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Coming to the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts for one day, March 2 at 2 P.M., “So Now You Know” will inspire all audiences.
February 28, 2024
By Stepheny Gehrig
We are two months into 2024, and some of us might need a little inspiration to get us through the rest of the year. “So Now You Know” is a heartwarming contemporary performance with profound storytelling and choreography.
Coming to the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts for one day, March 2 at 2 P.M., “So Now You Know” will inspire all audiences.
The performance began as a group-building exercise for Mixed eMotion Theatrix, the company that puts on the show.
With a cast of 12 performers, “So Now You Know” has curated a set of 10 powerful, nostalgic and moving stories. The show relies on its relatability as the stories hone in on life’s simplicity while attributing that life’s significance comes from the self.
Throughout the stories, the choreography reflects the emotion and the situations being told by utilizing dance styles like contemporary, hip-hop, and salsa and even simply punctuating the stories with gestures.
The show has four stories from community members and six stories from members of the company. Stories from the community include speakers Julia Fraser, Summer Moore, Graciela Rojas and Sandra Scoltock-Martinez.
The show brings together community members from all backgrounds as they each get their spot in the limelight through storytelling and choreography.
But the show’s fun comes from the community members trying something new by being on stage. They are not actors or playing a character — they are genuinely on stage explaining their life experiences and the moments that inspired them to enjoy life.
Community members worked with Ryan Bergmann, dramaturg and story coach, who helped those performing on stage memorize and deliver their stories.
Janet Roston, the director and choreographer, and Kate Coleman, associate choreographer, directed the performers in their stage presence and the technical aspects of the show.
“This is like a structured improv, so [the actors] have the freedom to let it go,” Roston said. “It’s more about [the actors] telling the story.”
The show not only builds community between the performers but allows the audience to connect to members of their own community. “So Now You Know” creates a space that values personal experiences while giving an outlet for normalizing and progressing through hardships.
Tickets can be purchased in person or at Lamiradatheatre.com and range from $11.50-$20.
