American Blues Theater has announced the line-up for 2017 RIPPED: THE LIVING NEWSPAPER FESTIVAL.

The 16the edition of the annual festival, based on the 1930’s WPA-era program that brought Orson Welles, Arthur Miller, and Clifford Odets into public attention, features 10 original pieces reflecting current cultural events with proceeds benefiting American Blues Theater’s arts education program, The Lincoln Project in Chicago Public Schools.

The lineup for the 2017 Ripped: The Living Newspaper Festival includes (from the press release): 

FAMILY SEPARATION
written by Chicago Public School students
directed by Elyse Dolan

This script received the 2017 The Lincoln Project Award from American Blues Theater. Nearly 2,000 students participate in American Blues’s arts education program The Lincoln Project and submit short plays. One winner and four finalists were selected this school year. The winning script receives a workshop and the script is presented by professional artists. All classrooms receive parties.

NOT QUITE
written and performed by Ada Cheng

excerpt from UNVEILED
written and performed by Rohina Malik

GABE
written by Avi Roque
directed by Diana Raiselis

REX
written by Shannon Pritchard
directed by Ian Paul Custer

ASHES TO ASHES
written by Darren Canady
directed by Carmen Roman

ALL MY RELATIVES
written by Virginia Wiles
directed by Heather Meyers

DEBT
written by Caridad Svich
directed by Cecilie Keenan

NEXT GENERATION NEWS
written by Gwendolyn Whiteside
directed by Tyson Carter

DURING THE COURSE OF NORMAL ACTIVITIES
written by Jon Steinhagen
directed by Spenser Davis

Actors participating in the 2017 RIPPED: THE LIVING NEWSPAPER Festival include – Cheryl Lynn Bruce, Kate Buddeke, Ada Cheng, Jazmin Corona, Theo Germaine, Gabriel Faith Howard, Rohina Malik, Almanya Narula, Avi Roque, and many more.

2017 RIPPED runs May 2nd. For more information visit americanbluestheater.com.