We’re Still Here tells the story of a Chicago newspaper in the middle of the Great Depression. They report news of economic strife, pandemic, and war while also struggling with their own unrealized ambitions and a comically bullying boss. All of this takes place through the lens of a kind but frustrated advice columnist and overseen by two blind beggars who act as a wry chorus. The script was created collaboratively by the Interact Center performing arts theater department and original music by award-winning composer Aaron Gabriel. The play looks at the present through the lens of the past, telling a story of a world in chaos and the tools people develop to survive, find moments of joy, and even thrive. Through this story, the performing artists at Interact find parallels between the 1930s and the modern era and look at the way world events affect people.
Photography by Thomas Sandeland