On May 14, 2022, an eighteen-year-old self-described white supremacist opened fire on shoppers at Tops Friendly Market in Buffalo New York, killing ten people and injuring three. In Targeted, the latest work in the "Insidious Trilogy" from Spectrum Dance Theater Artistic Director + choreographer Donald Byrd, Byrd explores the now widely embraced view of "the great replacement theory" and what buoys white supremacists in their attacks on native-born black and brown people as well as non-white immigrants.
Byrd explains, “By all historical descriptions, Jim Crow theoretically ended in 1968 after nearly 100 years of legalized harm against Black people. The impacts linger and are also becoming more insidious, more public, and more dangerous. I use my art to explore the lasting impacts while attempting to encourage our audiences to see what is hidden in plain sight.”
Targeted is a Dance-Theater piece that journeys into the mind of the killer moments before committing this horrific act of racial violence. The title refers to the systematic targeting of Black and non-white immigrant people by white supremacists for murder. The production will utilize dance movement, text, music, sound, voice, documented facts, media, speculation, and other available forms of information.
Targeted will complete the “Insidious Trilogy” that began in 2019 with Strange Fruit and Grief in 2022. Through the Trilogy, Byrd wonders at Jim Crow, its history, legacy, transformation, and contemporary manifestations.
As the culmination of the 40/20 Anniversary, Artistic Director Donald Byrd has assembled a unique cast of six dancers comprised of current Company members, former Company, and former significant guest artists; featuring actors Arlando Smith and R Hamilton Wright and drummer Davee C Carpenter. With a limited run from June 2 through June 4th at Cornish Playhouse, be sure to secure your tickets early.
When:
Friday, June 2, 2023, 7:30 PM
Saturday, June 3, 2023, 7:30 PM
Sunday, June 4, 2023, 2 PM
Where:
Cornish Playhouse, 201 Mercer Street, Seattle – Seattle Center Campus
How:
Tickets are $10 - $25 available online
