You The Man
APAP SHOWCASING ARTIST - 2008
You The Man
A one-man show addressing unhealthy relationships, dating violence, and sexual assault
YOU THE MAN has been seen by over 30,000 people since its debut in 2002. Each show is performed
by a professional actor, and is an excellent way for a campus or community to set the tone for
productive, open dialogue about issues that plague our society: unhealthy relationships, sexual
assault, and dating abuse.
While women have been addressing the issue for the last 30 years, the challenge has been to
engage men in the conversation and activism--a critical element, as 99% of sexual violence is
committed by men. Written in consultation with DV and SA advocates around the country, YTM is
a powerful and engaging approach to the work at hand and is getting national attention from
advocates:
"You The Man is such an effective program in part because its male characters ring so true.
This provides men with a way to empathize and identify with issues that many of us have long
chosen to shy away from. The most important recent development in gender violence prevention
is an increased focus on men. You The Man is an original, creative -- and dare I say it --
entertaining contribution to this movement. It promises to spark some really useful dialogue
between women and men on college campuses, high schools and all sorts of community settings."
--Jackson Katz, creator of the award-winning video Tough Guise and founder of the Mentors in
Violence Prevention (MVP) Program
The play is not an end unto itself, but a means of getting people to talk about the issues.
YTM features six different characters, all men who are in relationship with people who are
or have been victimized. An athlete stuck in a macho box of loyalty and police officer/public
speaker are alongside an advice-giving, rhyming hip-hop merchant of cool to address the issue
of sexual assault. A friend, a father, and a professor all struggle with their choices as a
young woman's relationship becomes increasingly dangerous.
The play names intimate violence as a concern in GLBTQ relationships, as well as heterosexual
relationships. It empowers men and women to step out of the bystander role, to not let friends
or family suffer in silence, to engage in critical thinking around tough questions: What is
informed consent? How does alcohol or drug use factor into consent issues? What do you do if
you recognize someone is in trouble? How do you be supportive and not endanger someone?
The play does not offer resolution. It doesn't seek to traumatize the audience. It doesn't do
"magic", and present a perpetrator seeing the error of his ways. It is not reasonable or safe
to expect that an abusive or violent person will change; it is reasonable that in a coordinated
community response, we can create communities that do not tolerate the violence. It is
reasonable that women and men find ways to address the issue together and begin to understand
how the issues impact ALL of us. Since much violence happens off campuses or after campus
resources are closed, YTM offers an opportunity for the community resources to join a campus'
resources in the mandatory debriefing session that follows the performance.
Included in the program materials is a guide to bringing the play into a community, with
checklists, guided discussion questions, troubleshooting tips, and suggestions for additional
resources. Social change happens one person at a time. An individual can be empowered to
recognize choices, healthy language, and solidarity with other individuals. If we want the
violence toward women to end, women must find and use strategies that will engage men in ways
that do not shame, blame, or victimize.
YOU THE MAN can be the tool for campuses to move men to reflect, and then act. As Stan the Man
says in his closing lines:
It's time for the violence to end
starting with you and your friends.
You the man-and ladies, you too
Now, what you gonna do?"
Would you like to receive an additional $500 off of the price of your program?