Wyoming Humanities (WYH) is pleased to present a Spark Grant award to Relative Theatrics in support of “Read, Rant, Relate: Igniting Conversation through Theatre.”

Relative Theatrics will use the funding to continue its free play-reading program. The four-part series, hosted at the UW Art Museum in conjunction with a thematically paired art exhibit, uses actors to activate text by reading a play aloud. Following each play a humanities scholar leads a discussion on the themes of the play and how they relate to our Wyoming communities today. 

According to Anne Mason, executive director of Relative Theatrics, the organization will partner each play with a social justice group or event at UW such as the Shepard Symposium, the Wyoming Latina Youth Conference, the MLK Days of Dialogue, and other community organizations. The plays tackle topics such as race relations, diversity, feminism, American values, heteronormativity, politics, culture, social justice, and, ultimately, voices that often go unheard. 

This next event is a reading and discussion of “Frozen Fluid” by Fly Jamerson at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 15, and can be accessed here. It will be preceded by a virtual tour of the complementary art museum exhibit and will be followed by a Zoom discussion with Dr. Patrick Konesko. 

Future events in this series will continue through 2022.

Spark Grants provide funding to Wyoming communities and nonprofits for programming related to the humanities. Projects are selected based on communities’ needs and programs designed to spark new insights and perspectives. Funding is provided through the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. Grantees provide equal or greater matching funds and in-kind contributions. WYH grants generate significant social and economic impact five times greater than state funding. 

About Wyoming Humanities 
Wyoming Humanities is the Wyoming affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and is one of 55 state humanities councils. Conceived by a group of University of Wyoming leaders in 1970 and approved by the NEH in 1971. Its mission is to use the public humanities to strengthen Wyoming’s democracy, expand the Wyoming narrative, and promote engaged communities. Wyoming Humanities is an independent nonprofit funded by the NEH, a state legislative appropriation, corporate and foundation grants, and private donations. ​

​Three scientists - enduring the vast tundra, close quarters, and three hundred beached whales on a melting glacier - are faced with questions of gender, biology, identity, climate change, and faith.

TAY, a scientist specializing in Phytoplankton, is a genderfluid person trying to quietly organize and understand their place on the ice while their presence cracks every foundation. HERMAN, a scientist specializing in Glacial Disintegration, builds an arc to get the team off of the melting glacier while struggling to keep his relationships afloat. TERRA, a whale biologist, is overwhelmed by the deconstruction of her faith and her identity as the world threatens to swallow her whole.

Frozen Fluid is a celebration and investigation of the complexity and multiplicity of the self and the struggle and ultimate triumph to find and live as one's true self in mind, body, and spirit in a time of uncertainty in faith and future of the human race - with one another in society, and in our threatened climate on this planet. The play centers Trans and Gender Non-Binary characters and performers.

​Where to listen: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GooglePlay, or by following this link: https://www.modmypod.com/episodes
Time needed: 40 minutes
What it's about: Asian American hosts Sharon Lee Thony and Raman Sehgal sit down with Ryan Joe to have a candid conversation about racism against AAPI and and the increasing violence in this country.

Discussion questions:

• Ryan Joe mentions that what is happening now to Asian Americans is akin to how Brown Americans were treated post-9/11, but he argues that the violence is worse now. Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
• They argue that the AAPI murders in Atlanta are being downplayed racially, specifically in opposition to George Floyd's murder. Do you agree? If so, why do you think this is?
• Sehgal explains a split feeling of 'I don't know my country,' and 'this is my country, and stop being jerks.' How do you view the violence that has been happening? Do you fall in one camp, or do you feel split like Sehgal?
• This episode also argues that legislation against hate crimes is in place, but that a lot of that is optics, because nothing is being enforced. How do you think we, as the American public, can demand enforcement of this legislation?

Sponsored by the UW Honor's College
April 16 - May 2, 2021 - Streaming Virtually, On-Demand  

Directed by Anne Mason; Assistant Directed by Justen Glover and Isa Jackowich; Featuring Sean Coyle, Claire Mason, Jared Mohr-Leiva, and Aubree Tafoya.

Ash (believe me, you do not want to call her “Ashley”)  Miller’s dream is to catch the winning touchdown pass  for the Westmont High Titans’ Homecoming game.  Football is in her blood. In order to make the team, Ash  will have to prove she is one of the guys even if that  means sacrificing her body for the love of the game.  

“Playwright Rachel Bykowski beautifully illustrates the  world of small town high school football and its  influence on its fans in TIGHT END.” Rachel's play THE  BIG F***IN' GIANT was featured in Playwrights Voiced  2018. 

​TIGHT END is sponsored by the UW Honors College and is supported in part by grants from the Wyoming Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Wyoming Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.