Photo by Rehearsal for Life
The event will raise funds for non profit organization Rehearsal for Life
A leader in Boston’s creative youth development sector, Rehearsal for Life will be presenting a new musical, “Banned in Boston,” to be shown virtually on April 14, at 7 p.m. The performance will be written and scored by Faith Soloway, interim artistic director of Rehearsal for Life and co-writer of Amazon’s award-winning show “Transparent,” and there will be special guest performances from “Glee”‘s Jane Lynch and “Saturday Night Live”‘s Tim Meadows. “Banned in Boston” will be raising funds to continue holding improv classes for over 1,200 Boston Public School students, in grades 4-12, every year. According to a media release, “In keeping with the Banned in Boston tradition, more than two dozen politicians, celebrities, and business leaders will join the cast to support Urban Improv’s important work with Boston Public School students. This year’s musicalesque romp, ‘Back To School’, will be a dystopian comedy based on the exaggerated reality of returning to school during the pandemic, when in-person learning and gatherings remain challenging.”
“As a former teaching artist in Urban Improv, I grew up in this organization and know the impact of the work with students learning to manage difficult situations and conversations,” said Soloway. “To prepare for this year’s show, we are uniting Boston luminaries with students and staff and there is nothing I like more than collaborating on an original musical and having more people in this creative process working together. This year’s premiere of going ‘Back To School’ is a reflection of what it has felt like for us and it promises to be heartwarming and hilarious at the same time!”
Tickets are pay what you can. If you are interested in learning more about the event, visit this link.
Shira Laucharoen is a reporter based in Boston. She currently serves as the assistant director of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. In the past she has written for Sampan newspaper, The Somerville Times, Scout Magazine, Boston Magazine, and WBUR.