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The Meta Theatre Company seeks to abolish systemic oppression through live, interactive performance. Our vision is to build a liberating world that does not yet exist by:
- Supporting and amplifying the leadership and radical imagination of historically marginalized groups
- Teaching those who’ve historically had access to power how to develop their radical imagination to abolish systems of oppression
For the last 7 years, we have rehearsed inside/outside the prison walls at a women's prison in New Jersey. In March 2020, we could no longer rehearse inside due to the pandemic. We continue to write and create with our inside castmates through the mail. Even though part of our cast is incarcerated, we work together and create work that will educate, raise critical consciousness, and promote social action with our audiences. In the past, before the pandemic, our cast produced and created their shows inside the prison walls for their community. Outside the prison walls, we produce and create shows for the general public, high schools, and organizations wanting to create liberating change in their communities.
DISMANTLING THE RACISM MACHINE A MANUAL AND TOOLBOX by Dr. Karen Gaffney - This interactive 90 minute show is designed to illustrate how racism was invented, and how the patterns of white supremacy and patriarchy continue to show up in our personal lives, laws and policies.
NJ is one of the most diverse states but also one of the most racially
segregated states in the US. Why don't we talk about this? Nationally, white household wealth is almost 13 times that of black household wealth and more than 10 times that of Latinx household wealth.
Why didn't I learn this before?
White women have benefited the most from Affirmative Action and yet are the most vocal about ending
Affirmative Action. How come? Who gets ignored when feminism is not intersectional? How do I talk about this?
RVCC English Professor Dr. Karen Gaffney, author of Dismantling the Racism Machine: A Manual and Toolbox, and
The Meta Theatre Company discuss and perform concepts from Karen's book through interactive theatre to encourage discussion and raise awareness. This show has been performed for training in the
workplace, schools, and for the general public.
Click the button below to see PBS39 News Tonight feature The Meta Theatre Company and Karen Gaffney perform, Dismantling the Racism Machine a Manual and Toolbox
Speak Up! is a 90 minute interactive show that educates audiences on bystander intervention, and how to safely intervene when you witness hatred or discrimination in private and public conversations. The MTC cast plays out a scene that takes place in a retail store between a customer and a cashier. The audience is asked critical thinking questions, and given opportunity to interact with the cast to practice de-escalating the violence, and what to do after the incident is over.
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