The Empowered Arts Ensemble, a newcomer to Ashland’s theater scene, fosters creativity and collaboration among a diverse group of local youth, nourishing theater invention and inclusion alike.
In a city where 86 percent of the population is White and almost 20 percent are 65 and older, the Empowered Arts Ensemble, with its young, multi-racial acting troupe, adds voices we rarely hear. In a tourist destination dedicated to the Bard, it centers young people as theater creators in their own right. Instead of challenging youth on the sports field, the Empowered Arts Ensemble builds young acting muscles through theater games and improvisation in the basement of the public library.
The winners are not only the youth, but also the local community and beyond. Through public performances and local media, this young ensemble poses questions that matter to all of us — about belonging and becoming, celebrating differences, teamwork, curiosity, safety, and more.
As the saying goes, we are better together.
Led by performance artist and educator Shanique Scott (MFA, Arizona State University)