(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Breaking down borders, mixing genres, artists and audiences from around the world to exchanging ideas – the global discussions continues  JCTC Conversations: Voices From Around The World Episode – with  Episode 5 –  Strength and May 22 Episode 6 – Revelation.

Launched to provide programming for audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, JCTC Conversations: Voices From Around The World is the online series by Jersey City Theater Company (JCTC) that in the organization’s signature style, is global in scope yet relevant to the community. 

Participating artists span genres – including performers, poets,  dancers, actors and other artists – and hail from many corners of the globe, including Spain, India and Japan as well as artists from the U.S. and of course, Jersey City.

In keeping with this nonprofit arts organization’s mission of inspiring conversations about important issues of our times through the arts, community dialogue, Talk-Backs, Q&A’s between audiences and artists and other discussion formats have always been part of JCTC programming. By creating online programming, JCTC’s network of audiences and artists has been literally been expanded worldwide.

The necessity of bringing programming to audiences homebound due to quarantine restrictions may have necessitated the creation of JCTC Conversations: Voices From Around The World as well as JCTC New Play Festival Online: Return to Love (May 20 & May 27) and other soon be announced online shows, but going virtual has surprising benefits.  JCTC’s reach is now extended, its range of artistic partners and audiences  vastly increased and the dialogue driven impact is truly multicultural. 

“Our online programming has truly helped the JCTC network and family grow,” said Olga Levina, Artistic Director, JCTC and host of JCTC Conversations: Voices From Around The World. “We’ve discovered many new and different performing arts companies and foreign cultural organizations are collaborating with artists from all over the world. We truly live in a global community and through the new technology there’s incredible opportunities for mutual understanding, exchanging ideas, learning about our similarities and our differences and genuine empathy for each other.”

JCTC online programming has also enhanced Jersey City’s reputation as one of America’s fastest growing cultural destinations. “The artists we collaborate with bring their audiences with them,” said Levina. “Not only are we giving our artists exposure to a global audience, but we’re exposing our audience to international artists from many countries. Jersey City is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and it’s our diversity that makes unique and strong, and now our city is a catalyst for creating a global community centered around the arts.”

JCTC CONVERSATIONS: VOICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

May 15/2:00pm Episode 5 – Strength

FEATURING Megha Sood, Poet (India / USA & Jersey City resident); Jadranka Vrsalovic-Carevic, Head of Office, Institut Ramon Llull,  Catalan Language and Culture; AmeriAfrica: Àfrica Llorens & Amer Kabbani  are Circus Artists (Catalan company, Barcelona); Kamchàtka Street Theatre Company, Catalan Company (Catalan company, Barcelona); Pavement Dance with Christopher Kinsey & Maggie Costales (USA); Vikram Lyengar, Dance & Theatre (India); Ingrid Griffith, Theatre (Guyana / USA); Ayako Takahashi, Ayalis In Motion, Dance (Japan)

May 22 /2:00pm Episode 6 – Revelation.

How to Watch – the easiest way is to visit the JCTC CONVERSATIONS: VOICES FROM AROUND THE WORLD Event Page on Facebook and follow the instructions. The program uses Zoom Meeting technology.  Or visit: www.JCTCenter.org