100 Watt's '12' Youth Ensemble Responds to 'Forever Young: A Ghetto Story'

[Image Description: A photo of four youth artists standing on either side of a chalkboard. The chalkboard has images of costume designs. Everyone is smiling at the camera.]

GCTC’s resident artists, the 100 Watt Youth Ensemble, joined us for the dress rehearsal of Forever Young: A Ghetto Story. We asked them to share their responses to the show, and, as always, their answers were thoughtful and reflective. Their show, 12, will be performed at GCTC May 4-6, 2023. Tickets are available here.

From Jax:
It was very open and honest about its content. I never thought I'd see a show about the Holocaust that'd make me laugh, but this show did it, and did it well too. It was pretty radical (in both senses of the word).

From Sofia:
I like the recognition that the play was likely historically incorrect and how they embraced this and used it to advance the story instead of being worried about logistics. This was pertinent in the set still looking like theatre and being referred to as such in the script and the contemporary costumes gradually changing to be more time apparent as the story progressed. Also during the death scene, which the actors stopped in recognition of this and the part when they were documenting the events and they took a photo of the audience, as if they were a part of the story and documentation.

From Olivia:
It's the funniest play I've seen but somehow it was still very serious and philosophical.

From Sébastien:
The script is really clever, funny/sad. It made me think about how people can be super smart and still waste time! 

From Brianna:
The actors are really talented. Their execution of the play, the expression of their emotions and how they moved around the stage was great! As this play is based on true events and happened at real places in the world, I learned so much. It’s a really interesting way to increase my knowledge through this history lesson. The play also had really great lighting effects.
I highly recommend it, it's a comedy treating a dark subject really well!

From Ana Clara:
I really love this show, it made me think and feel and reflect, but it was also funny in an odd way. And the actors were beautiful to watch in their performances because they gave themselves wholly to the flawed characters they were playing.