Alexis Cash hopes to perform in front of large playhouses and on movie screens around the world – but for now she’s excited about an upcoming part that will put her in front of just one person at a time.
The Point Park University sophomore acting major has signed up to participate in a new program in which actors will portray renters to look for discrimination among landlords.
“We’re going after (the landlords) and trying to make sure they’re being straight with everybody, and not discriminating,” Cash said.
The Fair Housing Project acting gig is just one of the avante guard ways that members of Point Park’s Experimental Theater Project (ETP) is challenging the boundaries of traditional performances, organizers said. The group most recently did a 24-hour play festival that featured a series of performances produced by students. They also are working on a production tied to a book drive, as well as others that will bring actors into the streets.
The Fair Housing Project came about when a young woman was looking for a place to live in the Pittsburgh area, organizers said. After finding a potential apartment, she spoke to the landlord on the phone and set up an appointment. Upon meeting the landlord, he immediately told her he could not rent to her.
When she asked why, he simply said it was because she was black. The young woman wanted to file a complaint but had no evidence.
The Fair Housing Project created a program that would send volunteers on “tests” to see if landlords are abiding by the fair housing regulations or discriminating against potential residents. They are now turning to local students for volunteers.
Meghan Ginley, president of ETP, is looking to take on the task of finding volunteers with the help of her club. The senior acting major at Point Park said she was contacted by Kaleigh Behe of the Fair Housing Project.
“[This collaboration] will be worthwhile,” Ginley said.
Behe told Ginley they were looking for student groups and groups of actors. Considering ETP fit the bill, she decided to jump at the opportunity for a “real-life acting job.”
The Fair Housing Project has been using, and looking for, volunteers to participate in the tests.
“I checked it out and it was legit,” said Ginley. She emailed members of ETP informing them of the upcoming project and got a great response.
Grant Haralson, a junior musical theater student, said he was interested in participating in this program. He has been a member of ETP since he was a freshman. “(This project) involves going on tours of apartments and asking the landlords certain questions,” Haralson explained.
While sophomore acting major Tess DeStefano is not participating in this collaboration, she still sees it as an excellent idea. “I think theater will help open people’s eyes to this issue and stop discrimination,” she said.
There are training sessions for the tours, and Ginley has one planned for a date in the near future. Once a volunteer passes the test, they are ready to go on a test run.
Two or more students of different races or ethnicities will be sent to the same place on different occasions. They will take notes and send them into the Fair Housing Project for evaluation.
“I hope we don’t find anybody who is discriminating, because they could lose their jobs,” Cash said. “But I hope to catch people if they are (discriminating).”
This written evidence is then used when and if someone is taken to court for violating regulations of the Fair Housing Project. For each test, volunteers will receive a stipend of $50.
Ginley already has about eight students interested in the project and is looking for more participants. She and DeStefano said they hope to use their talents and connections with ETP to bring awareness to issues such as discrimination.
DeStefano says she is excited for what is ahead: “We have more people involved to create inspirational work.”
* Originally published for Point Park News Service http://www.pointparknewsservice.com/
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