the hawk chicago
  • Articles
  • About
  • Theatre List
  • Longest Running
  • Articles
  • About
  • Theatre List
  • Longest Running

Freedom of Speech Does Not Give License to Racism: The Call to Eliminate Hate Speech from Theater Critics

6/15/2017

0 Comments

 
The Hawk Chicago proudly stands with #ChiTAC. Please take a look at their press release below. 

The necessary creation of The Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition (ChiTAC) is in direct response to recent reviews from several critics of the newest production to grace the Steppenwolf stage, “Pass Over”. These reviews have brought harm to the theater community and have caused an overwhelming response from artists who are ready to act toward creating a safe, healthy, inclusive, and intersectional environment to practice art free from prejudice and damaging language.
A diverse group of artists came together on Tuesday night, June 13, 2017, to brainstorm a solution to combat the accustomed, irresponsible and unresponsive nature of a specific Chicago critic. After much deliberation, co-creators Ike Holter, Kevin Matthew Reyes, Tony Santiago, Sydney Charles and Sasha Smith resolved to ask the theater community to reach out to every theater in Chicago and request that they cease offering complimentary tickets to critics who routinely review theater through a sexist and racist lens.

In the past few years, the theater community has suffered reviews filled with racism and racial profiling, Islamophobia, homophobia, sexism, torture advocacy and justification, victim blaming and body shaming. Actors’ bodies have been critiqued, including their genitals, and racial slurs were used just this week, by a reviewer regarding a play starring African-American actors.
With the assistance of other Chicago artists committed to this cause, a petition was created via Change.org to encourage theater practitioners and theater lovers alike to uphold a standard of conduct from all Chicago critics. The original goal for ChiTAC was to acquire 500 signatures. Yet, in less than 24 hours, over 2000 signatures have been collected and more supporters are emerging to stand behind this movement and organization.

“We need to protect the people we put in harm’s way. Sign the petition. Reach out to the theaters you frequent or are members of,” remarked Ike Holter, co-creator of the Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition. “The goal is not to ban anyone, but to simply have theaters not hand out free tickets to someone with a history of prejudice in their reviews. If we can't resist this, in our city, then we should stop pretending our safety pins work. This? This is theater. And it's small, and it's important, and we can fix it.”
​
The Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition is committed to defending the Chicago artistic community against discrimination, prejudice, sexism and racism.

Direct link to Change.org petition can be found here: 
https://www.change.org/p/the-chicago-theater-community-stop…

Contact
Sasha Smith
Chicago Theater Accountability Coalition
(515) 491-1677
chitac2017@gmail.com
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    critic's picks
    ​now playing

    Blue Man Group ★★★
    Briar St. Theatre

    Gaslight District ★★★★
    The Second City

    Hamilton ★★★★
    CIBC Theatre

    The Infinite Wrench ★★★★
    The Neo-Futurists

    The Magic Parlour ★★★★
    The House Theatre of Chicago

    Noises Off  ★★★
    Windy City Playhouse

    On Clover Road ★★★
    American Blues Theater


    Southern Gothic ★★★★
    Windy City Playhouse South

    ★★★★
    Highly Recommended
    ​
    ★★★​
    Recommended

    Categories

    All
    Announcements
    Blog
    Reviews

    Archives

    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.