History

Watts Village Theater Company (WVTC) is a registered nonprofit corporation in the state of California. It was founded by Quentin Drew and Lynn Manning in 1996. This creative partnership was an outgrowth of Cornerstone Theater Company's two year residency in the Los Angeles community of Watts. WVTC's earliest endeavor was to conduct acting and performance workshops in several Watts housing projects that culminated in public talent shows sponsored by the L.A. County Department of Recreation And Parks. Next, the company brought together professional and community performers for a 1996 theatrical celebration of June Teenth at The Watts Towers art Center. WVTC has since gone on to produce staged readings and full theatrical presentations in Watts, Inglewood, the L.A. Convention Center, and the Los Angeles Theater Center. Most recently, Watts Village Theater Company's year 2000 world premiere production of Lynn Manning's The Last Outpost received critical acclaim and four NAACP Theater award nominations. In 2001, WVTC initiated an annual commitment to observe African-American History Month with a relevant production. Last year it was, The Long And The Short Of It, a weekend of staged readings of works by L.A. based African-American playwrights. This year's presentation of WEIGHTS represents the continuation of that commitment.

Watts Village Theater Company is also dedicated to creating positive social change through education in the theatrical performing arts. Toward that end, WVTC has collaborated with the L.A. Unified School District, The School Policing Partnership Program, YouthBuild USA and Public Allies to implement performing arts programming. In the spring of 2001, WVTC joined with Public Allies Los Angeles to work with the children in the Los Padrenos Juvenile Hall on leadership through theater. The program culminated in the children creating and performing a production they THEMSELVES created. In the fall of 2001, Artistic Director, Quentin Drew collaborated with Figueroa Street Elementary School to create an original production "No Toys for the Center", for their annual Christmas Program. In February of 2002, WVTC will implement an after-school program at Jordan High in Watts, through collaboration with the School Community Policing Partnership Program.

List of Members