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"SONGS OF MY CHILDHOOD"

A powerful tale of child abuse and its affects upon the life of the individual; will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride in multi-media form.

THEATRICAL REVIEW

A play examines the darker side of the Guinea Pig Kids

Although I am not a theater critic, I made an exception to review 'Songs of My Childhood' last week because I was interested in the subject of child maltreatment. This very powerful play throws emotional punches that make you laugh and cry. By the end of the play, you don't remember a knock out punch but you know you were hit when you leave the space with an upbeat feeling of hope. The two Part one act (1hr 15 minutes) multi-media presentation delves deep into the world of child maltreatment; a subject put on the national radar by the case of the so-called New York City guinea pig kids. In that case, foster care kids were use to test AIDS drugs . The drugs made them vomit and have diarrhea, lose their ability to walk, and some died. This was a form of government sanctioned child maltreatment. However, most child maltreatment cases, experts say, happen in the home. The experts say that female children and adolescents are significantly more likely then males to suffer sexual abuse. Here, in this play, Lucy Aponte, a visual, literary, and performance artist, uses her poems and narratives in a video presentations and music and dance to explore her pain as a youthful victim of child abuse.

"My work comes from my heart, communicating the realities of life and its affect upon our innocents," says Ms. Aponte. Experts say child maltreatment is a 'multi dimensional and interactive problem involving the child and the multiple environments in which the child exists.' I truly believe Ms. Aponte captures that 'multi dimensional' aspect. In Part I, a collage of video presentations is set in multiple environments. One depicts a hungry little girl dancing for food from an adult eating a huge sandwich while sitting on a park bench. Emmitt Thrower, the Producer and Director, play the man eating the sandwich.

Paul Cusamano designed the sound in the video and it provided a musical subtext to the video images.

I felt the little girls emotions as she tries again and again to get the man to give her some of his sandwich. The man never does give the little girl a bite. It is a powerful picture of neglect. Another scene depicts a little girl at a party who becomes aware that a pedophile is watching her. The scene captures the fear and anxiety of the child victim in a way that makes you feel the emotions too. Lucy Aponte from the Bronx says, "My work speaks to the beauty, fragility and delicateness of the Child. Through this work I ask that you care for the Child with the delicateness s/he deserves."

Part II opens with the music and dance of an ensemble group of adults playing youth. Victoria Ortegas, Kristin Rath, Audrey Aviles, and Barbara Johnson won my heart over by speaking powerfully in dance to the beauty and pain of the child. The haunting string and Trombone music of Katia Tiutiunnik, a Visiting Scholar in the Music Department of Columbia University, drew the audience and me into the scene. Hey, when you think of theater this good, you think Broadway in Manhattan or Off-Broadway in the Village not the boogie down Bronx. But, this is theater and it is playing at Miss Audrey's Community Dance studio in the Bronx (1445 Union Port Rd). It's a new performance space in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx. You still have time to see this entertaining and educational Play. Call 212-352-3101 for more information. -DENNIS LEVY

DENNIS LEVY IS THE FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BLACK AND LATINO AIDS COALITION, INC. HE HAS WRITTEN ON NUMERIOUS HIV AND AIDS ISSUES. HE IS CURRENTLY FINISHING UP A BOOK ON HIS EXPERENECE. FOR MORE INFO: EMAIL LEVICOBX@AOL.COM .

If you would like to support child abuse prevention efforts, please click the link below to purchase "Songs of My Childhood" products:

"Songs of My Childhood"

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