TyLie Shider is an American writer and the inaugural playwright in residence at ArtYard. A 2022-23 McKnight Fellow in Playwriting at the Playwrights' Center (PWC), he is a recipient of Premiere Stages' Liberty Live commission, two consecutive Jerome Fellowships (PWC), and an I Am Soul playwright in residence at the National Black Theatre (NBT). Upcoming projects include, the fall 2022 NJ premiere of Certain Aspects of Conflict in the Negro Family at Premiere Stages, The Gospel Woman (NBT), Whittier (PWC), and his filmmaking debut Sign O' the Times. Screenwriting credits include: Truant. He holds a BA in Journalism from Delaware State University and an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU. A proud member of the Dramatist Guild, he is currently a Professor of Playwriting at Augsburg University, and a staff writer for Minnesota Playlist.
Free
Playwrights’ Center, 710 Raymond Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55114
May 29 at 7:00 p.m.
Playwrights’ Center is pleased to partner with Dark Muse Healing Arts to present a reading of Affiliated Writer TyLie Shider’s Whittier: A play in portraits.
Community talkback to follow.
About the play
Whittier is a multimedia docudrama chronicling 24 hours in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis during the summer of 2020. The narrative unfolds as a series of portraits and vignettes, featuring a chorus of neighbors who communicate through a “Neighborhood Watch” group chat.
This year’s reading will commemorate the 6th memorial anniversary and celebrate the strength of our communities.
Whittier was previously presented at the Center as part of our 2022-23 Ruth Easton New Play Series.
About Dark Muse Healing Arts
Dark Muse Healing Arts, with generous support from Venturous Theater Fund, will bring to life a full-scale production of Whittier: A play in portraits as an experimental, site-specific work in South Minneapolis in late 2026. The interdisciplinary nature of this work organically blends theater, film, and community organizing.
Dark Muse curates radical care experiences centering Black, Brown, Queer & Trans healing through creative expression. Follow the project on their website or Instagram @darkmusearts.
Making your reservation
This is a free in-person event at Playwrights’ Center on Friday, May 29 at 7:00 p.m. Please use the sign up button below to reserve your spot in advance.
If you have any questions about making your reservation, please email us at rsvp@pwcenter.org.
When to arrive & parking
All seating is general admission. We recommend arriving 10-15 minutes prior to the reading to check in and find your seat. Please note, free parking is limited around the Center.
Visit our About page to learn more about parking and accessibility.
Large groups
If you are making a reservation for more than eight people, please email rsvp@pwcenter.org to arrange. If you make a reservation for more than eight, a member of our Advancement team may be in touch closer to the reading date to confirm final numbers for your group.
TyLie Shider
