Voices for Inclusion in Essex and Westford (VIEW) invites the community to a FREE SHOWING of The Listen Up Movie on Monday, October 24th @ 7pm at Essex Cinemas!

The film stars Faith Awotho who attended Essex High School. The original Listen Up Musical toured Vermont live during the summer of 2021. The movie is the filmed version of the show and conveys the messages and energy of the musical beautifully.

Listen Up is an original musical inspired, created, and performed by Vermont teens. The show goes to the heart of current youth issues, including mental health, resilience, racial justice, sexual identity, friendship, love, family, community, social justice, and current issues that young people are grappling with including covid, climate change, and the future of Vermont for young people.

Amar Vargas who is a teen cast member said "We just want to inspire adults to learn more about the stuff that teens are going through that they might not think about. Listen Up brings these issues into the light."

On seeing the live show last summer, Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine raved:
"I was absolutely blown away by the insights and wisdom of our youth, and the frank exploration of the lived experiences and emotional roller coaster ride called adolescence that Listen Up provided me. Most importantly, the musical effectively catalyzes the important conversations teens, their parents, school mentors, and communities need to be having about the complex issues facing teens, society, and the planet today."

Teen cast member Avery Cutroni said, "It's a lot easier to convey these messages through song and dance."

The Listen Up Project began its creative process in the winter of 2019. Throughout that year, producer Bess O'Brien and her team of artists and educators traversed across Vermont to talk with more than 800 teens about issues important to them. O'Brien then assembled a production team and engaged with teen writers and songwriters to produce a script based on true stories from young people living throughout Vermont. Auditions were scheduled and 16 VT teens were cast in the show, along with youth crew and band members!

For more information and to watch clips of the movie go to https://www.listenupvt.org/