Rachel Lynett Theatre Company Launches in Chicago

When playwright Rachel Lynett moved to Madison a few months ago, she had no idea that she would be front row center for protests on State Street, as protests around the country erupted following the public murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.

In a call to action blog post, Rachel writes "Something's changed in me after seeing the country on fire. I watched peaceful protesters get tear gassed. I watched how the police incited violence and most importantly I witnessed how theatre companies failed to respond to what was happening. And then once companies did, many of the statements felt hollow... Because of the BLM protests, many theatre companies are looking inward and are committed to changing their program to be more inclusive... But it also feels like it's not enough. I want to see more companies rise from the ashes that are Black and queer led... I want to see more opportunities for theatre artists who are queer people of color that weren't created as an afterthought."

Thus, the Rachel Lynett Theatre Company - for now, a digital presence - takes flight.

Rachel's vision for the company includes clear guidelines for inclusivity:

Only collaborating with directors who are WOC or queer Producing plays where at least 60% of the cast are POC and/or queer

Maintaining a board of directors who are artists, WOC and/or LGBTQ+

Paying all artists an equitable wage, meaning there is no hierarchy of pay Engaging with audience members via talkbacks after each performance

The company's first event, an online workshop reading of a new play, "I am f*cking tired of writing plays about this" by Rachel Lynett, will premiere on June 30. The performance is free, but to maintain the intimacy of the reading, tickets will be limited. Tickets will be available on the company's website on June 16. The Rachel Lynett Theatre Company will release more casting and hiring news in coming weeks.