Career Development Grant

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,223
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Cheryl R. Reitan
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
May 2015
End Date
July 2015
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
St. Louis
St. Louis
Project Overview
Career Development Grant
Project Details
Thunder of Freedom Readers Theater. This grant is to help fund a Readers Theater production of the screenplay, Thunder of Freedom. The Clayton, Jackson, McGhie Memorial Committee has invited me to present Thunder of Freedom to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the lynching of Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie in Duluth. The screenplay is based on another story about civil rights, as told in the book "Thunder of Freedom: Black Leadership and the Transformation of 1960s Mississippi" by Sue [Lorenzi] Sojourner with Cheryl Reitan. The script tells the story of a group of Holmes County, Mississippi, black farmers who helped elect the first African American to the Mississippi legislature in the 20th century.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Erling Ellison: jewelry designer and creator, speech coach and judge, director of Garrison Art Fair; Ken Bloom: Director of Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota-Duluth; Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; Kate Fitzgerald: Program Director North Shore Music Association, writer; Peter Pestalozzi: furniture maker, wood worker; David Beard: Assistant Professor University of Minnesota-Duluth writing studies; Mark King: actor, theater reviewer, musician; Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; John Gregor: photographer, art educator, community art advocate; Ann Russ: music performer, community song leader, choir director, workshop leader, past director and founder of North Shore Music Association; Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Dana Mattice: Development and Communications Director of The Art Institute Duluth, Shannon Sweeney: stage manager for Duluth Playhouse and former production manager for the Minnesota Ballet; Moira Villiard: visual artist and student of arts and communication at University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
John Gregor: photographer, art educator, community art advocate; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; David Beard: Assistant Professor University of Minnesota-Duluth writing studies; Ann Russ: music performer, community song leader, choir director, workshop leader, past director and founder of North Shore Music Association; Moira Villiard: visual artist and student of arts and communication at University of Wisconsin-Superior; Catherine Meier: website designer, printmaker, drawer, animator; Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist.
Conflict of Interest Contact
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Robert DeArmond (218) 722-0952
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,223
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,883
Direct expenses
$3,106
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The goal of the project is to put on a production that will expose people to the struggles of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. We hope for 300-450 people to attend and for another 800 people to see social media and you-tube posts before and after the event. Additionally, we hope for thousands to see the media coverage of the event. The artistic goal of the project is to gauge the effectiveness of the dialogue, pacing and flow, and other dramatic elements that may need adjustment. Dramatic readings are necessary to inform the screenplay writer about the changes necessary to improve the script. The success of the project will be measured by how many hits we get from the video clip, how many people try out for the actors roles, how much media attention the projects gets, and how many people attend the performances. Additionally, all of the sponsors, artistic personnel, and the audience will be asked to fill out an evaluation about the impact of the performance. The feedback provided is necessary in order for improvements to be made on the screenplay. Ultimately, the success of the Readers Theater project will be judged by the acceptance of the script by a movie production studio.

Measurable Outcome(s)

17 cast members and 5 staff/crew members received an incredible artistic experience. We had nearly a full house both nights, with an estimated 105 people each night for a total of 210. Thousands of people saw the news story, the advertisement, the Facebook page posts and the web page.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Cheryl
Last Name
Reitan
Organization Name
Cheryl R. Reitan
State
MN
Phone
(218) 213-0902
Email
cherylreitan@hotmail.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

424 West Superior Street, Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802

Phone
Project Manager: Rebecca Graves
218-722-0952
Email the Agency