Red Summer Project: Returning to Live Theatre While Putting Mission and Vision into Practice.

This article discusses the challenges and successes of staging the world premiere of the play "Red Summer" at Governors State University's Center for Performing Arts. The play explores themes of racism and violence and faced obstacles such as COVID restrictions and inconsistent student attendance. However, it provided an opportunity to introduce live theatre to first-year students and engage new audiences. The article highlights the historical context of the 1919 race riots in Chicago, which inspired the play, and emphasizes the importance of artistic literacy in understanding and discussing these issues. The committee curated educational resources and organized events to engage audiences and facilitate dialogue. While some college students struggled with the subject matter, there was positive feedback from faculty and students who appreciated the learning experience. The committee learned important lessons about obtaining buy-in, prioritizing relationships, budgeting, ensuring safety, investing in people infrastructure, and marketing new work. Overall, the committee faced challenges but also achieved successes in bringing new socially relevant work to life. [Extracted from the article]