Spectrum Dance Theater Brings THE MINSTREL SHOW REVISITED to McCullough Theatre Tonight

Seattle's Spectrum Dance Theater ignites audiences through the ambitious artistic agenda of Donald Byrd, whose appetite to explore the arts knows no boundaries. The enfant terrible of the New York dance scene of the 1980s and 90s achieved international visibility for the creation of the Harlem Nutcracker and his choreography for the Broadway smash, The Color Purple. Under Donald Byrd's visionary artistic leadership since 2002, Spectrum has emerged as a company of regional and national significance.

THE MINSTREL SHOW REVISITED is a reworking of Donald Byrd's Bessie Award-winning 1991 production The Minstrel Show, which takes a satirical look at the derogatory song and dance tradition of minstrelsy. The revisited work premiered Seattle in 2014 using new elements that reflect current race related events, namely, the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman incident. For this revival, Byrd has developed a framework that allows for the inclusion of other racially charged events such as the Ferguson shooting and the assassination of two NYPD officers.

The work addresses current racial issues while shining the light on aspects of American history that are difficult to face honestly. By using the conventions of the 19th Century Minstrel Show, including the once common tradition of "black face," Byrd confronts audiences with the past and present manifestations of racism embedded in American culture and tradition. Byrd believes that each new iteration of The Minstrel Show benefits from allowing the introduction of current and topical race issues and events to further stimulate dialogue.

CAMPUS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS:

- Community Happening

THE MINSTREL SHOW REVISITED: A Conversation with Donald Byrd
6:30 pm; Tuesday, November 3, 2015
1165 Angelina Street, Austin, TX 78702
Hosted by George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center

- Post-Performance Talkback

Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Immediately following the performance
McCullough Theatre
Free to the performance ticket holders

In addition to $10 tickets for primary, secondary, or college students, Texas Performing Arts is now offering a limited number of $12 tickets to active and retired military personnel for all 2015-2016 season performances (excludes Broadway and special engagements). A military id is required. For a schedule of upcoming 2015-2016 season performances, visit www.TexasPerformingArts.org.

For more information on this performance, go to texasperformingarts.org/season/spectrum-dance-theater-minstrel-show-revisted-mccullough-theatre-2015.

Photo by Nate Watters