(X) Theatre Collective is a group of artists across the country who are dedicated to making theatrical work under one mission -  to be in conversation and collaboration with our communities through service, reciprocal relationship-building, and shared experiences.

Humans inspire stories. Telling those stories inspires conversation and ideally, action. And we aim to serve the communities and humans at the center of those stories.

We believe in the power of theatre to facilitate shared experiences. As a collective, we utilize the following forms of shared experiences:

  • Live performance (scripted, devised, music, dance, spoken word, etc)

  • Community conversations

  • Community service events

  • Communal gatherings

We seek to engage with the communities we occupy in whatever theatrical form it might need to take.

Mission

We believe that theatre extends beyond a stage, curtain, seats, and the act of performance - the curation of a shared experience is a theatrical experience. We believe in service. In ritual. In humans. In the collective. We believe we have a responsibility to engage our collective communities in challenging dialogue that pushes us to interrogate the systems that work overtime to impede members of society from being fully human. 

We believe that communities do not exist just by happenstance - they are the divine result of humans coming together. We believe in the potential of those individual humans and are dedicated to their wellness and wholeness. We, therefore, aim to provide financial support and resources to remove barriers to their peace. 

Why (X)?

In basic algebra, we were always asked to “solve for x”. “X” was the first variable we were ever taught. It was ever-changing and it represented infinite possibility. (X) Theatre Collective is invested in these ever-changing variables. The world will never stop changing. How do we make art that continues to evolve with these changes? How do we remain flexible, allow ourselves to be challenged, and remain students not only of the craft but of humanity? As we continue to dissect identity, how do we recognize the beautiful complexities and intersections and reflect and uplift those in our work? How do we continue to interrogate our own complicity in upholding white supremacy, anti-Blackness, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, and other forms of oppression? How do we hold ourselves accountable to the communities we claim to reflect? How do we solve for “X” when “X” is always swirling, transforming, dying, and regenerating?

We don’t claim to have the answer. But we are invested in the infinite questioning.

Community Fingerprint

As artists who hail from various cities and who have drifted in and out of different communities, we recognize that each community has its own unique fingerprint. With this fingerprint comes a diverse range of perspectives and stories to engage with. We are committed to responsibly reflecting this fingerprint through our storytelling forms, material selection, ensemble, community partnerships, community gatherings, and generative work. We also recognize that each community has different needs. It is not our place to determine these needs in our silos, but to be in constant collaboration with the humans that hold down these communities. It is our responsibility to use our tools as artists to serve through engaging in work that can satisfy the community appetite and provide a vessel for relevant and pressing conversations.

Financial Support and Resources for Individuals

While we believe there are so many organizations dedicated to causes and doing incredible work, we are deeply invested in how we build relationships with the individuals who make up the communities we inhabit and serve. We recognize that many humans have a need for financial support and resources now and these resources - even just a few hundred dollars or access to a lawyer - have the potential to have a significant impact on their well-being. We believe there is so much power in bolstering the well-being of individuals! If the individuals are at peace, the collective is stronger.

Artistic Sustainability

As artists, our anchor to community is each other- the individuals and the many ecosystems we occupy and construct. To be of service, we must ensure that we, ourselves, are working in conditions that allow us to thrive.

We are committed to the sustainability of our artists by providing living wages to all artists. We are committed to the health and safety of our artists and will always prioritize their well-being.  

We also believe that sustainability goes beyond the financial realm. We believe that artists need to be free to dream, fail, and pursue their creative visions without being tied to an institution or without the pressure of commercially defined success. Our goal is to provide artists with the opportunity and resources to realize their imaginings in 3-D. 

Core Questions

  • How do we leverage our collective influence to invest directly in humans?

  • How do we unify micro and macro socio-political conversations?

  • How do we work together and use our tools and individual strengths to foster conversation and promote incremental change?

  • How do we strengthen the links between theatre artists spread across various communities around the country and harness our collective influence?

Recognitions

As we create this vision, we feel it is crucial we acknowledge those who have nurtured us, influenced us, and from whom we have birthed our politics:

  • Carmen Morgan and artEquity

  • Nissy Aya

  • Lauren Turner Hines and No Dream Deferred NOLA