For 16 years, Actors Bridge Ensemble has been on a mission to give teen girls the tools they need to amplify their voices with the summer program Act Like a GRRRL. In a political climate that often favors silencing dissent over speaking out for one’s rights, this mission is more important than ever. This summer, artistic director Vali Forrister once again spent three weeks with a group of 12- to 18-year-old girls, leading them in writing, singing, dancing and performing autobiographical narratives. The program looked different this year, with Zoom sessions and driveway visits replacing the close, in-person interaction that has allowed the program to thrive for more than a decade-and-a-half. You wouldn’t know it by the final performance though. The virtual event played out beautifully, and the grrrls used inventive methods to courageously claim space. Afterward, Forrister invited viewers to an after-party on Zoom, where we heaped accolades on the performers — my face ached from smiling. ERICA CICCARONE
Best Teen Programming
Act Like a GRRRL
