National Theatre Conversation

John Lewis (1940-2020)

7/30/2020

Photo from the New Jersey Education Association Website

From his letter published in the NY Times today:

"Though I may not be here with you, I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe. In my life I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.

When historians pick up their pens to write the story of the 21st century, let them say that it was your generation who laid down the heavy burdens of hate at last and that peace finally triumphed over violence, aggression and war. So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide."

 Click here for the FULL LETTER

"And that’s what John Lewis teaches us. That’s where real courage comes from, not from turning on each other, but by turning towards one another. Not by sowing hatred and division, but by spreading love and truth. Not by avoiding our responsibilities to create a better America and a better world, but by embracing those responsibilities with joy and perseverance and discovering that, in our beloved community, we do not walk alone."

- President Barack Obama, July 30, 2020

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#WhileWeBreathe and Happy Birthday Woodie!

7/29/2020

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Steve H. Broadnax III

NTC Member Steve H. Broadnax III directs one of the virtual world premieres for #WhileWeBreathe: A Night of Creative Protest which begins tonight 7-29-20. The evening features short works written and directed by theatre alums, to benefit the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, The Bail Project, Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (BOLD), BYP100 Education Fund, Forced Trajectory Project (FTP), The Justice Committee, and SONG. Here's the Broadway World article.

Go to the #WhileWeBreathe website: "We are a group of BIPOC Artists and Allies, unconditionally committed to ending police and state brutality, institutionalized racism and the interrelated structural issues of racial and economic injustice, both in the broader world and in the theatre and entertainment industries ... While We Breathe: listen, learn, act."

New Federal Theatre Founder Woodie King, Jr. (photo by Lia Chang)

NTC Member Woodie King, Jr. is given a virtual Birthday Bash to help New Federal Theatre (NFT) celebrate its 50th Anniversay. Here's the Backstage Pass with Lia Chang article. Over 100 artists participated in this wonderful one hour video for benefit of NFT.

Woodie and Me (Pres. David F.)

Woodie has been a cherished member of NTC since 1975! Here's to Woodie!!!
Our NTC Living Legacies interview with Woodie is HERE.

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Framing the Future in an Uncertain Present

7/23/2020

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NTC Members Fran Dorn and Robert Schenkkan - 2019 Conference Action

Times are always tough for Theatre in the good ol' USA. But now? Not only are we in major pandemic mode, we are finally starting to begin to come to terms with the racism rampant in our society. Tacit acknowledgement of the problem just doesn't pass muster anymore. But where do we go? What can we do? Really LISTEN, for one thing. Then, work for change. Like Yoda said, "Do or do not. There is no try." So, let's DO. As we plan for the December 2020 Virtual Conference, we look for ways to LISTEN and for ways to ACT. In the Post Election world of 2021, we are called to all become Engines of Change. - David Fuller

CALLING ALL SENATORS: FUND THE ARTS NOW!

AMERICAN THEATRE MAGAZINE:
An Open Letter to the Senators of the 116th Congress: Fund the Arts

BY MATTHEW-LEE ERLBACH
The arts are not a luxury but a huge economic engine for America’s cities and towns, and a reflection of our national culture. They deserve your unstinting support.

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A New Blog for the President

7/18/2020

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2019 NTC Conference - Paul Green Award Recipient Jeremy O. Harris, President Fuller, Person of the Year Robert O'Hara

Hi, Everyone!

The Board of Trustees has given me the green light to start this Blog as a way to communicate to you all. I will be sending a more formal letter to the membership soon. But this is a way to get some thoughts out quickly.

First, the death of Shirley Basfield Dunlap so suddenly last month was a huge shock to us all and we mourn her deeply. Shirley was an outstanding member of NTC and a great colleague on the board. Because we have much business to do, the Trustees acted quickly to bring in a new member to the board, as is provided in our By Laws when there is a vacancy. We elected Benny Sato Ambush to fill Shirley's term. Benny was a unanimous choice whose past board experience will be a great asset as we move forward.

The Trustees had our "annual retreat" last weekend. I put that in quotes because we had planned to travel to Kansas City, but instead, due the pandemic, we held a virtual meeting. Randy and Jean came to us from San Diego, James from LA, Benny was in San Francisco, Michael was in Arizona, Nicole in Kansas City, Paul in St. Louis, Erica down in South Carolina, Chuck and Jeni in New Hampshire, and our Assistant Katie and I were in different parts of Brooklyn. A well-spread out group!

Chief among the business conducted, was our beginning to plan the 2020 Virtual Conference. Our poll to the membership showed an overwhelming preference for having the 2020 Conference done over the internet, so here we go! Much news on this will be forthcoming. But for now, SAVE THESE DATES: Friday December 4, Saturday December 5, and Sunday December 6.

MORE SOON!

David

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#BlackLivesMatter Full Statement

7/15/2020

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On behalf of the membership of The National Theatre Conference, comprised of leading theater makers from across our nation, the NTC Board of Trustees avows and affirms that #BlackLivesMatter and that American systemic racism must end.

While we applaud the tenets of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives in our theatres and institutions of learning, we believe we must go further, not to just embrace EDI as a tangential modus operandi, but to act to bring real change to centuries old, out-moded, and dangerously lethal belief systems.

Now, in the time of COVID-19, just as in the time of the HIV/AIDS crisis, we reiterate that Silence = Death. So, we stand with those whose voices are raised throughout the country demanding that the murder of George Floyd be not just the last straw, for there have been too many "last straws," but the Final Scene.

We pledge that together we will help be the engines of change.

- THE NTC BOARD OF TRUSTEES, David Fuller, President

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John Lewis (1940-2020)

#WhileWeBreathe and Happy Birthday Woodie!

Framing the Future in an Uncertain Present

A New Blog for the President

#BlackLivesMatter Full Statement

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