Victory Gardens Theater and The Chicago Inclusion Project Announce Inclusive Casting Initiative

The Chicago Inclusion Project together with Victory Gardens Theater have announced a new season-long collaboration.

The two companies will partner on an inclusive casting process for Victory Garden's 2021-2022 season, giving Chicago theater artists access to roles from which they might traditionally have been excluded. The Chicago Inclusion Project will handle all casting for Queen of the Night, In Every Generation, cullud wattah, and the Ignite Chicago reading series and 20/50 Play Festival.

"When offered the chance to work with incoming Artistic Director Ken-Matt Martin, The Chicago Inclusion Project's casting team was thrilled," comments TCIP Founder Emjoy Gavino. "Victory Gardens Theater has always been a hub for innovation, accessibility and conversation, which is why we began our company's journey in their space. Years later, as both our organizations seek ways to nurture the artists of our city, this collaboration provides a clear path. We were inspired by Ken-Matt's commitment to true civic change within our community and are excited to help usher in these new stories."

"Victory Gardens' commitment to new work extends beyond the page to include theater artists both on and off stage. To nurture new and upcoming talent, an inclusive and equitable casting process is essential," notes Victory Gardens Artistic Director Ken-Matt Martin. "Our partnership with The Chicago Inclusion Project will ensure our continued forward motion as we strive to strengthen the Chicago theater community and create art that is a true reflection of the diverse audience we are proud to serve."

The Chicago Inclusion Project first collaborated with Victory Gardens during the successful launch of their organization in 2015, a staged reading of William/">William-Saroyan/">William/">William Saroyan's The Time of your Life, directed by former VG Artistic Director Chay Yew. This collaboration provides an opportunity to expand and continue this partnership, with the goal of inspiring true civic change within our community through developing new stories for the stage.

The Chicago Inclusion Project is a collective of artists, committed to facilitating inclusive experiences and hiring practices throughout Chicago Theatre by bringing together artists and audiences normally separated by ethnic background, economic status, gender identity, physical ability and countless other barriers. The staff includes Stephanie Díaz (Grant Writer/Casting Associate), Elana Elyce (Business Manager), Adelina Feldman-Schultz (Facilitator, Casting associate), Emjoy Gavino (Founder, Executive Director, Casting Associate), Arti Ishak (Facilitator), Abhi Shrestha (Community Organizer / Literary Manager) and Jessica Vann (Facilitator). For more information, visit www.thechicagoinclusionproject.com.

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