New Public Performances of 10 SECONDS

We will be touring 10 SECONDS to high schools, community organizations, and other sites throughout the DMV from November 2022-January 2023. To kick off the tour, the public is invited to free community performances on Friday, November 11, 7 p.m. at BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Dr, Germantown, MD and on Sunday, November 20, 12 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church Norwood Parish, 6701 Wisconsin Ave, Chevy Chase, MD.

Both performances will be followed by panel discussions and are recommended for ages 12+. Panelists on November 11 are Chief Marcus Jones, Montgomery County Police Department, Dr. Troy Goddy, CEO of the East Coast Racial Equity Group, Luis Cardona, Positive Youth Development Administrator, Montgomery County Health and Human Services, and Officer Marcus Dixon, Community Services Officer for the 5th District Germantown.

The show also will tour to five Montgomery County Public School high schools: Quince Orchard; Northwood; Rockville; Richard Montgomery; and Seneca Valley, and will have a performance at Catholic University of American on November 14 at 5:30. Members of the media wishing to attend a performance should contact Laurie Levy-Page at 301-280-1642.

10 Seconds, written by Miriam Gonzales and directed by LeeAnét  Noble, is being remounted by Triza Cox, Imagination Stage’s Associate Artistic Director of Theatre for Change. The play, performed by adult professional actors, explores a world where deeply rooted biases and misperceptions easily take hold. Life can often feel unnerving — and can change for better or worse in the blink of an eye depending on how we see each other. Ray and Jimi are Washington, DC high school students who navigate their young adult worlds and what it means to be young Black men in the city. Ray tells the story of a day — and “ten seconds” inside that day — that he and Jimi will never forget, sharing not only their perspectives, but also the views of the police they encounter. The play provides opportunities for reflection and discussion. By “stopping time” the audience is asked to imagine what might happen if everyone makes the effort to pause, listen to one another, question our assumptions, and consider the possibilities for change.

Cox notes that “Empathy is the key to humanity and reducing harm. We are very fortunate as artists that our craft provides an avenue for young people to experience empathy. This important story and this brilliant cast are all working together for student audiences to understand the world and ideate about possible solutions that keep us from disconnecting. What a great opportunity we have to do this work!”

Joanne Seelig Lamparter, Imagination Stage’s Artistic Director of Education and Theatre for Change, says “10 Seconds had its pilot performance in March, 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic and a couple months before the murder of George Floyd. This new tour comes at a time when students and communities have a tremendous need for building empathy and socio emotional skills. The play will spark conversations about bias, the state of policing, and how to better address the needs of youth as we engage with law enforcement, school administrators, government agencies, and most importantly young people themselves.”