ARMS AROUND AMERICA Comes to UCLA's Center for the Art of Performance This Month

UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance (CAP UCLA) presents the live podcast recording of the Dan Froot & Company podcast, Arms Around America, in the Royce Hall Rehearsal Room on Thursday, June 22 at 8 pm. Ticket prices are $20 and are available now at cap.ucla.edu or by calling 310-825-2101.

As part of the Arms Around America podcast, Dan Froot & Company will bring to life several scenes inspired by the real stories of families whose lives have been shaped by guns. The performance will embrace the spirit of traditional radio theater, with four talented actors lending their voices to numerous characters while creating "foley" sound effects using an eclectic array of everyday objects. Audiences will have the unique opportunity to actively participate in the podcast recording, engage in lively debates with special guests and enjoy live music from Julio Montero of the band Cuñao.

This groundbreaking community-based theater project delves into the intricate ways in which Americans express fear, power, identity, loss and love through their relationships with guns. Drawing from oral histories conducted by Dan Froot & Company, this evening promises thoughtful conversation, beautiful music and stunning theater. The recorded content from this performance will be available on various podcast platforms starting this fall, with the full-length theatrical premiere scheduled for November 2024 at The UCLA Nimoy Theater.

Dan Froot, a highly accomplished producer, performance artist, writer, composer, dancer and saxophonist, leads the talented ensemble of Dan Froot & Company. His exceptional work has garnered accolades, including the New York Dance & Performance Award for the creation of his music/theater masterpiece "Seventeen Kilos of Garlic." Froot's artistic endeavors have graced prestigious art centers across the United States, Europe, Africa and South America. Noteworthy collaborations include his work with choreographer David Dorfman on the dance/music/theater series "Live Sax Acts" and with puppet artist Dan Hurlin on the puppet plays series "Who’s Hungry," inspired by the real-life stories of individuals living with food insecurity.

The company includes: Actor/collaborators: Justin Alston, Sola Bamis, Natalie Camunas, Krysta Gonzales, Anthony Rey Perez and Christopher Rivas; Dramaturge: Bobby Gordon; Sound Designer: Duncan Woodbury; Oral Historian/ collaborator: Tula B. Strong.

Currently touring their acclaimed production "Pang!," based on the oral histories of families experiencing food insecurity, Dan Froot & Company has captured the attention of audiences nationwide. The New York Times featured their "Pang!" podcast, as one of 2019’s best new productions. 

Funds provided by the James A. Doolittle Endowment. 

Arms Around America is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by The Myrna Loy, Miami Light Project, UCLA’s Center for the Art of Performance, and NPN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information: npnweb.org

This program is made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and by a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture.