month of workshops
• If your company prints T-Shirts... we’ve got a lot of ideas.