CLEVELAND — We're all just trying to figure it out.
That's what a group of young adults from Cleveland say, and it's why they decided to come together and show the world exactly what it's like.
"Figure It Out" is a 13-episode series that deals with the struggles of navigating young adulthood and figuring out life along the way. But for the talented ensemble cast, the show means a lot more.
"I think 'Figure It Out' is kind of the polar opposite of what's going on on social media. Everyone wants to look like they have it figured out, and this is documented, us figuring it out and being vulnerable enough to make a whole show about it," says Ma'Lon Smith, who was involved in the project.
"And what we've done with figured out is that we were able to answer the question, what issue now do you see in Cleveland all the time, which is why are we not united?" says Keith Benford, who was also involved in the project.
For series creator Carl Walton, uniting the city wasn't enough. He also wants to unite his friends.
"When I was in high school, just people who I performed with kind of see how they kind of just spun off after graduating high school. And it was like, huh, what are you doing? You need to be doing this. You need to be acting. And I just feel like I gave me the gift and I will need to give that to them," said Walton.
"The characters were built around the skeleton of who we are as people. So inner city kids go through so much. We show people that everyday problems are still serious problems," said Jabri Little.
The showcase of these problems and solutions resulted in a recent premiere at Silverspot Cinema, located in Pinecrest in Orange Village, that blew everyone away.
"First night, sold out in under 24 hours. My favorite part of the premiere was definitely the talk back, the cast swap back that we had afterwards," says Walton.
And after two sold-out premieres, the potential of this show and its actors is limitless.
"I'm only 21, but still, just to be like, 'man, that's me up there.' It just shows me like, wow, this is just the beginning throughout this whole process," said Little.
"I want to create this conversation that, hey, we're being vulnerable for the audience where they can feel comfortable to be vulnerable," said Walton.
The final two episodes of the first season of "Figure It Out" are currently in production, and the team is still working on the full season's release. We will keep you posted on when and where you can watch it.
For more information about the show, email the show's creator, Carl Walton at Carlwalton86@gmail.com.
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Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a previously published, unrelated story.