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PHANTOM PROJECTS EDUCATIONAL THEATRE GROUP’S DRAMA ABOUT EATING DISORDERS
WINS APPROVAL FROM TEEN AUDIENCES AT LA MIRADA THEATRE PREMIERE IN MAY
Spring 2008 Tour of ‘Through These Eyes’ Now Available for Booking at L.A. and O.C. Schools
LA MIRADA, CA. — Phantom Projects Educational Theatre Group has added another drama to
its repertoire of plays designed to open teenage eyes. All four scripts are designed to look at
issues affecting young people while revealing theater’s immediacy and power.
The new play, “Through These Eyes” by Bruce Gevirtzman, examines the painful causes
and effects of teenage eating disorders. The audience reaction at two debut performances on
May 23 at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, as well as feedback during post-show
discussions, showed that teenagers want and “get” the message of “Through These Eyes.” It
joins three existing plays by Gevirtzman now available for booking at Los Angeles and Orange
County secondary schools in 2007-2008.
“This is an especially important project,” said Phantom Projects Producing Artistic
Director Steve Cisneros, who founded the company in 1997 at the age of 17. “Many in the cast
and audience know from personal experience how destructive the pressure to ‘look perfect’ can
be. The play is designed to see the causes sympathetically, but then show healthy alternatives to
help those caught in the downward spiral to pull out before it’s too late. It also seeks to empower
friends and siblings who need to talk honestly with someone they suspect may be in danger.”
Through the post-show comments and letters and Web postings, Cisneros, who directed
the production, knows that “Through These Eyes” hit home.
“The play was great,” said one audience member during the post-show discussion. “I have
a friend that went through the eating disorder and it’s very hard to see someone you care about go
through it. Fortunately she got through it with a lot of family support, unlike Emma [the central
character in the play].”
Another told Cisneros and his cast, “We need more hard working people like you and your
staff that care about the teens of today.”
714.690.2900 • Post Office Box 250 • La Mirada, California 90637 • PhantomProjects.com
One visitor to Phantom Projects’ MySpace page (myspace.com/phantomprojects) wrote
that “Through These Eyes” was “an awesome play! I was ready to cry! Good Job.” While
another posted a message to phantomprojects.com, “Very interesting. The cast did a great job. I
think my sister got a lot out of the message.”
The cast, who did such brave work not only on stage but in candid video interviews that
screened as part of the show, included Alison Axelrad (Fullerton), Paul Cabrera (Whittier), Chad
Caluza (20, Brea), Tyler Campbell (La Mirada), Carol Grisham (25, Anaheim), Mia De Guzman
(Whittier), Allyson Hernandez (La Mirada), Caitlin Joyce (Anaheim Hills), Paris Langle
(Whittier), Tracy McDaniel (La Mirada), Cassi Morgan (Burbank), Brianna Moffitt, Sienna
Moffitt (Yorba Linda), Jaci Najera (La Habra Heights), Danica Ross (La Mirada), Stephanie Roy
(La Habra), Melody Stolpp (Santa Ana) and Amanda Turner (La Mirada).
Each spring, Phantom Projects remounts all its issue plays and schedules performances of
any or all to middle and high schools in Los Angeles and Orange County. Previous plays are
“The Center of the Universe,” about prejudice and intolerance, “No Way to Treat a Lady,” about
teen pregnancy, and “Out, Out Brief Candle,” about substance abuse. To inquire about tour
dates and prices visit PhantomProjects.com or call (714) 690 2900.
About Phantom Projects
Each year Phantom Projects Educational Theatre Group offers a season of productions at
the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts (including classic plays currently on High School
curricula and a new or existing issue play) and months of educational tours to schools.
A fourth production, Phantom Projects’ Young Artists Workshop, was added for the
current 10th Anniversary 2006-07 Season. This first Artists Workshop will bring together a
dozen or more promising theatre artists between the ages of 15 and 25, to development numerous
short performance pieces. They will be expected to contribute two areas of expertise: writing,
direction, design, building the production, stage management, performing, crewing, etc. The
three-week workshop will culminate in public showcase at the La Mirada Theatre for the
Performing Arts at 7 p.m. on August 4.
For information on booking a performance of the 2008 tour, auditioning for the Young
Artists’ Workshop, or next season’s schedule, visit PhantomProjects.com or call (714) 690 2900.
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714.690.2900 • Post Office Box 250 • La Mirada, California 90637 • PhantomProjects.com