Local Theatres Awarded $500,000 in Grants to Promote Social Justice and Tolerance
Jun 2006
Minneapolis (June 2006) - The Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Foundation for Education, Public Health and Social Justice is pleased to announce four local theatres as grant recipients who have been awarded a total of $500,000: CLIMB Theatre, Illusion Theater, Mixed Blood Theatre, and Youth Performance Company. The theatres had responded to the Foundation’s call for innovative strategies for addressing issues of social justice and tolerance through the performing arts.
"Minnesota demographics are increasingly diverse, and we recognized the value of how performing arts/theatre can create an opportunity to engage all members of our community, particularly our youth, to think about, react to, and discuss these challenging issues. We are very excited about the planned productions, and look forward to their individual expressions of social justice and tolerance," said Michael V. Ciresi, the firm’s chairman.
The Foundation had solicited responses for funding to create educational programs that specifically would:
Address issues that create barriers to social justice;
Influence attitudes of tolerance community wide - between and within racial groups
Support creative approaches to addressing issues of social justice;
Demonstrate that the performing arts are a powerful tool and community resource for facilitating civic engagement and advancing social change;
Reach audiences of children and youth, and a critical mass of community members locally, regionally, and/or statewide.
CLIMB Theatre
CLIMB Theatre of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota received a grant of $185,000 to develop a program targeted to youth in grades 6-8. Performances will take place in the Twin Cities and in Bemidji, Duluth, Fargo/Moorhead, Marshall, and Rochester.
"CLIMB Theatre will perform A?part– a new play, with follow-up classroom work, on the topic of 'difference' that will ask students to examine why we judge, where stereotypes and prejudice come from, and how our actions and attitudes can prevent or promote a just community," said Peg Welti, the theatre’s Leader of the Pack. "Last year, CLIMB Theatre worked with 205 middle schools in Minnesota. The topic of mutual respect (the aspect of social justice that we are focusing most on through this grant) is one of the three topics these schools most often requested. When we sent an email announcing this program to Minnesota's Middle Schools asking if they would like to participate, we received 82 replies in two days. We are thrilled with this initial response!"
Illusion Theater
Illusion Theater of Minneapolis received a grant of $125,000 to develop Children of War, a theatrical telling of the events of war as seen through children’s eyes. Award Winning International artist Ping Chong will join Illusion’s Producing Directors Michael Robins and Bonnie Morris to develop the piece based on interviews with young adults who have experienced famine, war, displacement, poverty and violence.
Performances and workshops will take place for youth and adults in Duluth, the Bemidji area, the Fargo/Moorhead area, Marshall, the Rochester area and the Twin Cities. Chong and Illusion collaborated before on the acclaimed Undesirable Elements.
"Children of War will tell the true stories of young adults who have experienced acts of violence in this country and as refugees coming to this country to escape famine, ethnic strife, chaos and civil war. Many of these stories have not been shared with anyone since coming to Minnesota. The telling of these narratives and the opportunity for many Minnesotans to witness these stories will lead, we hope, to an increased compassion and a deeper understanding of what has brought recent immigrants to our country, and to spark a desire to seek justice for the inequities, the discrimination and the horrors of war that continue to ignite all over this planet. We are honored that Illusion’s work will be apart of Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi’s A Stage for Social Justice," said Michael Robins, Executive Producing Director.
Mixed Blood Theatre
Mixed Blood Theatre of Minneapolis received a grant of $40,000 to develop a program targeted to students, teachers, and administrators. Performances will take place in the Twin Cities and in Bemidji, Duluth, Fargo/Moorhead, Marshall, and Rochester, and other Minnesota locations.
"Gavin Lawrence, a Guyanese-born playwright, actor, musician and media artist, has created a show to shed light on the immigrant experience," said Jack Reuler, Artistic Director. "Immigrant Dreams is told from a variety of first-person perspectives, based on interviews with both immigrants and lifelong Minnesota residents."
Youth Performance Company
Youth Performance Company of Minneapolis received a grant of $150,000 to develop a program targeted to young people, including K-12 schools, colleges, and communities at large. Performances will take place in the Twin Cities and in Bemidji, Duluth, Fargo/Moorhead, Marshall, and Rochester.
“We are planning a multi-media theatre performance that will tell a number of Minnesota immigrant stories that will engage the audience through their drama, humor, and storytelling. The program also includes production of filmed interviews of local immigrant/s refugees from various regions of Minnesota, as well as developing school residencies, facilitating post-show discussions, and a follow-up session with each school/community. We are excited how this grant will allow us to reach audiences of all ages and backgrounds," said Jacie Knight, Artistic Director.
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