The Souls Shot Portrait Project pairs fine artists with families and friends of victims of gun violence. The artists create portraits using diverse approaches and emphasize the individuality and uniqueness of the victims portrayed. The project began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2016, and the resulting exhibitions have featured many talented artists throughout the years.
Angela Kariotis is a community engaged culture worker and educator building creative programs serving the needs of cities, institutions, and students of all ages for public good. Kariotis integrates restorative practices for a transformative learning experience and a healing centered education. Using a design thinking framework and appreciative inquiry for experiential learning, Kariotis synthesizes art-making for social entrepreneurship. Angela is winner of a NJSCA fellowship in playwriting, a National Performance Network Creation Fund Award, and a Tennessee Williams Theater Fellowship. As a performance artist, she’s been presented by venues such as UCLA, University of Texas at Austin, People’s Light, Legion Arts in Iowa, and Contact Theater in Manchester, UK. Kariotis is Curriculum Director and Facilitator of Walking the Beat, a national arts education program interrogating the history of police, the way we police each other, and ideating alternative cultures of care.
The play is set in the backyard of two adjoining houses in the working class neighborhood of South Philadelphia. They are about to celebrate the 21st birthday of Francis Geminiani, a Harvard student, when two classmate friends from Harvard and Yale, Judith and Randy, show up unexpectedly. Since there isn’t a spare bedroom in either house they pitch a tent in the backyard. Francis’ classmates, the wealthy Judith seeks romance with Francis not realizing that her brother Randy is the object of Francis’ unexpressed affection. Each of the characters in the play are dysfunctional to some degree and their celebration of Francis’ birthday brings out the best of comedy and drama. The birthday party is a series of comic incidents that provide laughter and serious realizations that lead up to the final joyous ending. The crazy fast moving celebration leaves each character a bit wiser and happier having celebrated Francis’ 21st birthday.
