Check out this amazing event put on and featuring VCUarts Theatre alums! We are so proud of our students and their focus on social justice work.
• DONATE @ 8 • @chandlermatkins on IG!
Every Monday night at 8PM — VCUarts Theatre Performance Alum, Chandler Matkins (Class of ‘18) goes live on Instagram @chandlermatkins to interview artists and raise funds for different organizations that are doing the essential work of today.
Monday October 5th, Matkins will be raising funds for The Broadway Advocacy Coalition (BAC). BAC builds the capacity of individuals, organizations, and communities to dismantle the systems that perpetuate racism through the power of storytelling and the leadership of people directly affected. Founded in 2016 by members of the Broadway community as a direct response to the nation’s pandemic of racism and police brutality, it has since grown into a multi-disciplinary organization uniting artists with legal experts and community leaders to have a lasting impact on policy issues including criminal justice reform, education equity, and immigration.
He will be interviewing fellow VCU Alum, Mikayla Bartholomew (Class of ‘17). Currently resuming production for a studio feature film at Warner Bros. in Los Angeles (thank God), Mikayla is an actress and activist based in New York City. Some credits include Blanks (Roundabout Theatre), A Doll’s House: Part 2 (Maltz Jupiter Theatre), Trojan Women, Babes in the Wood (Signature Theatre), LORDES (New Ohio Theatre), CBS’ The Code and more. Dedicated to fighting for all Black lives and marginalized communities, Mikayla is a core member on staff at the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, named as Variety’s #1 2020 Broadway To Watch. She organized, launched and facilitated the Broadway for Black Lives Matter Again forums, the BwayforBLM: The Miseducation forum, has taught at Columbia Law School with the Theatre of Change and is currently co-facilitating a writing course for Black womxn in Harlem in a new BAC partnership with Exodus Transitional Community.
He will also be interviewing Broadway Alum, Betsy Struxness. Betsy has had an extensive career on Broadway, making her debut in Wicked after having performed with both the San Francisco and Chicago companies. Quickly after, she then joined the soon to be Tony Award Winning Best Musical, Memphis. She then began originating Broadway shows starting with the quick run of Leap of Faith and the also quick run of Scandalous. When she then booked Matilda she was happy to sit down and enjoy the run. Then along came Hamilton. She was one of the original company members of the smash-hit Broadway show, participating in the workshop, the Off-Broadway production at The Public Theater and the Broadway production currently running at the Richard Rodgers Theater. Within all that time she has appeared on numerous awards shows and morning shows and also appeared on episodes of Broad City, Louie, and The Onion News Network. Other parts of her performance career include numerous concerts throughout New York City and the country, and playing Viola De Lesseps in Shakespeare in Love at Virginia Rep in Richmond.
There will also be a cocktail break — intermission style — with VCUarts Theatre Performance Alum, Dante Piro (Class of ‘18)!
Join the fun October 5th, THIS MONDAY NIGHT @ 8P on Instagram Live @chandlermatkins and hear what our alumni are up to — while supporting a great organization!
Follow all their accounts and share the event!