Photo Credit: Isaiah Tanenbaum
One of the highlights of our 2019 TCG Gala was hearing from Jacob G. Padrón only a few days before he started as the new artistic director of Long Wharf Theatre. He spoke with great urgency and passion about this moment of generational transition in our field and his excitement about the diverse group of colleagues taking leadership of theatres around the country, as well as the important role of TCG's leadership development and EDI programs..I encourage you to read his remarks, and if you’re so moved, to take a deeper dive into all of the remarks and photos from our glorious evening.
We believe that a commitment to EDI is just as essential to the health of each theatre (and our field as a whole) as financial sustainability and artistic vitality. That’s one reason why I was so inspired by this interview with Becky Witmer about how ACT Theatre’s recent debt retirement is inextricably linked to their EDI values and artistic vision, as well as the value of their participation in TCG's EDI Institute. Folks may remember that, over a difficult decade, a number of beloved Seattle-area theatres faced financial challenges. ACT joins Intiman Theatre in having emerged from those crises much the stronger for it. We also offer our TCG trustee Johamy Morales our congratulations on her new role as director of education at Seattle Children’s Theatre!
This holistic approach to wellness at the personal, organizational, and fieldwide levels will be a major part of our 2019 TCG National Conference: Miami from June 5-7. Last week, we launched registration on both our English and Spanish-language Conference websites, and to further whet your appetite, I encourage you to read Devon Berkshire’s tasty take on the food of Miami followed by Hannah Fenlon’s announcement on why our keynote speaker Edwidge Danticat will offer so much insight to our field.
I’ll close with a few quick updates and opportunities:
#EDI#TCG19