Pittsburgh Public Theater’s new speaker series Making Art Work kicks off five sessions on Monday with Mark Valdéz, artistic director of Minneapolis’ Mixed Blood Theatre, for a moderated discussion titled “Belonging and Radical Hospitality.”
Making Art Work is “designed to inspire, connect and transform the future of regional theater through the exchange of ideas and experiences in the industry,” Pittsburgh Public Theater stated in announcing the series, which will feature artistic directors, authors, government officials and more.
For the opening-session theme, Mixed Blood Theatre describes radical hospitality as “being at the core of all it does and makes its intentions clear in its mission statement: ‘to use theatre to disrupt injustices, advance equity and build community.”
“We are so excited to welcome Mark Valdéz to The Public to start off this new series,” said Sarah Ashley Cain, the discussion’s moderator and associate artistic director at Pittsburgh Public Theater. “Mark’s career highlights his commitment to creating a culture of belonging, removing barriers of access and using theater as a catalyst for equity and justice both at Mixed Blood and beyond.”
Valdéz has helmed the 48-year-old theater since 2022, when he lead off his inaugural season collaborating with theater and nontheater artists to produce 10 community-focused and two identity-focused plays.
“We can use the tools and skills of theatermaking — imagination, consensus building, meaning making — to support our communities and our peoples. … This is the work I care most about, and I’m lucky to have found a home in Mixed Blood that shares these priorities,” Valdéz told American Theatre Magazine.
“There is an ancient proverb that states ‘If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together,’ ” Pittsburgh Public Managing Director Shaunda McDill said. “This series is meant to bring us together in a brave space, where we can ask the necessary questions, share, and shape the future of this industry. My first job out of graduate school was with Cornerstone Theater Company where Mark was serving as Associate Artistic Director. I am grateful that 20 years later, I have the opportunity to welcome him to The Public. He is an accomplished practitioner and one of the most compassionate people I have ever met. What a gift and perfect way to launch this series.”
Making Art Work 2024-24 Speaker Series (some dates TBA)
October 14: “Belonging and Radical Hospitality” with Mark Valdéz, artistic director of Minneapolis’ Mixed Blood Theatre
November 4: “Race and the Real American Theater Crisis” with Kelvin Dinkins, Jr. (A.R.T. at Harvard), Shannon A. Jones (TheatreSquared) and Meredith Suttles (Creative Consultant and Arts Strategist, previously of Marin Theatre Company).
December: “To Adapt or Not To Adapt: Shakespeare and Democracy” with author James S. Shapiro and Larry Miller, Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University.
2025: “Culture RX” and “The Creative Economy.”
TICKETS: General admission tickets for Making Art Work are $20 PPT.org/Series or by calling 412-.316-1600. Tickets are available at the door for students for $5 with valid ID.
Categories: Arts and Ideas
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