This was the most impactful evening in the theater I’ve ever had, and it was an honor to be part of it:
A crowd sands in front of the Biograph Theater changing “We Must Breathe”
Victory Gardens Theater hosted We Must Breathe: A Response from Chicago Playwrights and Poets, a special event gathering members of Chicago's artistic community to share their views on discrimination, race and inequality and engage Chicagoans in a discussion about these social issues. We Must Breathe featured performances from poets and playwrights directed by Victory Gardens' Associate Artistic Producer Joanie Schultz, and a forum discussion on the performance topics, moderated by Congo Square Theatre's Artistic Director Samuel Roberson. The event was held December 18, 2014 at 7:00pm at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Avenue.
The deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant, Tamir Rice, John Crawford, Sean Bell, Rekia Boyd, and countless others brought to light ongoing national issues of race, discrimination and inequality. Droves of individuals across the country have taken to the streets participating in rallies, riots and die-ins. During this one-night-only event, members of the Chicago artistic community addressed these topics through artistic expression.
The event hosted 350 people live, and more than 1200 watching on Howlround’s Livestream. It concluded with a crowd blocking the intersection outside the theater chanting “We Must Breathe”