12/23/2021
Dear Brown Box Friends, Audiences, Patrons, and Artists,
Throughout my childhood, I had the privilege of going to DC or New York City to see theatre with my family. Many people who lived in my hometown region of Delmarva, did not have that opportunity. At the age of 22, I co-founded a company that would eliminate that geographic barrier for others from my hometown. That company grew to serve not just the entire Delmarva Peninsula, but areas of Massachusetts and Indiana. Brown Box Theatre Project has been my life’s work for the last 12 years. From inception to completing our largest tour ever in 2021 with Much Ado About Nothing, I have always believed in the power of the arts to transform, unify, and engage communities. Each choice we made as an organization has been to increase arts accessibility and to take theatre directly to audiences that crave theatre within the fabric of their lives. I am so proud of all the work we have achieved over our 10 seasons and could not be more grateful for the experiences and friends this company has given me.
Brown Box has thrived every year of its tenure and even expanded after a global pandemic. That same pandemic, however, transformed me. I have always said that individuals grow faster than companies, especially at Brown Box; actors, designers, producers, administrators, have personally and professionally grown and discovered new paths based on their time with our organization. That same philosophy, inevitably, can apply to founders.
I believe in the power of the work we do; I am honored to have been trusted by you and our entire Brown Box community; I also know that it is time for my next chapter. I acknowledge the paradox in that this exciting time of growth for me leaves a void for the company that cannot be overcome. For those who have worked with us, you know that the company and I are inexorably linked; a codependency we tried to break for the long-term sustainability of the organization. That link, however, remains exceptionally firm, and I must break it. My resignation from Brown Box thus marks the closure of Brown Box.
I am eternally grateful for everyone who has supported and believed in me and this company. I did not do this alone; each and every artist and administrator was pivotal to the success and growth of this company, and I cannot thank them enough for their passion, energy, artistry, and heart.
We conclude our tenure as a reliable provider of quality arts entertainment. We were an annual staple for thousands of people across our service area. We were at the forefront of arts accessibility. We inspired Shakespeare festivals and young artists. We helped to create a generation of theatre lovers. We shared unheard voices; we provided hundreds of artists their first professional gig. Brown Box Theatre Project stayed true to the mission, and, while that work is not over, I know that for me, the lessons I learned and the experiences I hold dear from my time with Brown Box will allow me to step into my future with pride, confidence, and a continued commitment to arts accessibility, even though it will take a new form.
Thank you once again for your support,
Kyler
