An encore presentation of “Nowhere to Fly – Gangs and Boys”
A play entitled “Nowhere to Fly – Gangs and Boys” is a recent project by RESTORE Belize with a message intended to curb crime in the Old Capital. Today, the production, done under the directorship of Joseph Stamp Romero, had an encore presentation for the students of the Gwen Lizarraga High School. It is a story of the poverty conditions and the struggles of the youth; the lack of recreational spaces, the lack of job opportunities and the prevalence of gun violence in south side Belize City. It is a most powerful and timely message that depicts that with hope, at-risk youths can get out of adverse situations. Stamp Romero says that the project took five months to put together and will be presented at different locations throughout the City.
Joseph Stamp Romero, Director, Nowhere to Fly
Joseph Stamp Romero
“I decided to write a story about the struggles that young people are going through. Some of the time I talk to young people and you know they talk about you know the opportunities that they are lacking. And how sometimes they really want to try and they really want you know that platform to be able to live some dreams and we don’t have that kind of relationship all the time. That where young people can talk to parents and sometimes they talk to strangers and the best person to actually do that to get them to live that platform are parents. And so it is hard to put a show, a production into place, where it speaks, it gives a voice to young people, it speak for them. It says that they want somewhere to fly, whether it is a community, whether it a parent, governmental agency, whoever we are, we have our roles to play to help them reach those goals. And so what “Nowhere to Fly” really is all about is that it is saying that young people, they have these concerns and so it’s about time that we really sat down and heard them out. You know we have an interesting society Duane, even culture where you can tell a lot of people associate with what’s going on, you know they can relate to it, but they won’t say that you know point blank. A lot of people relate to it, a lot of people you can see that they are affected by the some of the social ills so some of the responses are really great. The kids of Gwen Liz the stuff that they have been able to relate to, they are saying to themselves that we have finally done something right. This is not a south side story only. Some of the issues that we actually highlight affect all youth, all young people. In March, on March twenty-first, we have a production runnng at the bliss. We invite all school because we know that all young people have these same struggles and we want them to know that at the end of the day you have to speak out as one.”
The next presentation will be at the Street Art Festival in February.
