02/19/2021
DALLAS CHILDREN’S THEATER SOCIAL JUSTICE PLAYS LAUNCH AS CATALYSTS FOR COMMUNITY WIDE YOUTH CONVERSATIONS
Launch postponed to March 1 due to weather; includes DCT-led March 11 Event
(DALLAS, TX) – In an areawide call to action, Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) and partners are bringing youth groups together to watch three DCT-produced short plays about race and to share experiences and thoughts on how to eradicate the societal challenges associated with racism. The second phase of DCT’s Social Justice Play Series Initiative is called Youth Chats for Social Justice and will now begin on March 1 after weather-related challenges forced DCT to delay the launch and run through March 26. Interested persons are invited to lead a group in conversation or participate in at least one of these virtual gatherings. On Thursday, March 11 at 7PM, DCT will host a free event featuring a panel of Dallas dignitaries and celebrities including: actress and advocate Denise Lee, Pastor Rev. Payton Parker of the First United Methodist Church of Lancaster and others. DCT’s website, dct.org/socialjustice/digital is where people can register for the March 11 event, see the growing list of partners and watch the featured videos.
As part of each gathering, one or all of the less than 15-minute short plays will be viewed and will be followed by a facilitated discussion. In THE WATER GUN SONG (recommended for ages 6 and up), a mother tries to find the words to explain to her child why a water gun isn’t simply a toy. The second show, NOTHING RHYMES WITH JUNETEENTH (recommended for ages 9 and up) finds a parent and child trying to complete a rap for a school project that helps people understand the true meaning of the holiday celebration. The third show, #MATTER, (recommended for ages 14 and up) features two former high school friends debating matters of life and race.
Written by playwright, poet, director, educator and organizer Idris Goodwin as his personal contribution to the Black Lives Matter movement, these plays were provided to youth theaters with an eye toward offering thought-provoking ways to open up the dialogue about race among young people and those who love them. According to Goodwin, “Through the stories of others, we reflect on our own. Since racism lives at the intersection of misinformation, ego, and unchecked power, the arts must counteract by cultivating personal reflection, learning, conversation and compassion.”
Dallas Children’s Theater is excited to use the power of theater to move these needed conversations forward. Small and large group sessions will be offered via churches, schools, corporations and youth-oriented organizations. To date, the following partners have been agreed to host a session and participate in the March 11th event:
Capital One
Boys and Girls Club of Collin County
Faith Forward Dallas
First Unitarian Church of Dallas
First United Methodist Church of Lancaster
Girls Inc. of Metropolitan Dallas
Greenhill School
Lake Highlands Area Moms and More Against Racism
Project Unity
United Way Dallas Women of Tocqueville Group
Dallas Children’s Theater is interested in supporting anyone desiring to host an event themselves. Trained facilitators and talking prompts are available at no cost upon request by emailing [email protected].
On Thursday, March 11 at 7:00PM, Dallas Children’s Theater will host a virtual community wide DCT-led event facilitated by actress and activist Denise Lee, Pastor Rev. Payton Parker of First United Methodist Church of Lancaster and numerous youth advocates. Participants will share their observations of the play scenarios and their own personal experiences. Registration details for this and all other events are located at dct.org/socialjustice/digital.
This initiative is made possible with funding support from the Melinda and Jim Johnson Family Charitable Fund, The MR & Evelyn Hudson Foundation and Deborah and Craig Sutton.
Interested in hosting an event?
1. Email [email protected]. Please provide:
a. the group name,
b. your contact info
c. an approx. # of participants
d. the target date for your event.
e. We would also like for you to identify one or more advocates to join us for the event on March 11.
2. Receive all project information and links including starter questions.
3. Need a facilitator? Just ask.
We are excited to work with area partners on these community conversations around the important subject of race and young people.
About Playwright Idris Goodwin
Across two decades Idris Goodwin has forged a multi-faceted career as an award-winning playwright, Break Beat poet, director, educator, and organizer. Idris is the newly appointed Director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. A catalyst for culture, Goodwin uses his full creative powers to galvanize people to the community square. He is a creative voice for change, impassioned by art for social good. His critically acclaimed plays like And In This Corner: Cassius Clay, How We Got On, and Hype Man: A Break Beat Play are widely produced across the country at professional theatres, college campuses, and non-traditional spaces alike. He’s been honored to receive developmental support from institutions like The Kennedy Center, The Eugene O’Neill Conference, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, and The Playwrights’ Center. In addition to the recently released poetry collection Can I Kick It?, he’s had several publications from Haymarket Books including Inauguration co-written with Nico Wilkinson, Human Highlight: Ode To Dominique Wilkins co-written with Kevin Coval, and the play This Is Modern Art also co-written with Kevin Coval. He’s appeared on HBO Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, BBC Radio, and the Discovery Channel. Passionate about cultivating new audiences in the arts, Goodwin served two seasons as Producing Artistic Director at StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky. He actively serves on both the advisory boards of Theatre for Young Audiences USA and Children’s Theatre Foundation Association.
About Dallas Children’s Theater
Dallas Children’s Theater features professional actors performing for an annual audience of 250,000 young people and their families through mainstage productions, a national touring company, and an arts-in-education program. As the only major organization in Dallas focusing solely on youth and family theater, DCT builds bridges of understanding between generations and cultures, instilling an early appreciation of literature, art, and the performing arts in tomorrow’s artists and patrons.
2020-21 Season Sponsors are: Texas Instruments, City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, The Shubert Foundation, TACA, The William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Anonymous Family, The Carlson Foundation, March Family Foundation, and Hoblitzelle Foundation. General Sponsors Include: The Rosewood Corporation, Lisa K Simmons, The Theodore and Beulah Beasley Foundation, Inc., Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation, and Vibeke Jarnum & Niels Anderskouv. Additional Support is Provided By: Capital for Kids, TXU Energy, Frost Bank, Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, The Hersh Foundation, Stephen M. Seay Foundation, Orien Levy Woolf & Dr. Jack Woolf Charitable Trust, The Eugene McDermott Foundation, Perot Foundation, Legacy Texas Bank, Which Wich, Maintenance Inc., and Green Mountain Energy, DCT's official renewable energy partner. Sensory-Friendly Sponsors Include: The Melinda & Jim Johnson Family Charitable Fund, Fichtenbaum Charitable Trust, and The Sapphire Foundation. In loving memory of Kory Ballard. Building Fund Supported By: The Carlson Foundation, The March Family Foundation, Laurie Sands Harrison, The Rosewood Corporation, Anonymous Family, Elizabeth & Bart Showalter, Karen & Ken Travis, The Hersh Foundation, and Everett & Becky Spaeth. National Touring Sponsor and Brighter Days Sustainability Campaign: Neiman Marcus.
