Youth actors ‘face’ contemporary teen issues in new play

“We set out to create a piece of theater that was meaningful, truthful, and relevant,” says Libby Oberlin, education director of Sonoma Arts Live and founder of the Theater School.|

“We set out to create a piece of theater that was meaningful, truthful, and relevant,” says Libby Oberlin, education director of Sonoma Arts Live and founder of the Theater School. Alongside Sonoma Arts Live’s Teens ‘N Training youth theater group, Oberlin has created an original play that focuses on a whole therapy-session worth of contemporary teenage issues, from body image and popularity to bullying and disintegrating families.

The play, titled “Faces We Show/Faces We Hide,” will tour to area high schools in 2016, but will first work out the bugs with a two weekend run in the tiny 35-seat performance space at the Theater School. The tour, which will include post-show talkbacks between the audience and the young ensemble, is being funded through a grant from the Sonoma Valley Vintner’s and Growers.

According to Oberlin – who studied theater at New York University and Hofstra University – the original play follows the interconnected lives of eight teenagers in the midst of wrestling with their changing world and emerging identities.

“In a very honest and sincere way,” says Oberlin, “this play shines a light on some of the darker issues we tend to hide as we find our way in our personal relationships.”

The initial run of the play, which opens Dec. 4, will likely sell out, warns Jaime Love, executive director of Sonoma Arts Live, which is co-producing the run in the tiny Theater School space.

The project, she says, will include a free preview open to teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Performing in ‘Faces’ are Kamryn Conway, 14, Ava Rognlien, 14, Annie Morgan, 19, Molly Bingham, 13, Brianna Gorman, 16, Victoria Rinehart, 14, Brooke Zellers, 15 and Oliver French, 13.

“Faces We Show/Faces We Hide” runs Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4 to 12, at the Theater School, 19485 Highway 12, suite E. The show begins on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6. Tickets are $12 to $15, and are available at sonomaartslive.org

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.