Cruz says the event will focus on racial inequity, social justice barriers and the national climate. They found a local partner in the Crow Collection of Asian Art and will use eco-friendly and sustainable fashion from three local designers.
Junior Players is the longest running youth arts education program in Dallas, and reaching historically marginalized communities in North Texas is an important part — if not the most important part — of their mission.
A show like Discover Runway Dreams was a natural addition to their program.
“With this show, the idea was representation from a casting perspective,” Cruz says. “We want to make sure that we’re allowing everyone who wants to participate the chance to audition. We had to really make sure to include every ZIP code in North Texas, for all ages and all different gender identifications, ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds. We took all that into consideration to create a diverse ensemble for our production.”