Support PASSION: A New Model for Storytelling

Welcome to PASSION: Survival Source Material for the Preservation and Betterment of Our People

THREE STORIES LIVE AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDED JULY 1ST-3RD, 2024 IN LA AT THE LEGENDARY TELEVISION CITY!!

The Mission

PASSION is about more than storytelling; it’s about offering a community and network to listeners who may feel alone and without a space where they can find belonging. Our project brings top-of-the-line storytelling with brilliant artists and changemakers discussing the work. Most of these artists are accessible on social media and beyond, providing connections and support for Black queer and/or trans gnc humans, giving them reasons to stay, live, survive, and thrive in a world that often marginalizes and quite literally seeks to erase us.

The Vision

PASSION is a new model for storytellers to share their stories without waiting for traditional opportunities. This project lives at the innovative intersection of theatre, film, and digital media, creating CRAZY impact on multiple levels.

Over a powerful one-week process, we rehearsed, performed, and audio recorded three readings of Larry Powell's compelling multi-medium plays: Realness, The Daddy Issue, and The Madame of Leimert. We also filmed the process as a documentary and the performances as live spoken word specials, all to be distributed across various platforms.

With up to five cameras at a time operated by high-level, award-winning cinematographers, top-of-the-line recording microphones, and support from Television City personnel, we captured both the audio and visual essence of these stories. All in front of a live audience!! This will eventually be released as a live album with jaw-dropping feature-length visuals/docufilms that tell the story beyond what the audio can convey. The podcast featuring thought leaders and culture bearers will run alongside the stories, offering a community and network for listeners who may feel isolated. Do you see the many ways the world will have the opportunity to experience this work?

THE THREE SOUTH LOS ANGELES STORIES

REALNESS

Synopsis: A brilliant acting student at a top conservatory, struggling with homelessness, finds refuge and acceptance in the Ballroom Scene by joining a formidable House.

Background: Realness began at The Lark Play Development Center in New York City. It has had developmental workshops and readings at sacred community spaces like Judson Memorial Church, supported by community crowdfunding of upwards of $20,000. Directed by Broadway’s Zhailon Levingston.

Themes: Realness explores identity, acceptance, and resilience within the vibrant and challenging worlds of the Ballroom Scene and The Acting Conservatory Training Program.

Audience Feedback: "Truly the best reading I've ever seen." "I felt seen and heard, like for real, for the first time."

THE DADDY ISSUE

Synopsis: A mourning recording artist meets an older man at a bar, leading to an unexpected, transformative night fighting for his life.

Background: The Daddy Issue originally began as a 10-minute play directed by the legendary Tonya Pinkins at The Fire This Time Festival in New York City. As a full-length, the strength of the play has garnered Larry much opportunity in TV/Film as a writing sample and remains an audience favorite throughout the industry.

Themes: The Daddy Issue delves into themes of grief, connection, and the complexities of relationships in the Black Family Unit due to years of systemic inequities.

Audience Feedback: "I'm not even from this community and I felt like the play spoke directly to me." "This is important work. I need this work to survive. Please keep making it."

THE MADAME OF LEIMERT

Synopsis: A pioneer of Black Gay Nightlife in Los Angeles faces the challenge of balancing mentorship and personal desires in his sixties.

Background: The Madame of Leimert is born from Larry being the 2021 recipient of IAMA Theatre Company's Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Commission, made possible by Shonda Rhimes and The Rhimes Family Foundation. This commission supports an underrepresented writer of color who has not had a play professionally produced. It has been developed through two dynamic public readings, which were sold out and enthusiastically received by audiences.

Themes: This play examines the urgent need for intergenerational mentorship within the community and the conflicts that arise between personal desires and communal responsibilities.

Audience Feedback: "Truly the best reading I've ever seen." "I felt seen and heard, like for real, for the first time."

Larry's Experience in the Audio Drama Space is Top-Tier!! They‘ve worked with some of the best like The Invisible Studios, LATW, and more!

Selected Works:

Awards and Recognition:

Engaging Expertise, Pushing Form

Larry Powell has worked extensively in multiple capacities with teams and companies excelling in creating audio experiences. They also have award-winning experience in being the visionary behind experimental works that live at the intersection of stage and screen.

The live audience had the exclusive and rare experience of witnessing the cinematic taping of powerful actors recording the stories for audio. Performed without a set, these titans of language and emotion told a story, with scripts in hand, in a way that is both new and innovative and as raw and old as time. This is a rare experience.

Award-Winning Work at the Intersection of Media

The Gaze Series

Awards and Recognition: two-time 2021 Daytime Emmy Award Nominee, 2021 Webby Award Honoree, 2021 Micheaux Film Festival’s Best Comedic Digital Series Winner

Overview: "The Gaze Series" began as a play and evolved into an award-winning digital series. This project lives at the intersection of theatre and digital media, bringing powerful storytelling to new platforms and reaching a broader audience. The series has been praised for its innovative approach, combining the immediacy of live performance with the accessibility of digital streaming.

Strong Friend, Let Go

Awards and Recognition: 2023 Micheaux Film Festival Dramatic Short - Best Writing Winner

Overview: "Strong Friend, Let Go" is another exemplary project that started as a play and transitioned into a dramatic short film. This project highlights the seamless blending of live theatre's emotional depth with the visual storytelling of film, earning accolades for its compelling narrative and outstanding writing.

Mother's Milk: A Film Quilt

Awards and Recognition: 2021 Seattle International Film Festival’s New American Cinema Special Jury Prize Winner

Overview: "Mother's Milk: A Film Quilt" is an experimental feature film that originated as a theatrical piece. It received the Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival, showcasing the project's ability to transcend traditional media boundaries. This work exemplifies the innovative spirit of merging live performance with cinematic expression, creating a unique and impactful viewing experience.

These projects exemplify my commitment to creating work that thrives at the intersection of theatre, film, and digital media, breaking new ground and reaching diverse audiences in powerful and transformative ways.

The Need for Continued Support! To build on this success, we need your help to:

For donations via ACH Wire/Physical Check: Contact us via powellhousearts.com for info. Paypal: @ThePowellAcademy or Venmo: @freethearts. Contributions are tax-deductible if applicable. Feel free to send directly to Latino Theater Co. at The LATC514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013.

We are not doing donor gifts or perks at this time via this platform. Check out our instagram for a personal shoutout in coming weeks!

The Return on Investment

Investing in PASSION is not just a contribution to the arts; it's an investment in community, innovation, and cultural heritage. The project's success will also pave the way for future productions and expand the impact and reach of these powerful stories.

This project is a multifaceted, multi-media endeavor capturing the essence of our stories in various formats: live recordings, a documentary/docuseries, and a podcast. It represents an investment in cultural heritage and the future of live theatre experiences.

About LarryJean Powell

LarryJean Powell (they/them/sekhet) is a true infini-hyphenate artist born and raised in South Central LA. As an Award-Winning Actor, they have premiered fierce new plays like The Christians by Lucas Hnath, The Legend of Georgia McBride by Matthew Lopez, Father Comes Home From The Wars by Suzan Lori Parks, Brokeology by Nathan Louis Jackson, While I Yet Live by Billy Porter, Curve of Departure by Rachel Bonds, Seared by Theresa Rebeck, The Flower Thief by Pia Wilson, Bronzeville by Aaron Woolfolk and Tim Toyama, and many seasons at Obie Winning Fire This Time Festival. Most recently on screen, they have enjoyed playing Rick James on MGM+’s upcoming Hotel Cocaine. As a Writer, they are the recipient of the 2021 IAMA Theatre Company Shonda Rhimes Unsung Voices Playwriting Award, 2020 Cornelia Street Playwriting Award, and are an inaugural 2021 Circle of Confusion Writers Discovery Fellow. LarryJean’s play “The Gaze,” a 2021 O'Neill NPC finalist, is also an award-winning digital series. “The Gaze Series” is a two-time 2021 Daytime EMMY Award Nominee, 2021 Webby Award Honoree, and 2021 Micheaux Film Festival’s Best Comedic Digital Series Winner. They also Wrote/Directed/Starred In/Produced their debut experimental feature film project “Mother’s Milk: A Film Quilt” (2021 Seattle International Film Festival’s New American Cinema Special Jury Prize). LarryJean is a Staff Writer for Five Seasons on the hit, 3x EMMY Nominated TV Sitcom “The Ms. Pat Show” (BET+). As a Director, they recently directed Josh Wilder’s “Marty and The Hands That Could” for WACO Theater Center/Watts Village Theatre, and the 2023 Best Audio Drama Audie award-winning audio recording of Dominique Morisseau’s “Pipeline” for L.A. Theatre Works. They were the Associate Producer/Casting Director for the 2023 Best Audiobook Nom Audie audio adaption of the graphic novel WAKE by Rebecca Hall. Director/Writer of “Strong Friend, Let Go” (2023 Micheaux Film Fest Dramatic Short - Best Writing winner). You may even catch their cameo in Calmatic’s “White Men Can’t Jump” opposite Jack Harlow. Proud Adjunct Lecturer at USC's School of Dramatic Arts, Graduate of Carnegie Mellon’s School of Drama, and Founder of Powell House of Arts. Learn more at: powellhousearts.com.

Join us!! Together, we can make a significant impact on the lives of artists and the communities they enrich. Thank you for considering this opportunity to support a project that is both innovative and vital.

Note: No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.