InterAct Story Theatre presents Voytto Tech: a scifi fable. Set in the future, across the galaxy, Voytto Tech highlights some of the most poignant issues young people are currently facing here on earth. Bullying is a major theme, but friendship, sustainability, and technology usage are also featured. Klipp Casey travels from the frontier planet Cadmium to the Voytto Prime to study at Voytto Tech. Upon arrival, Klipp’s differences are not received well by one of the more popular girls. Ineka goes out of her way to make Klipp feel unwelcome, teasing and mocking him at school and online. As Klipp struggles with how to deal with bullying, he also struggles with the waste the city produces and how they manage it. Voytto Tech combines science technology and art to breach the topics of bullying and social inequality.
James Morogiello as Klipp Casey and Kelsey Yudice as Ineka Brendley (Photo courtesy of InterAct Story Theatre)
The message of the play is most easily received by older elementary school aged children. Our kindergarteners and preschoolers in attendance liked the characters and creativity, but the whole aspect of social media was lost on them. The young people at Voytto Tech are using an embedded technology that allows them to access a social media platform through their eyes and Klipp has “glasses” that do the same thing. The audience participation and kinetic clothing was well received by the younger ones in the audience. Klipp and his classmates are forced into a difficult situation that requires regulating emotions, creative problem solving and team work. All of these intense situations are countered by songs, sparkles and out of this world costumes.
Kelsey Yudice as Ineka Brendley, Briana Manente as Allie Driscoll, and James Morogiello as Klipp Casey (Photo courtesy of InterAct Story Theatre)
Voytto Tech presented by InterAct Theatre is more than a play. Families are encouraged to arrive early to participate in a craft activity that is incorporated into the play. Actors are available after the play to answer questions and take pictures. InterAct Theatre hopes the content of the play will spark conversations about these tough subjects, which ultimately may help young people to deal with similar situations in real life.
There will be performances of Voytto Tech Friday 9/21, Sunday 9/23, Friday 9/28 & Saturday 9/29 at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, MD. You can catch more InterAct Story Theatre at the FREE Family Theatre Series running October 2018 through May 2019 in Wheaton, MD. Performances include theatre, dance, storytelling and world music.
InterAct Story Theatre
www.interactstory.com
301-879-9305
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