Jesuit High Sacramento Drama About Refugees Opens This Week

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Thursday Nov. 3, Jesuit High School of Sacramento premiers Imago Dei: Journeys of Courage, Hope & Home, about experiences of refugees and the forcibly displaced and based on Jesuit Refugee Service's 30 years of accompaniment, service and advocacy on behalf of refugees.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110413/MM82818LOGO)

"Rehearsals are going great," said Ed Trafton, director of the JHS Drama Department. "Actors are hard at work memorizing lines and blocking. We're so excited to start!"

In addition to students from Jesuit High School, other student actors come from St. Francis High, El Camino High and Rio Americano High. There are seven shows over two weeks. November 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 all shows are at 7:30 p.m. There is a 2 p.m. matinee on November 13. 

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA pitched the idea of Jesuit Drama students using true accounts compiled by JRS/USA from years of assisting and supporting uprooted people to write and produce a play. JRS/USA hopes the play allows audiences to "stand in the shoes" of forcibly displaced people and refugees to gain a deeper understanding of what life is like for them.

"Our initial surge of excitement at being given this tremendous opportunity to collaborate with JRS/USA was almost immediately followed by feelings of being overwhelmed by the enormity of the topic," said Trafton.

"We realized that the idea of 'us and them' doesn't exist…that it's all 'us,' " said Trafton. "We cannot and should not attempt to 'depict' a refugee's story — nothing on a stage can ever come close to the reality of the refugee experience — but we can and should bear simple witness in telling their stories. Inviting the audience into an experience of listening to these stories is the best way that can 'accompany,' and — ultimately — hope must be at the heart of this piece."

"They have taken this project and created a piece that will be very moving, we are tremendously grateful to the students and faculty for their extraordinary work," said Shaina Aber, Associate Advocacy Director for Jesuit Refugee Service/USA. 

Tickets are available now. Visit the school website for more information.

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (http://jrsusa.org) is an international Catholic non-governmental organization whose mission is to serve, accompany, and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced persons.

SOURCE Jesuit Refugee Service

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