15/01/2022
Over the next few days we will be introducing our founding team members who have been working so hard to bring Break the Chain to life! We have asked our founders why they are excited for Break the Chain, but you can always learn more about our experiences and qualifications on our website: https://btctheatreco.squarespace.com or join us for our podcast "Building the Stage" to get to know us more! Info on "Building a Stage" will be coming out in the next few days!
First up: Artistic Director, Craig Ester
"I say all the time that theatre saved my life, whether it was my time in the acting ensemble at Mosaic Youth Theatre, or performing in musicals at Cass Tech. Theatre gave me focus, clarity, and a path to follow. As I’ve worked around the country professionally in the last decade I’ve seen how theatre education, and a vibrant arts scene can grow and enrich communities. I know what it’s like to be playing Macbeth at the Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and having a little Black boy see me and have his eyes widen because he sees himself on the stage, I’ve seen the way a student’s face brightens when they see a Black teacher coming to take over their class for a workshop. When I know that my presence on a stage or in a classroom has changed someone’s life for the better I am fulfilled. The thing that most excites me about my role as Break the Chain’s Artistic Director is the chance to give that moment to people from every walk of life, so that they can see that the theater has something to do with them. If I can give at least one person that moment with the work that we do, then all the work will have been worth it."
