FREEZE FRAME… Stop the Madness
Everyday we wake shattered by news of seemingly unstoppable human tragedy. The senseless loss of innocent lives in malls, theaters, libraries, college campuses, churches, clubs, and elementary schools is more than any heart can bare. Our President has had to face the nation too many times imploring our inept elected representatives to do what is right and for everyone to stand up and do their part in re-balancing this equation. 
I feel compelled and inspired to use my creativity to connect with my fellow Americans and initiate conversations that are not clouded by political agendas or capital interests and find solutions. Our democratic freedoms are being tested by fear and overshadowed by pockets of evil.
America is having a conversation with itself about gun violence, racial prejudice, social injustice, and the basic principles of human rights. We must, as artists, take up the mandate to be a lens through which the world can experience truth and compassion.
FREEZE FRAME … Stop the Madness is a fusion of dance, music, spoken word, drama, film, and art. It’s the story of our inner city African American and Latino youth, our religious leaders, our police, our parents, our educators, and young children. While giving an equal voice to all sides at the end of the day, this work stands tall for the value of human life.
I am grateful to The Annenberg Foundation, The Brisbane Festival, and The Kennedy Center for the opportunity.
This is not just my voice, it is the voice of the ancestors, the voice of our lost souls, the voice of our young people begging the world to Stop the Madness … Freeze Frame.
– Debbie Allen
FREEZE FRAME … Stop the Madness is written, directed, and choreographed by the incredible Debbie Allen and will be making its East Coast debut at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC from October 27-30, 2016. This powerful work fuses movement, music, art, cinema, and gives audiences an inward look into the challenging experiences of young, disenfranchised African Americans and Latinos growing up in the inner city. Starting with a single moment when the characters’ lives collide, the story quickly unfolds, following the dilemma and choices they face, and the hope that they hold. FREEZE FRAME … Stop the Madness is a true look at youths living in a community weighed down by social inequities, who despite the odds, have risen and created a cultural revolution through dance and music. To purchase tickets and for more information, please visit www.freezeframemusical.com.
