Members of the theatre community—from Broadway to regional theatres to high schools, colleges, and community theatres—will come together January 19, 2017, to launch The Sanctuary Project, which aims to unite the theatre community in solidarity.
Gathering outside of theatres on the eve of the Presidential Inauguration at 5:30 PM in each time zone across the country, people will join in a collective, simultaneous action to create “light” for challenging times ahead. Inspired by the tradition of leaving a ghost light on in a darkened theatre, these artists and communities will make a pledge to continued vigilance and increased advocacy.
The Sanctuary Project, according to press notes, “aims to create spaces—both literal and symbolic—that will serve as lights in the coming years, and to activate a network of people across the country working to support vulnerable communities.”
The Sanctuary Project is created and led by leading voices of the theatre community, including Claudia Alick (OSF community producer), Sammi Cannold (Ragtime on Ellis Island), P. Carl (HowlRound and Arts Emerson), Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), Lear deBessonet (creator of Public Works, The Odyssey, Good Person of Szechwan), Rachel Hauck (Hadestown), Christine Jones (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Moisés Kaufman (The Laramie Project), Jenny Koons (curator of Creative Collisions Residency at SPACE on Ryder Farm), Lisa Kron (Fun Home), Tina Landau (The SpongeBob Musical), Lorin Latarro (Waitress), Zhailon Levingston (Words on White), Lisa Peterson (An Iliad), Sam Pinkleton (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), Clint Ramos (Eclipsed), Randy Reyes (Mu Performing Arts), Leigh Silverman (Violet), Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed), Stephanie Ybarra (director of special artistic projects at the Public Theater), and David Zinn (The Humans).
Current participating theatres and companies include Actors Theatre of Louisville, Arena Stage, Arts Emerson, Berkeley Rep, Borderlands, Campo Santo, Cherry Lane, Culture Clash, Dallas Theater Center, Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, HowlRound, Kansas City Rep, Ma-Yi Theater Company, Mu Performing Arts, NAATCO, National Black Theatre, New 42nd Street, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Public Theater, Samuel French, Seattle Rep, NYC’s Signature Theatre, SITI Company, Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Tectonic Theater Project, Two River Theater, Victory Gardens, and Youth Speaks.
Further details for the January 19 event will be announced shortly. For more information, visit TheSanctuaryProject.us and the group Facebook page.
