Cape Fear Regional Theatre views art and storytelling as the tools by which we learn empathy and compassion. It is with that same empathy and deep compassion that we stand firmly with those who seek justice within and for the Black community. Black and Brown Lives Matter.
We acknowledge that theater, like America, still struggles to fulfill our dreams of a more perfect society. We mourn the loss of Fayetteville native George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor, and too many others. We pledge to be part of the solution in deconstructing systems that keep us from living up to our promise as a nation, community, industry, and theater. We pledge to actively lead and participate in constructing systems that build respect for others, to offer opportunities for Black artists and playwrights, and to further the creation of love and understanding that we find in artistic expression. We know that we stand with so many in our pledge to do this work and, with our colleagues across the country, we seek even more to match our words with action in the protection of human rights.
- We will continue to cast companies of actors who reflect the magnificent diversity of our community and our nation.
- We will continue to program plays for both adults and children that specifically tell stories of diverse characters. We will program and amplify the voices of playwrights of color. We know that representation is important, and that being seen and heard is essential to the growth of our national empathy.
- We will continue to promote the census in our community, knowing that an accurate portrayal of our communities is essential to change.
- We will continue to promote the arts in our region, aspiring to be an example of how we can reach out, make connections, and collaborate.
We pledge ourselves to these steps, and to continuing to educate ourselves about how we can do more. We are proud that our region is one of the most culturally diverse communities in the United States and we will seek to celebrate the richness this brings to our lives. We will stand up together as one to condemn any unconscionable act and do the hard work of confronting our own biases and shortcomings in order to live out the growth, healing, and shared love that is needed in our community and our nation. We will use the power of live theater to share the stories of our intertwined and interdependent lives to foster respect for one another across the lines that might otherwise divide us.