Collaboraction is an ethno-diverse social justice organization that uses theater, digital media and performance to incite social change in Chicago and with the nation’s most critical issues.
Collaboraction announced the full schedule of show topics and guests for its two Together Network live, monthly online talk shows, Crucial Connections and Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy, for the remainder of 2021.
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy, presented live via Zoom on the first Tuesday of every month, provides space and fellowship for people around the world looking to understand White Privilege and support each other in being actively anti-racist moving forward.
Crucial Connections, presented live via Zoom on the third Thursday of every month, is a radically inclusive, provocative and entertaining interactive talk show. Each episode is devoted to one social justice issue with a panel of topic experts and theater artists discussing life in a post-Covid world and the reshaping of the human experience.
“Both shows were born out of the pandemic and have allowed us to stay virtually connected with our growing community of ‘Collaboractivists’ in a live, interactive, format,” said Collaboraction Artistic Director Anthony Moseley.
“While we look forward to making an ambitious return to live and hybrid events later this year, Becoming and Crucial Connections have brought forth so much learning, compassion and empathy around key social issues that we’re equally committed to continuing these critical conversations with online audiences through 2021.”
Following is Collaboraction’s monthly Together Network program, topic and guest line-up through December 2021. Both shows are free to join, but registration is required to receive the private Zoom invitation. Register at collaboraction.org.
May
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, May 4, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Taking Action and Building Community
Crucial Connections: Beauty Bias and the American Weigh
Thursday, May 20, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Guest co-host Dani Bryant, co-creator, Collaboraction’s Gender Breakdown and Spanx You Very Much, leads a discussion on weight stigma and its' impact with guest Kimmie Singh of bodypositivedietitian.com
(left) Collaboraction's 2017 production of Gender Breakdown (credit Anna Sodiak) and the 2015 Sketchbook Festival short Spanx You Very Much (credit Joel Maisonet).
June
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, June 1, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Juneteenth and George Floyd: One year later. What Have We Learned?
Crucial Connections: 25 Year Reunion
Thursday, June 17, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
A 25th anniversary reunion of Collaboraction artists and alumni whose work is rooted in social change
July
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, July 6, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
The American Dream
Live discussion around the national anthem with a screening of Collaboraction’s virtual production of Lift Every Voice
Crucial Connections: Trans Lives Matter
Thursday, July 15, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Special guest TBA
August
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, August 3, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
The Role of Technology in Human Development and Dismantling Oppression
Crucial Connections: The Light and Youth Art
Thursday, August 19, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Meet Collaboraction’s The Light Youth Ensemble: five diverse Chicago youth artists, each mentored by a veteran Chicago culture leader. Each will introduce an original short work on video, followed by a look at how they plan to increase the peace throughout Chicago in the year ahead.
September
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, September 7, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Arab Americans and Whiteness with guest Jamil Khoury of Silk Road Rising
Crucial Connections: Back to School - Teachers and students reflect on pandemic and the return to class
Thursday, September 16, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Guests TBA
(from left, standing) Leah Aberman, Esme Ayvar-Perez and Tyrese Hall starred in Collaboraction's 2017 world premiere of Forgotten Future: The Education Project by Sarah Moeller. Photo by Anna Sodziak.
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, October 5, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
We are Each Other's Harvest: The Poetry and Message of Gwendolyn Brooks
Gwendolyn Brooks
Crucial Connections: Peacebook Festival Watch Party
Thursday, October 21, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Go behind-the-scenes with emerging and veteran artists, dancer/choreographers, storytellers and spoken word artists participating in Collaboraction’s 6th Annual Peackbook Festival
November
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, November 2, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
The Thanksgiving Myth and the Ongoing Genocide of our First Nations
Crucial Connections: Police Reform
Thursday, November 18, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Special guest TBA
December
Becoming: Unlearning White Supremacy
Tuesday, December 7, 6 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
Holiday Dinner Peace Strategies (or How to Help Uncle Don See the Light)
Crucial Connections: Best of/Year In Review
Thursday, December 16, 8 p.m. CT, live on Zoom
About Collaboraction
Collaboraction, Chicago’s theater for social change, collaborates with a diverse community of Chicagoans, artists and community activists to create original theatrical experiences that cultivate dialogue and action around the city’s most critical social issues. Since the company’s founding in 1996, Collaboraction has pushed artistic boundaries working with more than 3,000 artists to bring more than 60 productions and events to more than 150,000 audience members. Since the pandemic, more than 60,000 people have viewed Collaboraction’s virtual productions in the last 12 months alone.
Collaboraction has been acknowledged for innovation and inclusivity by using theater as a tool for social change with numerous awards including, most recently, a 2020 Foster Innovation Award from Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), the 2020 Multi-Racial Unity Award from the First Unitarian Church - Chicago, a 2018 Stand For the Arts Award from Comcast, and an Otto Award from New York’s Castillo Theatre.
Collaboraction is supported by The Chicago Community Trust, The Joyce Foundation, The Field Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wicker Park & Bucktown SSA #33 Chamber of Commerce, and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. This project is partially supported by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Collaboraction is led by Artistic Director Anthony Moseley, Executive Director Dr. Marcus Robinson, a company of 20 talented Chicago theater artists, and a dedicated staff and board of directors.
For more information, visit collaboraction.org, or follow the company on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube, or call the Collaboraction box office, (312) 226-9633.