Company for Troubled Youth Earns White House Honor
January 29, 2008
By Nicole Kristal, Backstage West
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company,
a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides theatre workshops
for incarcerated and foster youth, accepted the 2007 Coming Up
Taller Award from First Lady Laura Bush at the White House Jan.
28. It was one of the 15 arts and humanities programs nationwide
to receive the honor from the President's Committee on the Arts
and Humanities. Laura Leigh Hughes, an actor and the Suspects
founder, accepted the award with Jose Ramirez, 19, an orphan and
previously incarcerated gang member from the Compton section of
Los Angeles.
According to a news release, Ramirez told Bush the acting
program changed his life by teaching him trust and how to
resolve conflicts without violence, set goals, and work with
others -- not to mention how to act and write plays. "If it
weren't for The Unusual Suspects," he said, "I know I'd be dead
or in prison right now."
Since completing the acting program, Ramirez has graduated from
high school and begun attending community college, the release
stated.
BACK TO TOP
For Immediate Release
THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AT
WHITE HOUSE
Mrs. Laura Bush Presents Coming Up Taller Award to L.A. Area
Non-Profit Using Theatre to Help At-Risk Youth
WASHINGTON D.C. January 28, 2008 -- The
Unusual Suspects Theatre Company, a Culver City-based non-profit
that provides theater workshops for incarcerated and foster
youth, today accepted the prestigious 2007 Coming Up Taller
Award from First Lady Laura Bush at the White House.
As one of only 15 arts and humanities programs
nationwide to receive the award from the President's Committee
on the Arts and the Humanities, The Unusual Suspects was
represented by its founder, actress Laura Leigh Hughes and Jose
Ramirez, 19, of Compton, an orphan and former gang member who
was incarcerated as a teen.
Jose told the First Lady that his life changed
when he participated in The Unusual Suspects program where he
learned not only to write plays and act, but also how to build
trust, resolve conflicts without violence, set goals, and work
as a team member. Today, he has completed high school and is
attending community college. "If it weren't for The Unusual
Suspects, I know I'd be dead or in prison right now," he said.
More About The Award
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company produces about a dozen
separate productions each year throughout Southern California.
Each production is comprised of an intensive 12-week workshop,
where The Unusual Suspects brings together theater and film
professionals to develop participants' acting techniques and
help them collaboratively write and produce an original play.
"Since the plays are often based on the participants'
experiences, they provide a vehicle to examine and resolve
issues - and change lives," said Executive Director Sally
Fairman.
The Coming Up Taller Awards recognize and
support outstanding community arts and humanities programs that
celebrate the creativity of America's young people, and provide
them with new learning opportunities and a chance to contribute
to their communities. The awards also highlight the
contributions that historians, scholars, librarians and visual
and performing arts make to families and communities by
mentoring children. More than 250 nominations were received by
the program in 2007.
"Arts and humanities activities have a
wonderful way of enabling young people to discover their unique
talents and interests while forging a path to success in school
and life," said Adair Margo, Chair of the President's Committee
on the Arts and the Humanities. "The Unusual Suspects Theatre
Company is especially notable for its success breaking the
vicious cycle of crime or drugs by intervening with a fun and
functional activity for at-risk youth."
The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities bridges
the interests of federal agencies and the private sector,
supports special projects that increase participation, and helps
incorporate the humanities and the arts into White House
objectives.
The National Endowment for the Arts is a
public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts,
both new and established; bringing the arts to all Americans;
and providing leadership in arts education. Because democracy
demands wisdom, the National Endowment for the Humanities serves
and strengthens our Republic by promoting excellence in the
humanities and conveying the lessons of history to all
Americans. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an
independent federal grant making agency dedicated to creating
and sustaining a nation of learners.
About The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company
The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company (US) has
been empowering teens to make positive choices for over 15
years. US promotes the healthy transformation of incarcerated
and other under-served youth through participation in theatre
arts. Through our programming, youth write an original play as
an ensemble and perform for a public audience. Our programs
cultivate pride, racial tolerance and social consciousness.
For more information please visit the following Web sites:
Coming Up Taller:
www.cominguptaller.org
President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities:
http://www.pcah.gov
National Endowment for the Arts:
www.arts.gov
National Endowment for the Humanities:
www.neh.gov
Institute of Museum and Library Services:
www.imls.gov
BACK TO TOP
New Web Site Launch
US is proud to announce the launch of our new
website! We have been working with Jerry Washburn and his
company NetConsult to bring you a new experience and a new image
in keeping with US as we go forward.
NetConsult is a technology
based consultancy for the Entertainment and Theater Industry,
Celebrities, not for profit organizations, governmental
organizations and various business organizations from
Multi-National Healthcare and Medicine to Event Management
Companies. Premier clients include Kevin
Costner, Danny Glover, Tim Robbins, The Pasadena Symphony, The
Spirit of America Tour, The Robey Theatre Company, Towne Street
Theatre, The Actors’ Gang Theatre Company, The Cities of Burbank
and Glendale, California, Cal State Sacramento and Caltrans.
http://www.net-consult.net/
BACK TO TOP
Newsletter
BACK TO TOP
The President's Committee on Arts & Humanities is proud to
announce that US will be receiving the nation's highest honor
for after-school arts programming, the Coming Up Taller award.
Come February, youth participant Jose Ramirez and founder
Laura Leigh Hughes, will be accepting the award from the First
Lady at The White House. 
