UNLOCKED, RIOT/REBELLION and More Set for Watts Village Theater's 2013 Season

Lynn Manning, the new Artistic Director for Watts Village Theater Company (WVTC) has announced that the company is on-track to meet the high quality bar set by the company's strategic plan and will offer a full season of theater and performance for the first time in years.

Key components of the 2013 season include:

• - Original educational programming - a new musical in partnership with Green Dot Public Schools titled "UNLockeD" starring high school students from Animo Locke and Watts (March 15-17, 2013);

• - The 4th Annual "Meet Me @Metro": Blue Line Home, which will bring the innovative performance show back to Watts (Memorial Day - May 25-26, 2013);

• - The staged reading and mainstage production of the long-awaited "Riot/Rebellion" - an original production by commissioned playwright Donald Jolly (Bonded) based on witness testimonials of the 1965 Watts Riots/Rebellions (staged reading in April; full production from August 3-25, 2013); and

  - An original Second Staged reading in the Fall.

"Watts Village Theater Company is excited to welcome back Lynn Manning, a critically acclaimed artist and community advocate, to help lead the organization into its 20 year anniversary and beyond," said Karen Lascaris, WVTC's Board Chair. "Lynn's vision, leadership, lifetime of accomplishments, and long history with the company make him the perfect choice to lead the organization on this journey of transformation, growth, and improvement. He is simply overflowing with great new ideas for the company and its artistic and educational programming. His life is an incredible example of resilience, and he is a great role model for people of every age and culture."

Manning states: "I am honored to have the support of the strong artists and community advocates that make up the Watts Village Theater Company family. When Quentin Drew and I startEd Watts Village 17 years ago, we wanted a platform to represent the issues and interests of Watts and the South LA community. I can only imagine the huge smile on Quentin's face as he looks down on all that we have been able to do. I know that he will continue to help guide our success as we approach our 20 year anniversary. With this season, I wanted to bring things back home to Watts. We produce such quality art. The people of the community need to see it."

WVTC is gearing up for its upcoming 20 year anniversary by working closely with its advisors, creating new policies that make the organization more effective, building a new website, revitalizing its mission statement and designing a new vision statement. All transitions and policy changes made over the last year and those coming this year, including those made to prevent budget overruns and improve artistic quality, have been made and will continue to be made based on guidance from key founders, staff members, board members, and advisors as well as supporters from the community. These transitions, including the need to transition from a part-time to full-time artistic director, were set several years ago in the company's strategic plan.

On February 1, Watts Village Theater Company (WVTC) welcomed back its co-founder Lynn Manning to lead the organization. Manning replaces former Artistic Director Guillermo Aviles-Rodriguez, who will continue his full-time work as Assistant Professor of Theater and Cinema at Los Angeles Mission College. Aviles-Rodriguez leads the college's relatively new theater program and promises to bring his trademark innovations and insights to the program.

Not without a bit of sadness, the board accepted the former artistic director's resignation with the company's strategic plan and vision for the future in mind as well as the need for a full-time director. The board and staff thank him for his years of hard work and service and wish him well in his future endeavors.

David Mack, WVTC's Managing Director stated, "I am confident that Watts Village will continue to shine brightly as a beacon of hope and possibility for the South Los Angeles community. Under the leadership of Lynn Manning and with this year's line-up, we are sure to grow our supporters like never before."

Manning, a former WVTC Board Chair, holds the unique honor of having served as artist and board for the company, and now serving as the artistic visionary for the future of the innovative Watts-based theater company.