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Shia LaBeouf is throwing a banger to raise funds for Slauson Rec

Kulture June 12, 2019
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Happy birthday Shia LaBeouf!

The beloved and embattled actor turns 33 today and in celebration, the actor took to Twitter to announce a festival he’s putting on that’s, as he described, “better than Coachella.”

“It’s my birthday, we did it, mom,” he starts in the video. “And in the spirit of getting my shit together, we’re throwing a big party; or, more to the point, we’re throwing a fundraiser for this Slauson Rec. theatre company we opened 10 months ago out of the Slauson Rec. Theatre School.”

“We have an incredible cast of characters coming out to help us open this thing. It’s a better lineup than Coachella.”

And he lowkey might be right. As he lists in the video, he’s gotten YG, Jaden Smith, Vic Mensa, Baby Keem, and many, many more to take part.

But most of all, it’ll be a preview of what the Slauson Rec. Theatre Company has been doing over the last year, in hopes of inspiring more donors and sponsors.

On the Eventbrite page for the event, Shia describes Slauson Rec. as an unconventional, experimental, devised theater that writes performance not text. “We develop cutting-edge material in-house, through improvisation, nonfictional acting, and collaborative group work,” it reads.

“We perform for/among non-traditional venues, on the house, free of charge, through the network, in hopes of moving the broadest of all possible audiences,” the description continues.

As he mentioned in the video, Slauson Rec. was founded not even a year ago, offering free classes with no formal training to whoever wanted to pop up.

“If you don’t like it, leave. If you do like it, I’ll be there next Saturday,” he tells potential pupils in his launch video last year.

“I’ll be there every Saturday from 9 a.m., building shit with whoever shows up. I’m trying to change the world if you are too let’s get it. Bang.”

Ten months later, now, he has a benefit concert with some of the biggest names in music to help raise money.

Most importantly, and what I think should be highlighted here is, the community in which it’s helping. Slauson is one of Cali’s more distressed and marginalized areas.

A well-resourced theatre can spark ideas that lead to the next innovators in art and politics from the community, and those who have never set foot in the area.

Shia also lets you know exactly where the money is going:

“We are raising funds for the school to have alternative venue spaces for workshops and rehearsal. These funds will also provide transportation for participants in the neighborhood to get to/from workshops, and opportunities to see different forms of theater,” he writes on the fundraising page.

Tickets are $150 and the concert will be taking place in L.A. on Sat, June 29, and Sun, June 30.

Get your tickets here.

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