Let’s Get to Work

Let’s get to work

This year has been painful. We’ve struggled through loss, fear, and hardship. In the arts, we’ve watched theaters close. Stages have been dark. Our collaborative art has suffered under our isolation. This year has reminded us of many things. How far we have to go towards true equity and racial justice. How fragile our trusted systems are. And, maybe most of all, how much we need each other. As young theatre artists, you’ve had setbacks. You’ve taken some serious punches. But real strength is about getting back up and continuing the fight. We all long to be back with our friends, back in the theatre. That longing builds energy. What if, like a volcano, this unspent energy is building up pressure? What happens when it erupts?

YOU, THE NEXT GENERATION OF ARTISTS, will direct that energy into shaping the future of theatre. And we want to be with you on that journey

The light at the end of the tunnel–the end of this isolation, this pandemic–it’s all in sight. All over the world, people are hungry to gather with each other. AND HEY, that’s exactly what we do. People will want to return to the theatre. And people who have never seen a show in their lives could come through those doors just to experience the beauty of a group of strangers sharing a space, shoulder to shoulder, witnessing a story. We’re facing the opportunity for a theatrical renaissance. And it’s not simply about 2021 or 2022, it’s about using this opportunity to create a movement that will last beyond this decade. What that means will be up to you. You are the next generation of movers and shakers.

It seems like the future is uncertain because it is. But that is what’s exciting. Gear up for transformation. We are standing at a crossroads and we get to choose our path. What direction will we go? What will we keep? What will we change? How will we contribute to the bold, vibrant, and innovative future that WE have the opportunity to make? What is your place in this revolution? Because it’s coming.

Let’s get to work.

Tim Giles

Tim Giles is a theatre artist who likes to make work capitalizing on risk, coming together, and a little chaos. He also makes music, bakes a mean loaf of bread, and runs around outside a lot. As a Southerner, he thinks everyone needs to recognize the beauty of one of the best words ever invented: y’all. It’s gender-neutral! If y’all start to incorporate “y’all” into y’all’s everyday vocabulary, y’all’ll quickly understand its usefulness.