Creation as an Act of Resistance

Hello from Alternative Theater Ensemble! As our nation descends further into late-stage capitalist oligarchy, calls for resistance feel at once omnipresent and strangely distant. How is it that the status quo can shift so drastically and simultaneously go on exactly as it was? Questions like these are at the heart of ATE’s projects, like When They Ask If We Were Real, questioning a necessary action in and of itself when answers feel unsatisfactory or out of reach. We are grateful to be in community with each other and with our extended family of artists and supporters, and to have the privilege to channel our fear and rage into creation.

When They Ask If We Were Real

Thanks to generous funding from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, ensemble member Leah Sanginiti is directing When They Ask If We Were Real, a community-led performance project that amplifies cross-cultural inquiry and affirms humanity’s value as A.I. automates more and more artistic processes. Development workshops are being held in partnership with Berkeley Public Library, Dominican University, and local communities across the Bay Area.

As artificial intelligence rapidly advances, we have become immersed in the paradox that new technologies create both bridges and barriers to each other. When They Ask If We Were Real centers the nature of inquiry that shapes human connection while we are continually flooded with information and answers that seek to simplify and divide us into our least human parts. 

Living in the microcosm that birthed the current AI crisis and the tech outpouring that continues to decimate our preexisting communities, we in the Bay Area are uniquely positioned to explore nonviolent resistance to the dehumanizing narratives that swirl around American imperialism and our country’s divestment from community care. There is little more pressing than the efforts to decenter our practices of learned helplessness toward late capitalism and strengthen solidarity among each other and parallel global struggles.

This project engages distinct communities and generations in a time when history’s repetition seems unfathomable. ATE ensemble member Leah Sanginiti gathered questions from participants in several different global positionalities.

“Why was I born here and not somewhere else?” (Indonesia)

“What if Earth had two moons? Would we have different myths?” (USA)

“Are we real?” (Kindergartener, Philippines)

Participants in these next workshops will work together to animate questions like these. While ATE facilitators will lead the process and the final performance, community members will determine the level of engagement in their storytelling. 

Ensemble Happenings

Leah Sanginiti is directing Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical at P.L.A.Y. Theatre Co this spring. P.L.A.Y. is a new company dedicated to providing accessible theater to children and families. Catch Knuffle Bunny at the SF Creativity Museum in May! Tickets are $5 for EBT card holders and free for foster families. Leah is also directing summer programming for youth with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and producing a web series with YouTuber Bri Reads to promote libraries and literacy as we move forward in this turbulent time for education.

Zoë Sonnenberg is performing in Talisman’s 35th Anniversary Concert at Stanford University’s Bing Concert Hall. Founded in 1990 with a grounding in the antiapartheid movement and protest music, the award-winning world music ensemble has toured globally throughout its 35-year history. Over 150 singers from throughout Talisman's history will come together to sing and showcase the many voices that have contributed to Talisman’s growth.

R. Réal Vargas Alanis is entering phase two of ITMexico, the international, interdisciplinary artist residency program launched in July with organization IN THE MARGIN. This phase will support six commissioned artists as they return to the U.S. from Michoacán, Mexico, to further develop the work they began during their residency. Réal is also excited to have served as the lead casting director for the Theater Bay Area General Auditions, and they were recently accepted as a playwright for PlayGround NYC.

Upcoming Programming: IPAR 2025

We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Drew Woodson in anticipation of this year’s Indigenous Performing Arts Residency program, presented in tandem with UC Berkeley. In April, we will gather on Berkeley’s campus and embark upon a weeklong developmental process with numerous Indigenous artistic collaborators. This is a unique opportunity to shape the evolution of a play and to engage with the playwright as he explores new ideas and refine their work. Keep an eye out for more info as the residency nears!