As an arts company in the middle of the current occupation of our beautiful and vibrant Twin Cities, we stand in solidarity and support of the immigrant communities of Minnesota. We also stand alongside all the vulnerable: those targeted because of the color of their skin, those protesting, queer communities, students yearning to return to school but too afraid, and so many others.
We at Ten Thousand Things are hard at work, doing what we do best: using theater as a form to reflect back our shared humanity, culture, beauty, and ingenuity, as well as our insecurities, fears, anger, and confusion, over the actions of our fellow humans. We’re in week two of rehearsals for MEN ON BOATS. This incredible team of artists is working out how to tell this tale about the US government sending a band of explorers to claim things that are not theirs to own, even as we all navigate the difficult waters of this moment in our city. We are so grateful to our rehearsal room leaders, Joy Dolo and Jason Clusman, for making the room a safe place to question and create together.
We are grateful to be able to partner with the staff and security team at Plymouth Congregational Church to provide a safe place for our artists to continue to create. For us at TTT, the current navigation includes protocols that show care and safety for the various communities also hard at work in or adjacent to the building; a food pantry, a Spanish immersion school, several other arts programs, and of course the various groups and initiatives of the church itself. It’s a daily reminder that while the arts are important, they are also situated within the larger lives we are all living.
Looking forward, we’re collaborating with our community partners to understand their protocols and ensure the safety of their community members when we share this story with them in a few weeks, committing to bring them joy within a context of security. We’re also planning now for the safety of our audiences at TTT-hosted shows in Minneapolis and St. Paul in February and March. We’re grateful to our colleagues at other arts institutions, at social service organizations, and immigrant rights groups who have been leading the way.
We’ll continue to keep you posted as things develop, and we encourage you to reach out if you have questions. In the meantime, we continue to move forward, leading with our mission and values.
