In Lancaster, a small city surrounded by farmland in central Ohio, finding safe, affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ people can be a challenge. But theater group Rise Up Arts Alliance has become a haven.
“Especially here in Fairfield County, it can be difficult to find queer space,” says Judith Kerr-Cosgray, Rise Up’s founder and executive director. “We’ve been told this summer from several individuals that we are the first organization where they’ve been able to be themselves. We absolutely make it a safe space for everyone.”
Founded in 2019, Rise Up grew out of Kerr-Cosgray’s frustration when her daughter was turned away from a local theater production for lacking stage experience.
“How can you get any stage experience when you’re 9?” she remembers thinking. “I’m going to do something where everyone gets a chance and we don’t discriminate or leave anyone out. Everyone is welcome.”
What is Rise Up Arts Alliance?
Rise Up has positioned itself as a community-first theater from the beginning, emphasizing learning as much as performance. The organization stages about 10 productions a year, including age-specific shows (K–4, 5–8, 5–12) and “mixed cast” productions combining teens and adults.
Casting is gender-blind, based on fit rather than identity, and show choices are determined collaboratively through actor polls. Recently, Rise Up has put on the high school version of Sweeney Todd and the Hunchback of Notre Dame, priding themselves in choosing shows that tackle hard topics and that local schools often won’t do.
Rise Up’s programming has steadily expanded from Zoom rehearsals during the pandemic to now putting on performances on the stage of an old school building. Currently, they are in the midst of their first capital campaign to build a permanent space. In addition to theater, Rise Up hosts a photography club and a writer’s circle, offering multiple entry points for artistic expression.
That spirit of inclusion extends to its work with The Penguin Project Foundation, a theater program for children with disabilities. In 2023, Rise Up became the first Ohio organization to partner with the Penguin Project by creating programming to specifically support children with disabilities.
This fall, Rise Up will launch Penguin Players, giving adults with disabilities similar opportunities. “We know that a lot of individuals, especially those that are autistic, fall on the LGBTQ+ spectrum as well,” Kerr-Cosgray said. “So, this is another way we are able to support them.”
Commitment to safety and community
Rise Up’s commitment to safety, belonging and self-expression runs through all its programming.
“The mental health benefits of theater are huge. It gives you a network of individuals and allows you to express yourself and, if you need to, you can step into someone else’s character to say what you need to say,” Kerr-Cosgray explains. “Especially right now, that is so important. We’re getting bombarded from every angle with negative everything. Everyone just needs a place to be able to let that go and use the arts as a way to work through their emotions.”
That philosophy is deeply intergenerational. Rise Up pairs youth and adults in mentorship roles, ensuring young people have trusted guides to boost self-esteem.
“We believe a lot in mentorship,” Kerr-Cosgray says. “If someone is having difficulties or we know they just need extra support in anything that they’re doing, we pair them up with someone. Having that mentor, especially for some of our students that are questioning, makes a huge difference in how they perform.”
The results are transformative.
Kerr-Cosgray recalls students who arrive timid, afraid to show their true selves, but find courage in rehearsal.
“We’ve had students who, when rehearsal starts, they change their clothes and we refer to them [by] their preferred name, and before it’s over, they change back and then go home,” says Kerr-Cosgray. “We just really support them in whatever way we can.”
‘A space that is safe for everyone’
In Lancaster, that support can carry risks. Rise Up has faced backlash for its visibility.
“Last year, a [local] organization targeted anyone that was listed by the [local] Rainbow Alliance as a ‘safe space.’ They put us on a boycott list,” Kerr-Cosgray recalls. “It was a good six months of being harassed, messages, being followed, people taking pictures of our cars…it was kind of ugly.”
Through it all, Rise Up continues its work. “It’s just really a difficult situation when someone decides to boycott your organization when all you’re trying to do is promote acceptance of all,” she says.
For Kerr-Cosgray, Rise Up’s mission is about showing what’s possible when communities affirm each other’s voices: whether queer, disabled, young, or old. Even in rural areas with scarce resources, safe stages can be built.
“If we’re going to continue, we need to have a space that is safe for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community,” Kerr-Cosgray emphasizes. “We [must] work on ways of funding. That’s what people need to know. They need to support organizations that are doing the hard work because it doesn’t come free.” 🔥
ignite action
- To learn more about Rise Up Arts Alliance, click here.
- If you are a young LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please contact the Trevor Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
- If you are an transgender adult in crisis, please contact the National Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
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