THE GRAPES OF WRATH Cast And Crew Reach Out to the Austin Homeless Community

Last night was the first performance of THE GRAPES OF WRATH, and, during the performance, a collection point benefiting Mobile Loaves and Fishes was set up by the door. The audience was fantastic and very generous, but there's still weeks of work to be done ...

From the onset of this production, ZACH Theatre's Artistic Director Dave Steakley worked to make sure Austin's "least among us" homeless community was not forgotten. Early on, Steakley directed the cast to join the estimated 3,625 homeless individuals in Austin to prepare for the show -- about the struggle of a Depression-era family that became homeless after fleeing their dust covered farm in Oklahoma for work in California.

From Dave Steakley's Director's Notes: "We have a lot of Austinites who sleep out on the streets at night and don’t always know where their next meal is coming from. Judy Knotts, an angel in our community who works as a volunteer serving homeless citizens, tells me one of the big issues for our homeless friends is the loss of identity, the lack of eye contact that ‘persons with means’ make with a homeless person, and the consequent loss of dignity. It can be out of fear or guilt or irritation that we don’t engage a homeless person. THE GRAPES OF WRATH reminds me that we are all a part of this community and we have a responsibility to act with compassion to everyone who calls Austin home."

ZACH Theatre's collection point for Mobile Loaves and Fishes will be at all THE GRAPES OF WRATH performances, and collections will go directly to benefit the the Austin homeless community.

Suggested items needed right now include:

• Sun screen and chap stick, small travel sizes.
• New baseball style caps.
• New briefs or boxer shorts for men.
• Spring clothes, tee shirts for men or women, new or gently used blue jeans.

Visit ZACH's web site to find a list of other suggested donations, such as blankets, socks and food items, when you buy tickets for the show.