WET: A DACAmented Journey by Alex Alpharaoh Review

Venturing to Atwater Village from anywhere that is not Atwater Village in Los Angeles can oftentimes be a long, arduous task. Traffic and other unforeseen forces always seem to make the journey unbearable. However, while traffic was, at times, awful, on the particular Friday night when I decided to venture east to the Ensemble Studio Theatre everything seemed to align just right.

Had I known beforehand the experience that I was going to have at Alex Alpharaoh’s play WET: A DACAmented Journey, I would have come much sooner. WET: A DACAmented Journey is the story of what it means to be an America in every sense of the word except for one: on paper. I found it extremely timely that I was seeing the play, which has now extended its run for an additional 2-weeks, the day that it was reported 45 is considering ending the Differed Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that was founded by President Obama in 2012.

I must admit I am oftentimes skeptical of LA Theatre. Although I am never usually happy to be proven wrong, tonight was an exception to the opinion that oftentimes finds itself looming over the great projects taking place all around Los Angeles. WET: A DACAmented Journey is an immersive, exploratory, one man show that documents the political and social struggles many immigrant communities face today and the fear that any moment, they could be deported from their home. As gripping as it is poignant, the play mirrors the message inscribed on a pedestal at the Statue of Liberty; it is just too bad that we no longer live in a country that adheres to that message and instead forces families and individuals from all walks of life to live in fear of a government versus becoming all they can be and truly making America great again.

A skillful orator, Alex Alpharaoh uses the stage as a platform for both his message to ‘dreamers’ as well as to the audience that he is not the enemy that is scapegoated by pundits and politicians. We would all make the world a better place if we all remembered Alex’s message of humanity, love, and family. Through keeping the faith, a little help from G-d, and the love of his family, Alex’s story takes shape right before the audiences’ eyes and we are all better as a result.

WET: A DACAmented is written and performed by Alex Alpharaoh, Directed by Kevin Comartin and Produced by Liz Ross. You can get your tickets to WET: A DACAmented Journey by clicking here.