Centering Black Theatres – A Response to the Murder of George Floyd

Dear Friends,

The last week has been a watershed moment for our beloved Twin Cities. With you, we mourn the murder of George Floyd – a man whose voice was taken from him, whose story was cruelly cut short. With you, we grieve for the waves of fear and hatred that have flooded our streets. With you, we witness and celebrate the worldwide uprising of support for Black lives and the outpouring of local support for the communities and neighborhoods that have been devastated.

We also acknowledge the systems that over centuries of pain have worked to keep Black people voiceless, to devalue their stories. 

You rely on Park Square for story, and you have always encouraged us to lift up a multiplicity of voices on our stages. But Park Square can and should do more. In addition to revisiting our Statement of Justice and Equity, we are exploring programs and initiatives to help change hearts and minds in order to bend the arc towards justice in our community.

You have been inspired by many of this community’s leading Black artistic voices and the stories they have shared on Park Square’s stages over the decades. Today, it is time to center the spotlight on the Black-led theater companies and the artists behind them – the root of the Black experience and homes of artists we all love.

In memory of George Floyd’s story, and in light of the forced “intermission” that all theatre companies are enduring, please make a donation to support one or more of these theatre companies to keep their voices strong.

Please follow them online and visit them when their curtains rise again.

#BlackLivesMatter #JusticeForGeorge

New Dawn Theatre draws brilliance out of shadows by illuminating & supporting cutting edge works of overlooked, under-represented communities of our theatrical landscape through innovative, exciting & excellent theater productions.