The premiere of "It's A Different Day"

The Odyssey House Theatre Project 2011 debuted their original production, "It's A Different Day," to a standing room-only audience at 320 Studios on May 9, 2011. The play, written and performed by an ensemble comprised of teens in treatment at Odyssey House, blends hip hop, dance, jazz, classical music, beatboxing, rap, art, spoken word, and short scenes together, and takes a look at the creation of our world from the beginning, to the middle and onward.

The performance was the culmination of a three month workshop in which the teens learned all stages of the playwriting process, from concept development to stage production. The Odyssey House Theatre Project is funded by a grant from the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Foundation. This is the third year the Foundation has funded the project.

The workshop was directed by Tom Demenkoff of PossibleArts. For more details on the project, visit the Odyssey House Theatre Project website. Visit our website to see a slideshow of photos from the workshop.

Teen theatre project gets funded for third consecutive year

The Odyssey House Theatre Project for adolescents in treatment will start a new season of performance, writing, and production skills training in early 2011, thanks to a $38,500 grant from the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Charitable Foundation. This is the third grant the Foundation has made to this innovative theatre project that teaches teens with substance abuse and related disorders how to express themselves through creative writing and performance.

The 2011 grant will support a three-month-long intensive writing and acting curriculum that culminates in the production of an original play written and performed by the teens for a professional stage. The program also includes field trips to expose the students to a variety of NYC live theatre productions, a series of summer workshops, and program evaluation.

This year’s 2010 Odyssey House Theatre Project participants wrote and performed an original play called “When you Shake the Tree,” which looked at what it means to be a teenager forced to grow up fast in a city where drugs, drink, and sex are all in the family. Broadway veteran Norm Lewis, who recently starred in the hit show “Sondheim on Sondheim,” is closely involved in the project as acting coach, spokesperson, and mentor. Norm calls the teens’ work “a surprisingly vibrant shake up of family life: the secrets, the hurts, and the healing.”

Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet emphasized this pioneering project would not be possible without the support of the Foundation’s Trustees. “Their commitment to providing underserved youth with creative outlets available to more affluent teens is increasingly rare in the nonprofit world. For our young people, who typically come from families and communities on the margins of society, the program offers significant benefits that carry over in their engagement in treatment and overall improved self-esteem. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Foundation for not only bringing this project to life, but for staying with it as it grows.”

Teens continue their theater training

The Odyssey House Theatre Project (OHTP), following their debut of "When You Shake the Tree" at Theatre Row, picked up again this summer for a six week workshop series. Each week, Odyssey House teens, including some clients new to the project, continued studying the craft of acting and writing through a rigorous three-hour immersion class, giving OHTP the opportunity to build upon their initial success at Theatre Row while cultivating future talent for next year's project.

In support of this summer series, OHTP attended several productions, including an innovative staging of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" by the Hudson Warehouse in Riverside Park. Artistic director Nicholas Martin Smith set the play in present day Afghanistan, illuminating the traditional conflict in the story amidst the back drop of America's presence on foreign soil, and in the process demonstrating how a play written in the 16th century could be relevant today. After the performance, producer Susane Lee, Nicholas Martin Smith and the entire cast hosted a private Q&A for the OHTP.


Hudson Warehouse's production of Romeo and Juliet

And if you missed the performance of "When You Shake the Tree," check out these clips on the OHTP YouTube channel.

OHTP debuts "When You Shake the Tree"

The Odyssey House Theatre Project returned to Broadway last weekend with a new ensemble and a daring original play. An ensemble comprised of Odyssey House teens, directed by PossibleArts artistic director Tom Demenkoff, performed "When You Shake the Tree," at the Studio Theatre on 42nd Street. The play was written by the teenagers during a three-month theater immersion workshop. The project gave them an opportunity to find their voices, flex their bodies, and open their minds through improvisation, playwriting, music and art.

Exposed to an intensive program similar to the training process of a professional ensemble, members of the Odyssey House Theatre Project embarked on a journey of self-discovery and creative discipline. The result is a bold new play that takes a fresh perspective on trouble at home. Broadway star Norm Lewis, who mentored the teens, called the play "a vibrant shake up of family life: the secrets, the hurts and the feelings."

The workshop was funded by a generous grant from the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Foundation. For more information on the project, including a blog chronicling the teens' journey, visit the Odyssey House Theatre Project website.

An evening with "Grace"

Last week, the Odyssey House Theatre Project had its first field trip to see The Book of Grace at the Public Theatre. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, The Book of Grace explores family dysfunction and themes of revenge and betrayal in the story of border patrol officer Vet; Buddy, the son he hasn't seen in 15 years; and Vet's optimistic second wife, Grace. OHTP director Tom Demenkoff said it was an inspiring evening:

"Walking down the steps back to the lobby, I discussed what we had just seen with our stage manager, Anna, and OHTP members. The consensus was clear: The Book of Grace was an exciting and thought-provoking play that challenged us to stretch the limits of our imagination as both writers and actors."

But the evening didn't end when the play did: Suzan-Lori Parks surprised the teens by appearing in the lobby, offering advice and signing autographs. The teens also had the opportunity to meet actor Amari Cheatom, who plays Buddy. He spent some time with the group talking about the program and even offered to spend an afternoon working out with them in Harlem.

Read more about the teens' experience on the Odyssey House Theatre Project blog.


Amari Cheatom with teens from the OHTP.

Odyssey House Theatre Project debuts on Broadway!

Last month, the Odyssey House Theatre Project made its Broadway debut at the Studio Theatre on 42nd Street. The ensemble performed "Shape the Dream," a collection of 15 original plays, for two packed audiences.

The ensemble was comprised of 10 teens in treatment at Odyssey House. The teens participated in a three-month workshop, funded by a grant from the Elizabeth and Barets O. Benjamin Foundation, where they participated in all stages of the playwriting process, from concept development to stage production.

The workshop was led by Tom Demenkoff and Lori Parquet of City Lights Youth Theatre. For details on the project, including a blog chronicling the teens' incredible journey, visit the Odyssey House Theatre Project website.

The ensemble takes a bow after an inspiring performance.

Members of the ensemble with Odyssey House president Dr. Peter Provet (back row, third from left), Broadway actor Norm Lewis (far right) and City Lights teaching staff.

OHTP special guest artist Norm Lewis, center.

The ensemble presents OHTP director Tom Demenkoff with a special gift.

Members of the Odyssey House Boards of Trustees. Left to right, Rick O'Connor, Craig Montalbano, George Rosenfeld, Odyssey House President Dr. Peter Provet, Grant Miller, Ron Mitchell (back row), Dr. Robert Mitchell and Steve Gross.

For more photos, click here.

Save the Date! Odyssey House Theatre Project debut performance

Please contact info@odysseyhouseinc.org for more information.

Teens in treatment begin theater workshop

Beginning today, 15 teens in treatment at Odyssey House will be participating in a three month playwriting workshop, the Odyssey House Theatre Project. The teens will participate in all stages of the playwriting process, from concept development to stage production. They will also have the opportunity to learn from a variety of guest actors and directors.

Odyssey House is partnering with City Lights Youth Theatre to run the program, which will culminate on June 8th with a performance at the Studio Theatre on 42nd Street. Directing the artistic and instructional elements of the Odyssey House Theatre Project will be Tom Demenkoff, education director for City Lights. The project is funded by a grant from the Elizabeth & Barets O. Benjamin Charitable Foundation.

Visit the website to learn more about the project, including details about the guest artists and a schedule of events.