Los Angeles Poverty Department creates performances and multidisciplinary artworks that connect the experience of people living in poverty to the social forces that shape their lives.
Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD) is a non-profit theater company that was founded in 1985 by John Malpede. LAPD is based in Skid Row, Los Angeles, and its mission is to use theater to create social change.
LAPD's work is based on the belief that theater can be a powerful tool for social transformation. The company's productions are created in collaboration with people who live in poverty, and they often address issues such as homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. LAPD's work has been praised for its authenticity, its power, and its ability to challenge audiences.
In addition to its theater productions, LAPD also offers a variety of educational and outreach programs. These programs are designed to help people who live in poverty develop their creative talents, and to raise awareness of the issues that they face. LAPD's work has had a significant impact on the lives of people who live in poverty, and it has helped to change the way that people think about poverty and homelessness.
The Robert F. Kennedy Performance Project was a series of public conversations and activities that centered around a real-time, site-specific intermedia performance that recreated Robert Kennedy’s two-day, 200-mile “poverty tour” of southeastern Kentucky in 1968. The performance was directed by John Malpede and was produced by Appalshop, a non-profit media arts center based in Whitesburg, Kentucky.
The performance took place on September 9th and 10th, 2004, in the same locations that Kennedy visited during his tour. The cast included local residents and professional actors, and the performance incorporated a variety of media, including theater, music, dance, and film.
The Robert F. Kennedy Performance Project was a powerful and moving experience that brought Kennedy’s legacy to life. The performance also sparked important conversations about poverty, inequality, and social justice.
LAPD is a valuable resource for the Los Angeles community. The company is working to create social change through theater, and it is helping to make a difference in the lives of people who live in poverty.
