October's Nonprofit Spotlight is Black and Brown Theatre!
Black and Brown Theatre is a 501c3 non-profit theatre company whose mission is to create opportunities for theatre artists of color and the communities they are a part of.
They work to bring theatre to all in a more equitable way by creating performances for families to experience live theatre where they already learn and play such as at local schools,
museums, and parks. Performances are also recorded and uploaded to their website for audiences to stream from the comfort of their homes.
In addition to offering performances, both producing full-length plays and showcases of ten minute plays, they also offer workshops and classes to the community, ensuring that there will be more representation of theatre artists of color in local and professional theatre companies in the future, creating a more diverse and beautiful world of performing arts.
Details
Events to support Black and Brown Theatre
Ongoing Performances Online
January 1, 2016–August 31, 2022
Check out these amazing performances on their website and stay tuned for future in-person shows as B&BT moves into a hybrid combo of virtual and in-person!
Zingerman's Mail Order Warehouse Shop Fundraiser Sale
October 22, 2021
9:00 am –10:00 pm
Come to Zingerman's Mail Order's Warehouse Shop at 710 Phoenix Drive in Ann Arbor on October 22nd! All of the sales that day from the in-person shop will be donated to Black and Brown Theatre! The shop is open from 9am to 10pm and we ask that you follow all up to date COVID-19 safety guidelines and signage such as social distancing and mask wearing while in the space. Come down and get some great deals for a fantastic cause!
How can people in the community support
Black and Brown Theatre is always taking donations and even the smallest contribution can go a long way to helping their mission. You can donate online at blackandbrowntheatre.org (which is also linked above!)
To sign up to volunteer, please email them at [email protected] and they'd love to have your help.
And, of course, every show needs an audience, a cast, and a crew so keep an eye out for their upcoming performances, workshops, and classes to really get involved!
WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF BLACK AND BROWN THEATRE
They were founded in the summer of 2016 to address the inequity of casting in the professional Michigan theatre scene and create more opportunities for theatre artists of color. Black and Brown Theatre likes to say that "the goal is to fail" and by that they mean, they hope that in the next 5-10 years other theatre companies will employ theatre artists of color so often that they won't be necessary any longer.
WHY ZINGERMAN'S IS HONORED TO CONNECT TO B&BT
It is fantastic to see spaces in our community that are being created for more representation of all walks of life. The performing arts are a crucial space for storytelling, as well as sharing deep cultural, emotional, and historical experiences and should be a place where all people are not only welcomed, but encouraged to express their truest selves. We are inspired by the work that Black and Brown Theatre is doing to make sure theatre spaces will better reflect the reality of the community they are in. We're thrilled to see the platform they're providing for theatre artists of color to express themselves, tell their stories, and share their power.