Way to Go Alliance Theater

posted by David Dower

I’m in Atlanta. Again. For the opening night of Tim Acito's The Women of Brewster Place. (Opening night for Brewster was also the second night of tech for Well in the Fichandler and a performance of 33 Variations in Kreeger!)

There's a lot of excitement around the place. Alliance Theater has planned a star-studded, red carpeted affair. Mayor Franklin, Star Jones, and celebrities from Oprah's miniseries based on the book are all on guest list.

When I arrived, Molly Smith let me know there was a field trip planned for 2:00pm to see a mural. I was talking to her on my cell while riding the MARTA in from the airport. (I’m sorry to say, I’ve become one of those people who talks on their cell phone on public transportation. Infrequently. But still…) She was telling me about the mural as the train went underground, so I didn’t quite get the connection between it and the show. I didn’t get any connection, for that matter—the call dropped. But I was up for the adventure.

Turns out to be this inspired and inspiring story. And I’m so glad I was here to see it!

The Alliance Theater’s Marketing Department had come up with an idea for creating a presence of the show in the community. They wanted to do something inspired by the show, rather than just advertise the show. What they first proposed was to find a wall that was dividing a neighborhood and to tear it down, with the help of neighbors and volunteers. (The show has a stirring song called "Tear Down the Wall," with the lyric “Tear down the wall so we can finally see each other, tear down the wall so we can love one another…”)

They didn’t succeed at finding a wall to tear down, but they found a neglected lot with a big ugly wall that they could beautify. And they did it! They got the necessary permits and permissions from the neighbors. They found a muralist from Atlanta to work with them. They organized local community groups and volunteers to help. They cleaned up the lot, planted flowers and scrubbed concrete. And they created this extraordinary mural on the big ugly wall. It’s signed by all the people who participated. It’s bright, it’s bold, and it’s beautiful. And they’ve got a commitment from the City of Atlanta to keep it that way.

And you know what? It doesn’t say a thing about the show. It’s a project done out of the deep connection of the staff to the theater’s role as a citizen of its community. There will be a plaque there that mentions that this is a gift from The Women of Brewster Place. But it is not an ad or a billboard. It is a work of art, inspired by another work of art, and gifted to the people of the neighborhood.

We talk a lot, in our field, about “best practices” and how our cultural institutions can be effective citizens of our communities. I have to say, this is an inspired example. Congratulations, Alliance Theater, for taking the art to heart and taking community involvement to such a lovely extreme.

Download "Tear Down the Wall" from The Women of Brewster Place.mp3