“Finding Home” performances, Jan. 11-14

Press release from Homeward Bound of WNC:

As a young artist living in New York City, Candice Dickinson was heartbroken to see how humans can treat people just because they do not have a home. When she walked home from her job as a bartender at 1:00am during the winter, Dickinson would see 20 or more people laying on top of the subway vents, huddled next to each other trying to sleep and stay warm. It felt like an overwhelming problem that was just not right. Giving a dollar here and there didn’t feel like it would even make a dent in these people’s lives. She felt the panic of being one paycheck away from not affording rent or bills and asked herself what would happen if she didn’t have friends and family to fall back on when times got hard.

This compassion, as well as Dickinson’s passion for the arts, was the motivation behind her play Finding Home – a collection of songs, new and found monologues, scenes and dance that tell true stories of our neighbors who have lived for years without a home.

After taking a tour of AHOPE, Homeward Bound’s homeless day center, Dickinson was driven to partner with the agency and create this play as a fundraiser. Her goal is to not only raise money for Homeward Bound so it can continue its mission of finding permanent homes for the homeless, but also to tell the story and share ideas that can change people’s hearts and minds.

The performances take place January 11-14 at 7:00pm at the Phil Mechanic Studios in the River Arts District. Finding Homeis an intimate piece of theater with a cast of eight singers and actors and a band comprised of piano, violin, guitar, and mandolin. The cast are all Asheville locals who have worked professionally in the theater community both in Asheville and throughout the country.

Available at the performances are exclusive small plates from the new menu of the upcoming restaurant venture from Jacob Sessoms of Table along with clean and sour brews from Wicked Weed.

Full bios of the cast, information on the show, and tickets can all be found at candicedickinson.org/findinghome.

Homeward Bound of WNC is a social impact nonprofit working to end homelessness in Buncombe County. Homeward Bound’s methods are based on the national best practice model Housing First which involves moving people into permanent housing first and then providing the support they need to stay there. With the support of the community, since 2006, Homeward Bound has found homes for more than 1,970 people and 89% have not returned to homelessness. For more information, visit Homewardboundwnc.org

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