"...recognizing that issues of race are not owned by a single community but rather shape us all". - Lonnie G Bunch III., Historian & Secretary of The Smithsonian Institute
June 2021
In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent trial, we at PRIME Productions have made it a priority to listen and learn. We are excited by the changes that have begun to occur, while frustrated by the ones that have been slow to materialize.
While we have strived to cast people of color in at least half the roles in our fully stage performances, we know we can do more. As we look to the future, we will reach out to BIMPOC directors, designers and production staff, so that we continue to challenge outdated conventions and biases and begin the journey to make theaters equitable.
When all live productions were shut down due to the constraints of the pandemic, PRIME created PRIME Voices: An Interview series - PRIME Women sharing a piece of their mind. The series started in the fall with online monthly interviews from a diverse group of women over 50 who told their stories in their own words.
Going forward, PRIME pledges to work with playwrights and artists to create work that is often excluded from the stage - the multi-dimensional stories of mature women, especially those of color.
We are also in the process of expanding our Board of Directors, and we are seeking a more diverse presence. We believe adding diversity will guide us toward our goal of inclusivity in leadership and a more equitable representation in all aspects of producing great theater.
June 2020
At PRIME Productions, we have been trying to define our place in the discourse arising from George Floyd’s murder. As women of a certain age with a considerable share of white privilege, we have started the process of soul searching to understand where that privilege intersects with #BlackLivesMatter.
We commit to sincerely examine where our focus on mature women’s stories and their struggles to be heard may have caused us to ignore an important part of a larger conversation. We intend to do better. We humbly recognize we don’t have the answers, but with continued self-examination and listening to all viewpoints, perhaps we can start asking the right questions.
We condemn the murder of George Floyd and all that murder represents, and we support this extraordinary moment in history to finally address systemic racism with a lasting solution.
As women of a “certain age,” we have seen a lot of causes come and go, but this feels real and crucial and irreversible. It is time.
We want to be part of the solution.
#BlackLivesMatter #BlackStoriesMatter #WeCanDoBetter
For those of you who would like more information or to delve deeper into this subject matter, we have put together a list of resources we’ve found helpful:
MPR/Twin Cities Black Artists need community support
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2020/06/03/twin-cities-black-artists-need-broad-community-support-more-than-ever
Tools to talk about race and racism from the Hennepin County Library
https://hclib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/619268670/1034799938
Twin Cities Urban League forum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1f4jbB6s_s&feature=youtu.be&t=5
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234
Informative Ted Talks:
And some films available for streaming:
TWO DISTANT STRANGERS
DO THE RIGHT THING
I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO
JUST MERCY
KEN BURNS:THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE