“_____ Vs. ______”

The flyer for Shadow Company's "_____ Vs. _____" — The flyer for Shadow Company’s “_____ Vs. _____” Yes! And… Collaborative Arts | The Waltonian

A group of teens located in North Philadelphia is not afraid to use theater to address the difficult questions life brings. SHADOW Company, a branch of Yes! And…, will present “_______ Vs. _______” at the Fringe Festival this fall, where they will address several traumatic historical events, including tragic stories of three young boys: Emmett Till, killed for being black in the Jim Crow South; Freddy Adams, a Fishtown youth who was attacked in adjacent Kensington for crossing neighborhood boundaries; and Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was profiled by two men and killed. Along with these events, SHADOW examines other discriminatory events in history where mercy was nowhere to be found: the bombing of the MOVE community by the City of Philadelphia government and the story of Ruby Bridges, who resisted segregation by going to an all-white school in the South. They even expose the horrific double-standard of violence against women in a powerful “Jane Doe” segment. Through the lens of these terrible events, SHADOW asks the audience to consider what its place in crimes like these is.

“________ Vs. ________” is an original show, and, in true Yes! And… fashion, the show is a collaborative effort resulting in the teens having complete ownership over this story. When asked why they cover such heavy materials in their show, they responded that these are the events that are happening in the world, so we have to talk about them. “______ Vs. ______” will run for six performances at two locations. Shows at Arch Street United Methodist Church are on Sept. 12th at 7pm and Sept. 13th at 3 and 7pm. Shows at Germantown Mennonite Church are on Sept. 19th at 7pm, Sept. 20th at 7pm, and Sept. 21st at 3pm. Tickets are $7 General Admission and are available to purchase at the box office at 215-413-1318 and online. The show runs approximately 60 minutes, is performed without an intermission, and is appropriate for mature children, teens, and adults.