HowlRound Theatre Commons

I’m here with HowlRound Theatre Commons at the #ATHE2024 conference in Atlanta. Stop by our table to chat about our work, learn more about our anthology & free lesson plans, and find out more about ways you can engage with and contribute to the Commons!

Applications for ATCA's Edward Medina Prize for Excellence in Cultural Criticism are open now, and we're so proud that our director and co-founder Jamie Gahlon is one of the judges! Submissions close 16 August, so click the link to learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/g8xFFtgy

The arts, and the artists who make it, have long been powerful forces of healing and reclaiming our humanity. From passionate recitations of poems to murals that reflect the pains and triumphs of communities—each act of art is a call to action that can positively alter the wellbeing of individuals,⁠ communities, and nations.⁠ ⁠ Join our friends at One Nation/One Project and eighteen cities and towns on Saturday, 27 July, as the #ArtsforEveryBody social media campaign invites people across the US—in every time zone—to participate in a national day expressing the power of art to enrich our lives, boost our health, and strengthen our communities.⁠ https://lnkd.in/gayCDhJJ

Attention theatre educators: We just released six NEW lesson plans intended for use in college and university classrooms! Created by curriculum writers Emi Aguilar and Meg Greene, these lesson plans engage with HowlRound content from 2011 through today and address topics like climate justice in theatre, going beyond diversity statements, and activating technology. Learn more and download them today: https://lnkd.in/ezXYWZMN

The HowlRound team mourns the passing of Philip Arnoult, founder and director of the Center for International Theatre Development (CITD) and life-long advocate for international theatrical cultural exchange. Jamie Gahlon, HowlRound director and co-founder, writes, "Like so many in the American Theatre, I was fortunate to have been deeply impacted by the larger than life, one of a kind, passionate matchmaker and international theatre wizard that was Philip Arnoult. Philip and I first crossed paths during my time at Arena Stage in DC. Later, when HowlRound began focusing on expanding our global footprint and network of relationships, Philip became a crucial ally, conspirator, and connector. Philip understood the stakes of our increasingly isolationist turn and the indelible and unique power that theatre holds to build bridges of mutual understanding and advancement. He dedicated himself toward ensuring we were there for each other through our differences and because of them; that our homegrown theatre did not lose touch with the wider world to our own detriment. May those of us who believe in this charge continue in Philip's footsteps and extend his profound legacy of international cultural exchange." Learn more about Philip and explore his work on HowlRound: https://lnkd.in/e5Va9Mpm

We've got a new look over at howlround.com—check it out and let us know what you think of the redesigned homepage! Many thanks to our longterm partners and web developers at Giant Rabbit and to our accessibility consultants at Axess Lab for making our vision a reality! What do you think? Feedback welcome in the comments!

Save the date! Next Wednesday, June 26, at 12 pm ET, I have the privilege of moderating a virtual roundtable conversation with Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Tyrone Mitchell Henderson, Wayne Maugans, Lisa Rothe, Kathleen Salazar (and other special guest panelists to be announced) about... The SAY GAY PLAYS, a collection of short new plays commissioned in response to the 2022 passage of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. After a stunning kickoff event at NYU Skirball , we are celebrating Pride Month by calling in the LGBTQ+ community and its allies to stage 100 productions of these plays this year. Want to spice up your voter drive? Host a fundraiser for your local LGBTQ+ organization? Open up an important conversation in your classroom? The SAY GAY PLAYS are here for you, royalty-free. Tune in next Wednesday for more information! Thank you HowlRound Theatre Commons for your support. https://lnkd.in/e3yd9FnS

I wrote an essay! Thank you to HowlRound Theatre Commons. You can check out "Gender, Disability, Transmedia, and Balkan Folklore" here: https://lnkd.in/ev2NQHEz

"Every day I have to wrestle with myself not to fire off angry, sad, or confusing screeds. But maybe that’s the work ahead—to feel all these things we feel and still find a way to listen to each other, to hold ground and also cede it, as we build/rebuild/dismantle/re-found this thing together." Todd London, via HowlRound Theatre Commons (h/t Sean-Maurice Lynch)

“Over time it became clear to us that, while keen to get these “new audiences,” many institutions didn’t necessarily have the experience to understand what their needs might be. But we—the artists and producers of the work—with deep cultural and lived experiences in those communities, were able to anticipate the needs.” - Ravi Jain and Miriam Fernandes, Co-Artistic Directors of Why Not Theatre Join Ravi and Miriam as they share a vision for a new paradigm for the arts in Ravi’s keynote speech at the Under the Radar Symposium, published on HowlRound Theatre Commons. A must-read for theatre professionals seeking innovative engagement methods and groundbreaking strategies for “new” audience development. Read here: https://lnkd.in/ghXB3yiB #TheatreLeadership #AudienceEngagement