'A Mile in My Shoes' production on homelessness coming to Delray Arts Garage this Sunday
DELRAY BEACH — A new production is coming to town and this one is centered on poetry, drama and comedy, in collaboration with the Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness.
“A Mile in My Shoes,” written by and starring Kathryn Taylor Smith, will debut at the Arts Garage at 7 p.m., Sunday in Delray Beach.
The show is inspired by Smith’s research and interviews with past and present members of Los Angeles’ homeless community and its advocates. It’s one meant to raise consciousness through theatre.
Here’s what else to know:
What is ‘A Mile in My Shoes’ about?
The one-woman play follows Ester, an omniscient shoe whisperer making her way through Skid Row, a neighborhood in downtown Los Angeles known for having one of the country’s largest stable populations of homeless people. On Skid Row, the audience will meet a plethora of characters through Ester: a transgender teen, a young mom, a mentally ill substance abuser, a high school valedictorian, a police officer and concerned citizens at a city council meeting.
RELATED: The Lord's Place in West Palm celebrates opening of larger facility to help serve homeless
The show is directed by Zadia Ife, a producer and director with Ebony Entertainment. It will be followed by a brief presentation from and Q&A session with Ariana Cianco, a service-population advocate for the Delray Beach Police Department, Ezra Krieg, the chair of the Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness; and Smith, the playwright.
What is the Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness?
The Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness was launched in 2016 by the Delray Beach Police Department and the city's staff. It’s grown to have more than 100 members, including social-service agencies and health-care agencies, among others.
“Members believe that homelessness is not a crime or a disease or a place of shame,” the organization’s site states. “Individuals face homelessness for a wide variety of reasons, from job loss to addiction or mental health. Yet each individual in this situation deserves the dignity, support and services of a caring community.”
Its members’ hope is that with a collaborative effort, shelter and services can be found for those in need. Success stories include housing a senior who’d been homeless for 10 years and placing a single father and his son into an Adopt-a-Family program.
IN DELRAY: 'Brave, kind and selfless': Remembering young Delray Beach firefighter who died of cancer
How can I purchase tickets to ‘A Mile in My Shoes?’
Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased at www.ArtsGarage.com, or by calling the venue at (561) 450-6357.
Guests are encouraged to bring shoes and toiletry items that can serve as set pieces during the show and later be donated to the homeless. They also are encouraged to bring donations of new men’s underwear, to be collected by the InterFaith Committee that night. Information tables will be set up in the Arts Garage by relevant community service organizations.
The Arts Garage is at 94 Northeast Second Ave. in Delray Beach’s Pineapple Grove.
Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com. Help support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: A Mile in My Shoes production on homelessness at Delray Arts Garage
