Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership
ANNOUNCING OUR 2023 PARTNER:
Ashley Williams
Williams, from Northern Virginia, is thrilled and honored to be the recipient of the R.L.T Partnership and Clear Space partnership. Some of Ashley’s credits include: Deloris in SISTER ACT: The Musical, Medda Larkin i
n NEWSIES, Milly in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS, Rusty in FOOTLOOSE and a Dynamite in HAIRSPRAY. As a passionate advocate for diversity, Ashley believes that the arts have the power to unite people of all backgrounds and create a more inclusive and equitable society. This partnership presents a unique opportunity for Ashley to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organizations, and to showcase diverse perspectives and experiences through the medium of theatre. Ashley is eager to contribute her skills and creativity to this endeavor and looks forward to the exciting journey ahead.
“Partnerships that celebrate diversity can create a powerful force for positive change, both in the theatre and in our communities.” –Ashley Williams
About The Partnership
The Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership’s goal is to celebrate the life and career of Rebecca Luker by creating professional leadership opportunities in the theater for individuals from underserved communities to better represent the diversity of our communities.
James FitzSimmons, a Delaware native, started the Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership to honor the actor and friend who passed away in 2020 from ALS. Fitzsimmons and Luker worked together on several readings and the musical DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY. Rebecca was one of the most talented, kindest, funniest and most committed humans on this planet. Her career on Broadway was legendary but she was also fiercely committed to racial justice, equal rights, and reproductive rights.
2020 was a very difficult year for FitzSimmons, he lost both his mother and brother, as well as many friends due to the pandemic. He was, however, particularly distraught when he heard about Rebecca Luker’s passing. “I thought if anyone could beat ALS it would be Rebecca. She had that glorious, angelic soprano which would allay a sharp wit and sometimes a mouth like a truck driver!” He immediately knew that he wanted to do something to honor her, though with NY theater shuttered it was not necessarily the best time. Then with the George Floyd murder and a new racial reckoning happening around the country, he wanted to make sure that whatever was established would reflect the changes the country and theatre community were experiencing.
FitzSimmons used money he inherited from his mother’s estate to create the Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership. This partnership would honor Luker’s commitment to racial justice, and equal rights through the theatre community. “I admired the tenacity and drive that David Button and Wesley Paulson (Clear Space Theatre) had in keeping the theater operating for 17 years and shepherding it into the future with a new home, and I thought this would be an excellent way to help them grow.
How To Apply in the Future:
(Applications for The 2023 Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership are closed.)
OVERVIEW
The REBECCA LUKER THEATRICAL PARTNERSHIP with Clear Space Theatre is a nonstandard, fluid opportunity to work with and learn from a growing Not-For-Profit Arts Organization located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.The Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership’s purpose is to celebrate the life and career of the actress and activist, Rebecca Luker by creating professional leadership and learning opportunities in the theater for individuals from underrepresented communities to better represent the diversity of our communities. The partnership seeks to enhance our theater community by collaborating with an individual, ideally from underrepresented demographics. The goal is for this person to help enrich the Clear Space community and the community at large by adding a new voice and perspective to the conversation. This Partnership is for the year 2023; for three consecutive months in June through August or September through December. This year, the application period is open January 1st, 2023.
ELIGIBILITY
Ideal applicants should Identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Color), Native, Transgender, and/or Nonbinary. We use these terms to mean that we seek to serve artists of color who identify as: Black/African/African American, Afro Latino/a/x, Caribbean, Chicano/a/x, Mexican, Central American, South American, Middle Eastern/North African, Southeast Asian/Asian, Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, Native Alaskan, and/or those of nonbinary and transgender community. We recognize that these descriptions and this language is ever-evolving and will always be inadequate. If this description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply. Applicants are at least 18 years of age and should be in their 3rd or 4th year of college or have been working in an arts related industry for at least a year. A valid driver’s license is preferable but is not required. Applicant may not work at or be a board member of Clear Space Theatre. Applicant may not be an immediate family member of Clear Space Theatre staff or board members (independent contractors are eligible to apply).
Past Recipients
Karen Richards, 2022 Recipient
To donate to the Rebecca Luker Theatrical Partnership, please Click Here: https://clearspacetheatre.
Also, please consider visiting or making a donation to PROJECT ALS at www.projectals.org
clear space theatre company