EVERY MINUTE ONE RUNS AWAY EVERY DAY 13 WILL DIE.
Behind graffiti covered walls, down dark alleys and under freeways, “The Playground” takes us on a non-stop journey beyond the glamorous world of Hollywood and into the lives of LA’s street kids. On the quest for the everlasting party, an ultimate adventure, or the most basic of freedoms, these kids unite in their struggle for survival. In the darkest of places the “street family” offers a sense of belonging, the bonds of friendship, love and family. Desperately clinging to their hopes and dreams they quickly become both predator and prey.
Inspired by true events, this powerful, edge-of-your-seat, Rock Drama motivates audiences of all ages to create a positive movement for social change. With a pace that moves with pounding force, intensified by complex, quick and innovative lighting, seeing this show is like watching a film on stage. It’s not dark; it’s tragic; like a modern Shakespearean tragedy “ The Playground” pushes the boundaries of theater.
The Playground is not a typical book musical. The songs are introspective and utilize fantasies and drug trips to provide a canvas for the vocalists, making the music an entryway into the lonely corridors of their minds, saturated with dreams, fear, passion and desire. With fully mastered tracks behind the live vocals, when the audience watches a “musical number” they are fully surrounded by it, they feel it in their bones. And, varied types of rough, uncut looking video reveals the documentary style interviews where an “unknown camera man” has captured “real life” footage of our teens.
This show strives to stay true to the life it is representing, and, as an audience member the reality does not stop at the stage. People in the audience, much like in daily life, are hit up for change, cried to in the height of emotions, even serenaded, for a fee.
Determined to get the most thorough understanding of these kids and their lives, the creative team spent time on the street with no money, food or form of contact. What they experiences changed their lives forever. According to the National Runaway Switchboard statistics, every day between 1.3 and 2.8 million are living on the streets of America. One out of every seven children will run away before the age of eighteen. Some will return within a few days, others remain on the streets never to return.
An original work created and directed by Michael Leoni, with music by Beth Hart and Michael Montoya, The Playground spent five years in development in New York City and made its workshop debut in Los Angeles, at the Hudson Theater in September 2004. Full houses and great reviews fueled its Los Angeles stage premiere in May of 2005, at the Deaf West Theater, and once again, at the Unknown Theater in 2006. The positive response from audience members who were affected by the creative vision, the stories and the message, has kept them coming back for more.
WHERE DID THE PLAYGROUND COME FROM?
On September 11, 2001 the world’s heart stopped. New York City became a war zone, and every New Yorker became a prisoner of war in one respect or another. Michael Leoni lost his job and was evicted from his apartment in what seemed like an instant. With restaurants and local businesses closing one right after another, the search for a job became impossible. Choosing the pursuit of passion over defeat, he moved into a cockroach ridden, 8’x10’, one room apartment with his girlfriend and friend, they were on empty. While stealing groceries in order to eat, he was faced with the reality of what he would be willing to do to survive. He looked to the streets and saw a path of self-destruction that looked all to real; homelessness, drugs, fear and loneliness. His inner strength and pure determination, however, steered him in the opposite direction. While he managed to finally land a job and get back on track, he was consumed with the details of a reality that was so close to being his. Wanting to know what makes a person choose the streets, prostitution and drugs. Michael began his research. He interviewed street kids, runaways and prostitutes (both male and female) and began journaling their stories.
Borrowing a friend's computer, Michael began the first stages of The Playground. After months of writing the computer crashed and all of his work was lost. Starting over from scratch, Michael rewrote The Playground by hand and spent the next year continuing his research. By 2003 he had a new job and a new apartment. Life was back on track. The Playground landed on the shelf and stayed there.
In January of 2004 he made the move to Los Angeles. Determined to get ahead by producing his own projects, he quickly assembled a team and by April had completed his first production. Then, anxious to find his second, Michael spent countless hours reading scripts. In what seemed like a fate-like moment, The Playground made its way off the shelf. Reading it again brought all the pain, suffering and passion back to the surface. He dove into the script and spent every waking moment editing, adding and tweaking. The Playground had been re-born.
Committed to the true nature of its foundation, Michael, again, began his research. He brought his team to San Diego to meet with StandUp For Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue of street kids. With the help of StandUp For Kids they were able to connect with street kids and spend invaluable time on the streets. In order to keep their experience authentic and honest, The team went out with no money, ID or form of contact. The people they met, the stories they heard and the knowledge they acquired was extraordinary. It changed their lives and the life of The Playground forever.
