This Is Our Youth One of the theatre and entertainment stories of the year in 2003. Production dates were September 18 - Octover 18, 2003. Woody Harrelson directed this wonderful play with three notable Canadian actors (Fab Filippo, Marya Delver and Marcello Cabezas). The production garnished big reviews and numbers. Visit: www.thisisouryouth.ca	VLADECK Television Special Television special shot by Canadian Learning Television in the Bravo Rehearsal Hall. Nationally televised in March and April 2004, and being sold to other markets, it was seen as cutting edge programming validating storytelling as real means in combating the prevalence of youth violence.	VLADECK One man show at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in Toronto, May 30-June 16, 2002 - A powerful interpretation of the real life beating of a young boy, it was critically acclaimed. A great start to out company.

VLADECK:

Vladeck was successfully mounted May 30-June 16, 2002, at Buddies In Bad Times in Toronto. Producers Steven Moore and Marcello Cabezas, both principals at macIDeas, were very proud of the end product, both on stage, and the reaction within the theatrical and civilian community.

Vladeck, a very timely piece that was inspired by an actual youth violence incident, very much had a theatricality of its own, as one critic put it. The ability to blend a theatrical performance with live video and music proved to be a very effective and compelling story telling method.

"thoughtful script...delivers a punch", Globe and Mail."quite moving", NOW Magazine "an impressive piece of characterization", Toronto Star "Cabezas performs with vigor and sensitivity...Phillips directs to its strengths", Eye Weekly "effective use of a variety of media and a brilliant performance from Dora deserving Cabezas", Canadian Jewish News

Evaluation can be done on many levels. First and foremost, we must examine whether we fostered and created an environment conducive to creative growth and exploration for all involved. Looking back, we truly feel this was achieved. We all worked together with the common goal being artistic excellence. It was a bit of a challenge as the playwright, Jodi Miller, was in the UK during the process, but we were able to get her to Toronto for the opening. The use of email and phone proved to be sufficient means to connect with her, and communicate any issues that came up, or changes we wished her to consider.

From a performer standpoint, this piece was an amazing journey for myself, both as a person and as an actor. To be able to work on material that had both creative challenges and subject matter that truly legitimized theatre's role in the education process was a blessing.

But more than anything, it was the unsolicited letters we received from school kids and other youth who saw the show. We as storytellers wish to effect people with our work, but when it REALLY happens, it reinforces why we do what we do.

Cast & Crew

artistic director/producer/actor: marcello cabezas
Marcello's recent theatre work includes WC -- part of New York's international Fringe Festival and winner of an Overall Excellence Award -- Flesh and Blood and Assembly Required. In addition to his stagecraft, Marcello is active in film and television projects such as Blue Murder, Tracker, Fun with Roofies, Snowballs in Hell and Widescreen USA. A graduate of the Neighbourhood Playhouse Theatre in NYC and a member of both 42nd St. Workshop and the EST Intern Company in NYC, Marcello is also a writer (Nowhere to Turn) and director (Harbinger).

director: sarah philips
Sarah is the Artistic Director of Red Red Rose, which she founded in 1997. Her direction credits include productions of Salome, Heart of a Dog, Assistant Direction of Soulpepper's Romeo and Juliet and most recently Antigone with Richard Greenblatt which was nominated for a Dora Mavor Award. Sarah is a graduate of the National Theatre School's Directing Program and has taught at University of Waterloo.

general manager/producer: steven moore
An experienced administrator with the Factory Theatre, Steven has recently taken on producing responsibilities for productions such as Mother Tongue, The Epic Period, the remount of Chekov Shorts. Most recently Steven has produced Down Dangerous Passes Road, Trick or Treat and Fighting Words and is currently working on The Gwendolyn Poems.

production consultant: derrick chua
Derrick's most recent production was Theatre Passe Muraille's Sparta, which won eye's Audience Choice Award for most popular play. Derrick's other productions include Black Jack Justice (Decoder Ring Theatre), Antigone (Red Red Rose) and Four Chambers Dance Project. Derrick currently sits on the Boards of Toronto Theatre Alliance, The Toronto Fringe Festival, the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, Go7, Cahoots Theatre Projects and Bald Ego Theatre.

Theatre Production Personnel
In the interest of any production, one of our wishes was to have the best team in place, experts in their own right to collectively bring a script to life. We were very fortunate to have some of the more respected theatre professionals on our team.

This team included Sarah Phillips (director), Sherri Hay (set design), Kimberly Purtell (lighting design), Spencer Hazel (sound design), Sallie Klein (stage manager), Andre Kassermelli and Leland Tilden (video and multi media), and of course, the man with a world of knowledge and expertise, Derrick Chua, our production consultant. Steven Moore took over the day-to-day producing of the project when Marcello Cabezas assumed the role of the actor.