Many Voices
At Many Voices, youth gather together to start the process toward a production. First, they decide what it is they want to say or put out there in the world. What is important to them? What issues do they want to explore? What’s important to youth right now?
Issues often explored include: identity, pressures and expectations, relationships, friends, family, call and vocation, spirituality issues, body issues, school and the pressures of academics, sexuality, victories and defeats, alcohol and drugs, assumptions and realities, conflict and peacemaking, etc.
They develop a theme and the content for a production. Bill and Aimee Buchanan, Directors of Many Voices, write scripts based on the youth’s contributions and work with the youth to edit the scripts until they seem just right.
Then, the youth begin the process of producing the one act play–including song, drama, comedy, and even some stomping and rapping.
When the youth perform, part of the show includes intentional conversation with the audience about the issues raised in the show. The productions always ask more questions than they give answers. They always provide more pictures for the audience to interpret and think about, than they provide a lecture to learn. Audience and cast enter into a conversation about what they have experienced together in any given show.
The production that gave birth to Many Voices was For Such A Time As This, performed at Purdue University this summer at a youth conference for 5,000 people from around the world. Aimee and Bill have been directing productions like this for 20 years in a vast variety of settings. From the floor of a camp dining hall to the largest indoor theater in the United States (the Hall of Music at Purdue University), Aimee and Bill have been helping youth use their many voices to express their realities and their perspectives on life and the world. They are thrilled to finally bring this unique Youth Drama Company to Asheville as Many Voices.
UPCOMING SHOW: Behind The Scenes
This fall Many Voices is working hard to develop their newest original production, Behind The Scenes. This show will focus on the true identity of young people, behind the facades and fronts of everyday life. The production will use drama, music, rhythm, and dance to delve deeper into the stories of youth and discover the challenges, concerns, and motivations of today’s teens.
Upcoming Performances
Sat. Nov. 5, 2011 3pm The Magnetic Field Asheville, NC
Sun. Nov. 6, 2011 3pm The Magnetic Field Asheville, NC
Sun. Nov. 6, 2011 7pm The Magnetic Field Asheville, NC
The Magnetic Field is at 372 Depot St. Asheville, NC 28801. Tickets are $10 advance, $12 at the door. Seating is limited. To secure advance tickets, contact aymmanyvoices(at)gmail.com.
Many Voices thanks its Asheville Show sponsors
Clingman Cafe Eat at Clingman Cafe Sunday Nov. 6 from 12-7pm and a portion of your bill will go to benefit Asheville Youth Mission!
If you would like to have Many Voices come to perform in your area, contact Bill Buchanan.
FUTURE SHOWS:
Many Voices 3D
Many Voices will be assembling a cast to perform at the Faith In 3D Youth Conference in WaltDisney World. The conference is sponsored by the Presbyterian Church USA, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, and Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
The conference will be Jan. 13-16.
PREVIOUS SHOWS
2010 -2011 Show: The Strength in Me
This show was performed by a main cast of all young women and explored the ups, downs, and in betweens of being a teenage girl growing up in today’s world.
- Thursday, January 27, 2011 • 7:00pm • The Garage in Biltmore
- Saturday, January 29, 2011 • 2:00pm • The Garage in Biltmore
- Sunday, February 13, 2011 • 6:00pm • Charlotte, NC at Covenant Presbyterian Church
Applications for the Fall 2012 Production of Many Voices will be in April. If you are interested in being in the cast, email Bill Buchanan to be on the mailling list so you can receive application notices.
