Dr. Jonathan Shandell, associate professor and co-director of Arcadia University’s Theater Arts Program, was awarded an Experiential Learning Microgrant Award of $800 from the Center for Antiracist, Scholarship, Advocacy, and Action (CASAA). This microgrant supported a collaboration between the University and People’s Light Theater to bring “Illuminating Bayard Rustin” to campus on October 8.

“It struck us as a great opportunity to engage our students in theatrical work about an important and underappreciated hero of the Civil Rights Movement, and to provide an example of how theater can educate and engage us around issues of combating anti-Black racism and promoting social justice,” said Shandell.

The production, performed by People’s Light, celebrates Bayard Rustin’s contributions and legacy as a chief organizer of 1963’s March on Washington and an openly gay Civil Rights Movement leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance. Following the play, People’s Light led a workshop that engaged students and faculty in discussions on identity and bias. Shandell’s efforts reflect a commitment to using theater as a tool for critical dialogue, empathy-building, and community enrichment. 

“Our students are hungry not only for opportunities to see live theater but also to explore their own identities and build a more inclusive and accepting community in our program and on our campus,” Shandell added. “Theater can be fun and entertaining, but at its best, live theater can enlighten, challenge, provoke, and uplift us. The performance and workshop presented a rare opportunity to do all of those things on our campus.”