Support for the Seed Theatre (LGBTQ Space in TN)

Hi! We're Elizabeth & Brenton!

We love theatre and have been active in the theatre community here in the Dalton/Chattanooga area for 15+ years. While we adore some of the historical venue spaces that exist, we have struggled to find a home that welcomes all theatre and people, backgrounds, lifestyles, etc. We want to give all people a voice.

As young people, we found our identities in theatre. We found confidence and creativity outlets and grew into the people we are today, largely because of the programs we were involved in. It is our desire to pass this love of theatre on to local people, kids, and the community on the whole.

We invested our own money to open this LGBTQ safe space in Chattanooga TN and had finally figured out the balance of keeping the lights on and serving our community. And now, with hateful legislation changing laws in TN to prevent not only gender affirming care but also attacks trans people and their ability to function in public safely - we know the work is far from done.

We spend all of our time and money raised protecting and fighting for queer people and queer rights in Chattanooga. But we need your help. We can only affect so much and reach so far with the slate of hate TN has against us and push back from religious extremists and literal Nazis protesting at our doorstep.

Help the Seed do what we set out to do - provide a safe space for LGBTQIA people in Tennessee and especially protect queer and trans youth living here! Give what you can and spread the word. We will win this fight against LGBTQ people!!

"They buried us, but they didn't know we were seeds. '"

This quote is one Brenton heard from a up and coming artist named Dax - but the quote actually comes from poet Dinos Christianopoulos, who was sidelined by the Greek literary community in the 1970s because he was gay.

The Seed Theatre has been born from our desire to rise from the ashes of many difficulties - and we know many people in Chattanooga feel the same about the last few years. We will offer a safe space, a place to share your art, a place for teenagers to get off the street and out of the mall and learn to build and be creative and positive contributors to society.