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Friday, June 21, 2019

TWO RIVER THEATER ANNOUNCES SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATORS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RED BANK’S T. THOMAS FORTUNE FOUNDATION

AUGUST WILSON, T. THOMAS FORTUNE, AND GENTRIFICATION THEN & NOW
A COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO RIVER THEATER AND THE T. THOMAS FORTUNE FOUNDATION

WHEN: Wednesday, July 10, from 9:30-4:30
WHERE:
TWO RIVER THEATER AND THE T. THOMAS FORTUNE CULTURAL CENTER, 21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank
FEE: This program is free and spots are limited. 33 spots remain
Participating educators will earn seven hours of Professional Development credits that will be presented by Dr. Stephanie Harris.

To reserve, educators should visit www.tworivertheater.org/professional-development-for-teachers/.

For more information, visit the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center’s website (www.tthomasfortuneculturalcenter.org) or the Two River Theater website (www.tworivertheater.org), or contact TRT Director of Education Kate Cordaro at kate@trtc.org or 732.936.8814.

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces its second annual one-day professional development program for educators. “August Wilson, T. Thomas Fortune and Gentrification Then & Now” is presented as a collaboration between Two River Theater and the T. Thomas Fortune Foundation, in compliance with the New Jersey Amistad Commission.

This special one-day program will be led by Two River’s Literary Manager, Taylor Barfield, and distinguished historian Dr. Walter Greason (Honors School, Monmouth University, and author of six critically acclaimed books). The keynote address will be given by Stephanie James Harris, PhD, Executive Director of the Office of the New Jersey Amistad Commission Team.

Nine out of 10 plays in August Wilson’s famed American Century Cycle take place in a 1.4 square mile neighborhood in Pittsburgh called the Hill District. “Over the course of the Cycle, Wilson exhibits the breadth of change that occurred in neighborhoods like the Hill District across the urban north in the 20th century,” notes Barfield, who will discuss how Wilson engages with topics of gentrification, community, and erasure and how his plays can spark dialogue in both the classroom and civic spheres.

Greason will explore gentrification in Red Bank (where T. Thomas Fortune lived from 1901-1915) during the 20th century, ‘opportunity zone’ policies, and current shifts in attitude regarding neighborhood revitalizations. “Gentrification in Red Bank reflected national patterns of racial segregation after 1945,” says Greason. “The local opportunity to integrate disappeared as white and black residents abandoned the West Side after 1970. Today, we have an opportunity to reverse this tradition of ongoing discrimination.”

During the lunch break, teachers in attendance will be given a tour of the National Historic Landmark, the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, by Gilda Rogers, vice-president of the T. Thomas Fortune Foundation.

Sponsorship

Two River Theater is supported in part by public support through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Private support includes the Alec Baldwin Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Mary Owen Borden Foundation, Brookdale Community College, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, Investors Foundation, Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, JKW Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Monmouth University, Ocean First Foundation, Rumson Country Day School, The Shubert Foundation, Bella and Max Shulman Family Fund, Springpoint Senior Living Foundation at The Atrium at Navesink Harbor, The John Ben Snow Foundation, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Stone Foundation of New Jersey, VNA Health Group, Wells Fargo, and many other generous foundations, corporations and individuals.