Participating Institutions and Organizations – Catch a Performance Near You!
(Click the venues for more info)
- Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, TX) – February 12th
- University of South Carolina Aiken (Aiken, SC) – February 20th
- Urban Arts Center (Dallas, TX) – February 24th
- KD Conservatory College of Film and Dramatic Arts (Dallas, TX) – Date TBA
Mission & Goals
- Honoring the life and memory of Botham Jean and examining the issues that contributed to his death at the hands of ex-police officer Amber Guyger
- Using performing arts as a catalyst for positive social change by fostering conversations nationwide that:
- Heal racial divides through empathy
- Examine issues within the American criminal justice system
- Promote healthy relationships between all but especially African-American civilians and police officers
How does an organization or institution participate?
Host a staged reading and community discussion of For Bo: A Play Inspired by the Murder of Botham Jean by Police Officer Amber Guyger
- Click here for script acquisition inquiries
- Never hosted a staged reading of a play before? No worries! A staged reading is not a full-blown stage production with costumes, sets, and memorized lines. Therefore, it is manageable and can be as casual or as dazzling as you like.
- For community discussions, organizations and institutions are encouraged to:
- Feature a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary panel of professionals and community leaders who can provide insight and informed perspectives on these social issues
- Take active measures to ensure their community discussions: allow community members to share emotions and thoughts in a constructive way; encourage all points of view to be heard; move conversations in the direction of viable solutions for positive social change
- NOTE: The objective of this initiative is to facilitate peaceful, safe discourse between community members and community leaders.
Initiative Origins
The #ForBo Initiative was conceived by Ayvaunn Penn, Black And Making It founder and the award-winning playwright and director behind For Bo. She was moved to write this play while following the nationally televised trial in which Dallas, Texas, ex-Police Officer Amber Guyger was convicted of the murder of Botham Jean. As an African-American woman disturbed by the number of unarmed African-Americans suffering police brutality and/or dying at the hands of police, she purposed to use For Bo — a fictional play inspired by the murder of Botham Jean — to spark community conversations nationwide that will achieve the goals detailed above.
For Bo in the Press
- NBC News: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/killed-at-home/play-about-botham-jean-amber-guyger-trial-written-by-tcu-professor/2308968/
- Fox 4: https://www.fox4news.com/news/deadly-shooting-of-botham-jean-subject-of-new-tcu-play
- WBAP News Talk: https://www.wbap.com/2020/02/14/theatre-tcu-professors-for-bo-debuts-during-black-history-month/
- KERA Art & Seek: https://artandseek.org/calendar/event/102733/for-bo-a-play-inspired-by-the-murder-of-botham-jean-by-officer-amber-guyger
- Fort Worth Business Press: http://www.fortworthbusiness.com/news/arts_and_culture/theatre-tcu-to-host-reading-of-new-play-on-the/article_4b8583f6-4475-11ea-b85a-c74f7e03aa47.html
- CultureMap Fort Worth:
- “Theatre TCU presentsFor Bo: A Play Inspired by the Murder of Botham Jean by Officer Amber Guyger” http://fortworth.culturemap.com/eventdetail/theatre-tcu-presents-bo-play-inspired-murder-botha/
- “TCU Professor Pens Play About Botham Jean and Amber Guyger Case”
http://fortworth.culturemap.com/news/arts/02-04-20-tcu-professor-botham-jean-amber-guyger-play-staged-reading/
- TCU News: https://www.tcu.edu/news/2020/professors-original-work-for-bo-sparks-conversation-and-honors-black-history-month.php
- TCU This Week: https://thisweek.tcu.edu/honoring-trailblazers-black-history-month-at-tcu/
- Aiken Standard:
- “For Bo: Upcoming Play Focuses on Social Trauma, Healing, and Promotion of Unity” https://www.aikenstandard.com/entertainment/for-bo-upcoming-play-focuses-on-social-trauma-healing-and/article_8e536e96-477c-11ea-af6c-5bca16268824.html?fbclid=IwAR2J0PqQkchc4F4xzrTX9ZczI4uGjqT6yxb2fgDYGX0a32BM1HUfTJElYH8
- “Black History Month Brings Performances, Community Events to Aiken” https://www.aikenstandard.com/news/black-history-month-brings-performances-community-events-to-aiken/article_c9c76f44-3ed1-11ea-b489-076f909e9451.html
- Broadway World: https://www.broadwayworld.com/dallas/regional/For-BoA-Play-Inspired-by-the-Murder-of-Botham-Jean-by-Officer-Amber-Guyger-1836973
#ForBo Initiative
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Photo of Botham Jean courtesy of WFAA-TV