The Summer BIPOC Reading Festival (Staged Summer Festival) is an official program of Facility Theatre, located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, IL. Facility is dedicated to centering equity, diversity, inclusion, and access in all of our work. This program kicks off a series of ongoing events uplifting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists. The inaugural festival will feature 6 readings from diverse playwrights taking place throughout the summer months.

Readings are an essential part of the play development process. We are proud to offer the Staged Summer Festival as a creative lab for emerging and established playwrights. Conveniently located in our brand new space, our reading series provides a home for writers to hear their new work read aloud.

SCHEDULE
(click title for more info)

Friday, Aug 6 at 6pm:
The Ángel Sisters by Maria I. Arreola
Saturday, Aug 7 at 6pm:
Short-Changed by Jordan Gleaves
Sunday, Aug 8 at 3pm:
Mala Aria by Gloria Majule (virtual)

Friday, Aug 13 at 6pm (A NIGHT OF SHORTS)
swc: shopping while colored
by Toma Lynn Smith
Our Beautiful Home
by Elijah Vazquez
The Cabin
by Brandon Wright

Saturday, Aug 14 at 6pm:
M.U.D. Life
by Willie Round and G. Riley Mills
Sunday, Aug 15 at 3pm:
Mercy Rising by Gloria Bond Clunie

Sponsor a play!

Facility is committed to bringing fantastic new plays by underrepresented writers to a wider audience. We are constantly looking to create relationships with new artists and organizations and working to create art that is varied in content, style, and approach in this pursuit. We challenge ourselves to keep our theatre constantly exploring the vast landscape of untapped new works. 

Producing this series requires a lot of time, energy, and expense. If you would like to help support this initiative uplifting new talent, please consider sponsoring a play. To learn more about sponsorship and donation opportunities, please contact us info@facilitytheatre.org, and we will be back to you ASAP.