Silk Road Rising's residency in Pierce Hall on the lower level of the First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple has come to an end.
Yes, good things morph into new good things, and legacies live on. Per our agreement with the church, our residency was scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2021. But as COVID crept into last year, we requested and were granted an extension through the end of 2022. Like so many theatre companies, since the start of the pandemic, we'd been operating under the assumption that "in a few months" we'd be producing live theatre again. But "a few months" came and went, came and went, came and went, and financially, it no longer made sense to hold onto a space that we weren't using.
And while this particular curtain has closed on our partnership with the First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple, other curtains will rise. We vacated the basement, not the relationship. FUMC's shared commitment to connecting cultures and communities and to strengthening interfaith collaboration and understanding intersects beautifully with our emerging Polycultural Institute. Stay tuned for news on that front.
In appreciation of an extraordinary alliance that spans all the way back to 2003, Silk Road Rising has donated a good deal of our equipment, furniture, risers, and hardware, as well as a cash gift, to the church. We wish them well as they reimagine and repurpose Pierce Hall for their ministry needs.
We can think of no better way to honor our relationship with the FUMC community than to revisit our 2014 short documentary film Sacred Stages: A Church, a Theatre, and a Story and Jamil's essay "Inspiration in the Overlap" (please see below). Those two pieces represent a Golden Age in our unique journey together. They are Silk Road Rising's way of paying tribute to an institution that's played an integral role in our ability to expand representation and change the narrative.
Read "Inspiration in the Overlap" Here
Big thanks to our incomparable Associate Producer, Corey Pond, for coordinating and executing the move out of Pierce Hall. Truly a monumental feat.
And, of course, a heartfelt thank you to our Methodist hosts! You took a risk on a then-nascent idea and helped us realize a vision and a dream.
We made theatre magic in Pierce Hall and memories to last a lifetime. We helped build a community of artists that are actively transforming the American theatre. Commitments to anti-racism and expanding representation were rare in the performing arts sector when we began producing in our "little jewel box" on the lower level. Today, those commitments are being embraced and invigorated by theatre companies across the country, big and small. We believe that we have played a role in creating that change and will continue to do so in the years to come. Yes, Virginia, church basements really can help the world heal.
And of course, Silk Road Rising continues unabated with exciting new projects and residencies in the works. The magic will continue to kindle in multiple locales!
With Love and Gratitude,
Jamil and Malik
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