7 April 2020 

Dear Friends of Venus: 

I’ve been waiting to find the words. 

First, I hope this finds you well!  Everyone here at Venus is wishing you and yours health and comfort and love during these very trying times. 

Second, we want to acknowledge all of the workers on the front lines risking their lives so that we can remain safe. We are thinking of you daily, hourly, and holding space for you as you must go through these very trying times. We know that you will need us when this is over to bring you comfort, nurturance, and maybe even laughter.

And, to the victims of this pandemic, we are wishing you success to the other side of this thing. For the dark consequence that may follow, we can only be still and stand in reverence of life lost. We light a candle. We send our deepest condolences and acknowledge that humans need a ritual to process big shifts. It’s traumatic that services must be mostly halted. We will be here to speak their names with you. 

THESE THINGS ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT MATTER RIGHT NOW. 

We at Venus understand trauma. We have survived it and we have staged it. For instance, when we were in process with Witches Vanish we had some hard nights. We were telling the story of women being trafficked and not always coming out alive. The stories of children. It was a horrific research project. During that process, we learned to say two words, four letters: “it is”.

We would come into the room acknowledging this, “it is”. In theatre, like in life, we have to simply accept the given circumstances and create from there. We are here to continue doing that for you.

This pandemic is. “It is”. And, when it has passed over we will be here for you. To process. To celebrate life. To heal. 

Right now, our only objective at Venus Theatre is to hold the space. We feel that it will be very beneficial when the time is right. We feel this is true because it is a small space. A place where we can take temperatures at the door and perform for ten or twenty people at a time. It’s the opposite of a coliseum experience. It is an artistic home to both artists and audiences. And we will keep the hearth warm for all. 

WE WILL HOLD THE SPACE FOR YOU. 

If you would like to help us, if you are in a position to do that, we would greatly appreciate it. It costs $1,500 a month to hold the space.

Contributions are best made electronically because the physical mailbox is only checked once a week. 

We’ve set up a PayPal direct address: 

DONATE - VENUS THEATRE

Venus remains a tax-deductible 501c3 nonprofit organization. Venus is the longest-running regional women’s theatre in the nation. This year marks 20 years of official Venus Production with 70 women-empowering projects produced. When we say we will be there for you on the other side of this, we mean it.

SENDING LOVE AND LIGHT TO YOU AND ALL YOU LOVE. 

Be well. Be safe. We are holding space for you (literally). We are holding you all in the light. 

Deborah Randall

Venus Theatre, Founder

Venus is the longest-running regional women's theatre in the nation, producing 70 woman-empowering productions! WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT.

KILL or BE KILLED

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Please join us in this TED-talk-like format as we highlight a different facet of the work at Venus each month. February we will welcome playwright Claudia Barnett. In our panel Entitled Kill or Be Killed, we’ll explore Claudia's expertise on Women Who Kill, a drama class that she teaches at Middle Tennessee State University, and talk about all of Claudia’s plays produced at Venus. We hope you will join us as we celebrate our rich herstory and share the journey at Venus!!

Two ticket options available, VIP and General Admission.

VIP

5:30 p.m. Salt Bath at Salt on Main

6:15 p.m. Drinks at Olive on Main

6:30 p.m. Dinner at Olive on Main

General Admission

7:30 p.m. Coffee Service at Venus Theatre hosted by Sip at C Street Flats

8:00 p.m. Venus Speaks takes the stage!

9:00 p.m. Talk Back session speakers