How did this idea come to be?

Umbra Search African American History is a response to a project dedicated to understanding the role of theater archives in documenting history. However, the scope of Umbra Search immediately goes far beyond theater and the performing arts. It seeks to bring together the historical artifacts and documents that represent the full depth and breadth of the African American experience—its people, places, ideas, events, movements, and inspirations. It is our hope that this rich history will find new life and form in theater, literature, works of art, journalism, scholarship, teaching curricula, and much more.

Umbra Search is inspired by work begun in 2012 with Preserving the Ephemeral: An Archival Program for Theater and the Performing Arts, and was originally conceived as The African American Theater History Project. With funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Preserving the Ephemeral was a collaboration between the University of Minnesota and Penumbra Theatre Company to assess the needs of the theater community, and theaters of color in particular, around questions of archives and historical legacy. Over 300 theater representatives responded to a national survey in partnership with American Theatre Archive Project, and artistic directors and founders from over 60 theaters around the country participated in forums convened to discuss the challenges and heightened importance of archives for culturally specific companies.

Participating Theaters

• 20% Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN
• 2amt, Hanover, IN
• 7 Stages, Atlanta, GA
• 7 Towers Theatre, Austin, TX
• Active Cultures Theatre, University Park, MD
• African Continuum Theatre Co.*, Washington, DC
• Apollo Theater*, New York, NY
• Arena Stage, Washington, DC
• Bond Street Theatre, New York, NY
• Children's Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN
• Crossroads Theatre Company*, New Brunswick, NJ
• Cultural Odyssey*, San Francisco, CA
• Eckerd Theater Company, Clearwater, FL
• Frank Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
• Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Roswell, GA
• In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
• Karamu House*, Cleveland, OH
• Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company*, Atlanta, GA
• Mask and Rose Women's Theater Collective, Puposky, MN
• Minnesota Theater Alliance, Minneapolis, MN
• Miracle Theatre Group, Portland, OR
• Mixed Blood Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
• Mu Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN
• Nautilus Music-Theater, St. Paul, MN
• Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre, Oklahoma City, OK
• On the Boards, Seattle, WA
• Open Eye Figure Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
• Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, St. Paul, MN
• Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ
• Penumbra Theatre Company*, St. Paul, MN
• PICT Theatre, Pittsburgh, PA
• Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre*, Pittsburgh, PA
• Plowshares Theatre Company*, Detroit, MI
• Rites & Reason Theatre*, Providence, RI
• Robey Theatre Company*, Los Angeles, CA
• Roundabout Theatre Company, New York, NY
• Sandbox Theatre, Minneapolis, MN
• Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago, IL
• The Black Rep*, St. Louis, MO
• The Classical Theatre of Harlem*, New York, NY
• The Ensemble Theatre*, Houston, TX
• The TEAM, New York, NY
• The Theater Offensive, Boston, MA
• The Wooster Group, New York, NY
• Theater Grottesco, Santa Fe, NM
• Theatre for a New Audience, New York, NY
• Theater Latte Da, Minneapolis, MN
• Towne Street Theatre*, Los Angeles, CA
• Undermain Theatre, Dallas, TX
• University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts and Dance, Minneapolis, MN
• Walking Shadow Theatre Company, Minneapolis, MN
• Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Washington, DC
• Writers' Theatre, Glencoe, IL

*African American Theaters