Byron and Courtney are both Black, gay, and HIV+, but over 30 years apart in age. After meeting each other in a popular cruising spot, the two develop a friendship that heals old wounds and opens possibilities for a brighter future. 

DOUBLE HELIX by Michael Allen Harris is the third endeavor of The Baton Project. Michael was selected for participation by Carl Holder (Baton artist #2).

The Baton Project is a play reading series where artists “pass on” the opportunity to another artist, helping to recognize the talent of their peers and to bring industry recognition to artists who might not have received it yet.

The goal is for artistic creators to work collegially by helping promote each other's work. We know that every creator has a colleague about whom they think, “wow, how does the world not know about them?” This would be an opportunity to celebrate the work of those colleagues.

Organizationally, we recognize that patterns can happen when it comes to selection for opportunities. Often, personal relationships and established norms can dictate who has the chance to show their work. The complaint of “How can I get in?” or “Who do I have to know to…” is real.

By taking the decision making out of the hands of our usual programming process, our goal is to support new voices that we may miss. We hope that, by handing the selection process over to the participants, we might see a more diverse coalition of artists and experiences.

Our expectation is that new artistic partnerships and long term artistic homes can be born from this program.