Janet Allen
Some of the greatest warriors amongst us tell the stories of those that have come before them. Our "Warrior Woman Friday Feature" series concludes with a woman that embodies both warrior and storyteller. Janet Allen is the Margot Lacy Eccles Artistic Director and serves the community by elevating intentional storytelling at The Indiana Repertory Theatre.
Janet believes in the power theatre brings to the world and what it can do to move human emotion. She feels that theatre is "The greatest storytelling form to elicit deep empathy." The Theatre is a safe space for creatives to tell the stories they were born to tell.
Her devotion to bringing brilliant stories to the stage fuels the flame for those around her to make a difference in the Indianapolis arts. We asked Janet what she thinks of when she hears "Warrior Woman" and she shared that "Generally I don't think of myself as a warrior, but maybe that's because I'm of a generation that kept its head down and competed for jobs with men. I think of myself as a mentor, a mediator, a curator, a cheerleader for artists, a connector of people and stories. A lover of spoken language."
Janet's passion for change is evident in her work; she lights the fire of those whose stories are not always seen as "main stage" material. She shares that the Theater's most significant obstacles are "Making pathways for BIPOC playwrights to thrive. For too long, amazing playwrights of color didn't have access to mainstream theater production. That has hugely changed in the last ten years, particularly for women of color. The wealth of talent is overwhelming and wonderful and so deserving of a place at the table."
Each day, Janet gets up and goes to war for "All of Indiana's people, regardless of age, race, gender or economics. People who need stories in their lives even if they don't know it. From the kid in Steuben county who's never seen a play, to the matron in Indianapolis who goes to see shows on Broadway twice a year, I hope our work reaches all kinds of people from all different backgrounds. I'm also warring for artists--to give them a voice, provide work, and unleash their best work. This country so devalues art and art-making that we need warriors to say ‘art is important.’ I'm that warrior."
Janet lets us know, "Theater isn't about egos, it's about making change. I think women innately get that." If you would like to keep up with Janet and learn about all the fantastic things she does, you can follow her at the Indiana Repertory Theatre Website (https://www.irtlive.com).