Mixed Blood Theater Brings Equitable Dinners Experience to Theater and Musical Theater Students

September 25, 2024

Actor Pedro Bayón performs the one-man show, “PARTS” by James Anthony Tyler, which explores mental health and loneliness.

On Wednesday, September 25th, Theater and Musical Theater students welcomed Alejandro Tey and Pedro Bayón from Mixed Blood Theatre Company. The group engaged in “Equitable Dinners” which brings together strangers and friends from diverse backgrounds to talk about complex issues, over a meal, fueled by theater. The concept first came from Out of Hand Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. Equitable Dinners consist of:

• A Play: Experience a thought-provoking short play
• A Meal: Share a meal with fellow participants
• A Conversation: Engage in guided, facilitated dialogue

Actor Pedro Bayón performed a one-man show, “PARTS” by James Anthony Tyler, which explores mental health and loneliness. Following the performance, Perpich students chose to forego school lunch and hold a potluck gathering to get the full extent of the theatrical experience. While they broke bread together, Alejandro Tey, Associate Artistic Director at Mixed Blood, facilitated a discussion about mental health with the students.

Alejandro Tey and Pedro Bayón (back row, center) from Mixed Blood Theatre Company pose with several Perpich Theater and Musical Theater students on September 25, 2024.

“I loved the emotional intimacy of the play and playing space of the classroom as it really connected with the kids and brought them into the experience,” said Tory Peterson, Theater Instructor. “The bigger part of the afternoon was the potluck lunch and discussion about loneliness, depression, and mental health often caused by distances (both mental and physical) created between people and the use of social media. The question Alejandro posed was: ‘How is each student going to connect themselves to or within their community and what specific action can they take to better connect?'”

Alejandro Tey was impressed with the Perpich students. “With this program, Mixed Blood set out to host a conversation about Mental Health—specifically the effects of Isolation and Loneliness. The students we met with were so thoughtful and curious and had vital perspectives to share on the issue,” said Tey. “Throughout the series, we’ve mostly been meeting with adults. What Isolation means to an older adult, who may be suffering from some amount of physical distance from any potential peer or support group, is very different from what it means to these students where Isolation is often inflicted by peers. So we ended up having a very fruitful conversation about the effects of bullying and social ostracization. My only wish is that we could bring Perpich students to all our other Equitable Dinner events, because these student’s voices are so necessary at the table.”

The Theater and Musical Theater students shared several ideas for engagement they hope to lead this school year:

• Ailee Bartz (Musical Theater 2026) – “Create community discussions about social issues and define the bias and then try to move past them.”
• Ian Garrido-Lavender (Musical Theater 2025) – “In dorms, there is a need to create a space for EVERYBODY and RAs need to make sure dorm students are involved and participating in all activities and discussions.”
• Warren Coler Mulholland (Theater 2026) – “Doing what Tory is asking us to do for this project, get there and meet and talk and create discourse for better deeper understanding.”
• Ruth Civettini (Musical Theater 2026) – “Being more educated on diversity by talking and connecting with people about their opinions and thoughts.”
• Hannah Paschke (Musical Theater 2026) – “Be more open to new experiences but more specifically trying to create a more diverse friend group beyond my comfort zone.”

Mixed Blood uses theater to disrupt injustice. They are a social justice organization catalyzing action and change through art. Their work is guided by deep community engagement and rooted in radical hospitality. Mixed Blood has invited the global village into its audience and onto its stage to experience its unique brand of challenging, inclusive, and predictably unpredictable theatre since 1976. The company was founded by Jack Reuler, who served as artistic director from inception to June 2022. A winner of numerous awards for its human rights and artistic accomplishments, Mixed Blood celebrates differences and champions access. Mixed Blood achieves its mission through strategic programming at its own Alan Page Auditorium, within its Cedar Riverside neighborhood, and in off-site locations throughout the Twin Cities Metro area and the State of Minnesota. Throughout its 48 years, Mixed Blood has been sustained by its adaptability and relationships. Programming has grown to include disability communities, immigrant and refugee populations, Minnesota Latinx, transgender, and biracial Twin Citians, and the East African Muslims who reside in proximity to Mixed Blood’s converted firehouse home.

Alejandro Tey

Alejandro Tey is a Cuban-American, South Texas-raised theatre maker and teaching artist whose artistic practice focuses on collaborative creation, immersion, and participation: working with an ensemble to invite and guide audience into the role of protagonist. Tey is Associate Artistic Director at Mixed Blood Theatre, where he will be directing UPSTREAM, an original participatory play about climate change for young people and their families, and an ensemble member of Sojourn Theatre, through which he has performed, led workshops, and facilitated conversations across the country. Alejandro is also directing the upcoming Fallenstar: The Watchoverers for New Native Theatre, a superhero story about native kids fighting forces of greed and exploitation, and is the creator of The Isle of Sugar, a hybrid roleplaying game/theatrical event based on his grandparent’s experience of the Cuban Revolution.