Broadway producer Mara Isaacs has launched a five-part documentary anthology on theatre arts communities across America, I Feel Myself to Be a Part of Something. Each documentary will place a lens on a distinct American community and the impact of the arts on their economies, identities, and sense of belonging.
Each of the five films will initially premiere with a 鈥淐ommunity First Screening,鈥� where the community featured in the documentary will be able to view the documentary first for free, in partnership with local film festivals, local arts organizations, and community centers. Those who host the screenings will also be given a screening guide and handbook to help spur local engagement, dialogue, and support.
"For years, we鈥檝e relied on statistics to prove the value of the arts鈥攂ut numbers alone can鈥檛 capture what it means to truly feel their impact,鈥� said
Isaacs in a statement. 鈥淚 believed that storytelling鈥攔eal stories, from real communities鈥攃ould make that case in a way data never could. That鈥檚 how this project was born."
The Feeling of Home, directed by Sara Terry, focuses on White Sulphur Springs, Montana, where the Red Ants Pants Music Festival revitalizes the town鈥檚 economy while offering a rare place for red and blue communities to come together. It will premiere at the Strand Theatre in White Sulphur Springs July 24.
Lou Pepe has directed We Lift Each Other, following the Black Box Dance Theatre in North Carolina and their work with veterans, exploring how movement and expression can support healing, connection, and belonging. It will premiere on Veteran's Day (November 11) in collaboration with RiverRun Film Festival.
Growing Leaders, directed by Kahlil Hudson, will premiere in 2026, with a date to be determined. It explores an after-school arts program in Espa帽ola, New Mexico that empowers youth as a source of strength in a community facing multi-generational challenges.
Melanie D鈥橝ndrea has directed A Vision of the Future, following Oakland muralist Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith, whose public artworks amplify values of racial equity, justice, and liberation in her community. It will premiere in 2026, with a date to be determined.
Directed by Margaret Byrne, The Wisdom of Community will premiere in 2026, with a date to be determined. It profiles the In[HEIR]itance Theater Project and their work co-creating plays with South Side Chicago residents to address neighborhood issues and foster civic dialogue.
The project is produced by Isaacs, Terry, and Pepe, with co-producer Dana Goldberg and executive producers Thomas M. Neff and Christine Schwarzman.
