Nebraska Repertory Theatre and St. Louis Black Repertory Company Collaboration on Initiative For Social Change

Nebraska Repertory Theatre and St. Louis Black Repertory Company have announced a two-year partnership to bring about positive social change, American Theatre reports.

The collaboration will begin with virtual events on October 2 and November 6, featuring Black Rep performances, along with conversations with actors, scholars, activists, and audience members.

The Black Rep producing director Ron Himes will serve as a consultant for the project. He will coordinate and plan three events as part of Nebraska Rep's #RealChange racial justice initiative.

A joint production, directed by Himes, is set to be staged in Lincoln in fall 2021, with the collaboration between the companies culminating in a special event in spring 2022.

"This collaboration with Nebraska Rep and the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film is consistent with our mission to heighten the social, cultural, and educational awareness of our audiences," Himes said in a statement. "Our company was cast in the spirit of the Black Arts Movement, and our work has always addressed issues of social justice and disenfranchisement of the BIPOC communities in America, then and now."

A task force made up of students, faculty, and alumni has also been created to guide the initiative's focus of "identifying systemic racism within the school and Nebraska Rep and creating an anti-racism action plan to foster learning, growth, and real change."

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