A message to the field from TCG’s executive director/CEO Teresa Eyring, deputy director/COO Adrian Budhu, and the team at TCG

We are in grief and rage over the murder of George Floyd. George was described by his family as a “gentle giant” who “would light up the room.” We say his name as we say the names of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and all those whose lives have been taken by anti-Blackness and police brutality.

These murders have occurred amid resurgent anti-Black violence and a pandemic that has disproportionately impacted communities of color. We know that protesters across many cities have been met with violence, leading to an escalation that has included violent rhetoric from the President and the deployment of the National Guard and military. We stand in solidarity with those who cry, “no justice, no peace.”

To our Black friends and loved ones, we see you, and we know you’re exhausted. We know that part of your exhaustion comes from the heartbreak of our silence, inaction, and half-measures. We must do better, and we will. In the next few days, we’ll outline how we’ll use our virtual national conference to mount a sustained response to the urgency of this moment and this movement. Whatever we do, we’ll follow the lead of the Black theatre-makers and activists who have been leading this struggle for generations.

Please know that you are not alone, and our field of theatre-makers stands ready to support you. Police brutality and White supremacy must be dismantled, and we look forward to working with all theatre people to use our power as culture-makers to end it.