BOLD Programming and Opportunities

New Name!
BOLD – Building Opportunity through Leadership and Development

We are thrilled to announce a pivotal moment in our journey as we embrace our new name: BOLD. This evolution reflects our dedication to empowering our students and fostering an inclusive theater community that values every story and every voice.

Our mission remains steadfast, focused on nurturing artistry across all disciplines of theater through merit, achievement, and collaboration. We understand that diverse experiences and perspectives not only enrich our educational mission but also prepare the next generation of creative leaders in American theater.

As we turn this new page, we are committed to:

● Fostering Positive Change: We are dedicated to encouraging confident and capable student leaders who rise to the challenges of the field with creativity, resilience, and integrity while rejecting harmful stereotypes and cultural appropriation.

● Upholding Respectful Discourse: We expect all production respondents to engage with respect, promoting a wide range of artistic choices and embracing the rich tapestry of narratives found across college campuses nationwide.

● Commitment to Excellence: We honor the complexity of our collective historical legacies while engaging with the present and reimagining a future for the American theater that truly reflects and represents us all.

In this spirit, we invite all guest artists and presenters to be mindful of how your work aligns with our BOLD principles. Together, we can create a platform that not only entertains, but also inspires and uplifts everyone who engages with our community.

Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this exciting new chapter together. We look forward to your valuable contributions as we build a BOLD theater community that celebrates and uplifts all.

Theatrically Yours,
ACTF Region 2

National BOLD statement on Production Responses

We expect production respondents to engage with respect, avoid discriminatory comments, and embrace the wide spectrum of artistic choices found on college campuses across the country. We support collegial exploration of new ideas, grounded in respect for long-held artistic practices and the communicated intentions of the playwright. Through these commitments, we affirm our role in advancing the highest standards of theater education, creative expression, and leadership—honoring the complexity of our collective historical legacies, engaging fully with the present, and reimagining a future for the American theater that reflects and represents us all.

Hello Region 2! My name is Anjalee Deshpande Hutchinson and I am your BOLD chair. Jessica López Barkl is our BOLD Vice Chair and we partner with Cassie King our region Chair. B.O.L.D stands for Building Opportunity Through Leadership & Development and is an essential component of ACTF in every region. Our jobs, in short, are to make sure the festival is a welcoming and inviting place for everyone here. Towards that end – we need your help! I f you are interested in joining this effort – we are seeking both students and faculty in serving as BOLD student interns/super volunteers as well as BOLD upcoming faculty leadership positions. And if you are interested in joining our efforts, please contact Anjalee Deshpande Hutchinson at ([email protected]). Thank you for your consideration!

BOLD Region 2 Programs at Festivals

Affinity Lunches

Affinity lunches provide students from different colleges and universities the opportunity to be in community together in a safe-space, to foster relationships and to connect. Our understanding of affinity lunches, like other BOLD events, are that they are not meant to be interpreted as exclusion, but rather, important opportunities for identity exploration and development around a shared experience. Our lunches for each festival include:

The Student and Faculty of Color and Culture Luncheon
The LGBTQIA+ Student and Faculty Luncheon
Theatermakers with Disabilities and Neurodiverse Identities Luncheon

Late-Night Bold Masquerade Showcase

Are you a passionate performer ready to take the stage and share your talent? ACTF Region 2 is excited to hold our annual Late-Night Bold Showcase. Every year these showcases are hosted by a local performing artists whose work uplifts identity and community. Student artists at the festival are invited to submit their names and showcase their talents in a welcoming and inclusive community setting. This showcase are for artists who want to shine a spotlight on characters, stories and experiences that center marginalized communities and/or identities. 3-minute acts can include:

Monologues (written by you or someone else)
Scenes
Songs
Dance numbers

Sign up to perform through the app. 15 spots are available for performers. Join us – either as performer or spectator – for this exciting late night event!

Panels and/or Workshops!

BOLD would love to sponsor & support faculty AND student panels, for folks interested in dialogues about issues relevant to our community.

Strategies for Success for Students and Faculty
A Positionality Statement Workshop
Introduction to Deaf Theatre
Speaking on Access and Self Liberating Spaces
Challenges and Opportunities for Undergraduate Artists
Community, Dialogue and Discussion for Theatre Artists
Marginalized Theatre Practitioners Roundtable (DTM panel)

Please let us know if you are interested in proposing a panel! We would be happy to brainstorm and support you as you consider what you’d like to share at the festival.