Courtesy Jarvis Green
Jarvis Antonio Green (founder of JAG Productions in White River Jct.) has announced that the companies last show will be June 15.
Staff Report
Jarvis Antonio Green, founder of JAG Productions, a White River Junction and New York City based Black theater company, announced that it will close June 15 in a letter to friends of JAG sent Monday, April 22.
“After 8 transformative years, it’s with both pride and poignancy that I announce the closing of JAG Productions this June. This decision marks the end of a significant chapter in my life and celebrates the incredible journey we’ve embarked upon together in White River Junction, Vermont, and beyond,” Green wrote.
“As the founder of JAG Productions, my journey to becoming an Artistic Director was as unexpected as it was transformative… Having spent the majority of my life as an actor, I never envisioned leading a theatre company. My move to Vermont in 2011, in search of a place to heal and slow down, marked the beginning of a love affair with the state and a series of ventures that would shape my path in ways I had never imagined,” Green wrote.
Before JAG Productions, in 2012, he founded BarnArts in Barnard, then developed a theatre program for the Artistree Community Arts Center in Pomfret. In 2016, JAG Productions was born “thanks to a $250K gift from Kathleen Dolan,” Green wrote. “This journey has been a fairy tale; it’s been fun, an incredible learning experience, and, undoubtedly, hard.”
Over the years, JAG Productions has been recognized widely for its contribution to the arts, receiving accolades such as the New England Theatre Conference Regional Award for Outstanding Achievement in the American Theatre, Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the Deloitte Global Impact Award, the Native Son Award for Global Impact, and numerous grants from esteemed foundations including the National Endowment for the Arts, Jane Trust Foundation, the Couch Family Foundation, and the New England Foundation for the Arts.
“These awards are a testament to our commitment and the impact of our work on the regional and national stage,” Green said.
Despite JAG’s successes, however, the broader crisis facing the arts has not spared it. “Last year alone, hundreds of not-for-profit theatres across the country were forced to close their doors, victims of a model that increasingly proves unsustainable amid shifting societal support and financial pressures,” Green explained in the letter. “JAG Productions, too, has felt the weight of these challenges, leading us to this juncture.
“The closure of JAG is as much a celebration of our achievements as it is a reflection on the state of the arts. It’s a deliberate choice, made with gratitude for the community that has supported us—artists, audiences, and allies.”
JAG’s final curtain call will be on June 15, after the closing performance of “Sondheimia.” For that performance, Green has invited back past artists, board members, staff, and friends for the “final showcase of reflection and celebration.”
“This moment, while bittersweet, is filled with hope and anticipation for the future,” Green wrote. “The end of JAG Productions is not just about looking back on what we’ve achieved but also about looking forward to the impact we can continue to make.”
“JAG—my initials, my identity—has been more than just a theatre company; it’s been a testament to the power of Black Queer storytelling to foster love, inspiration, and joy,” Green said. “Beyond that, JAG has embodied a vision for the future—a sanctuary for Black creatives, where truth and transparency reign. Here, everyone is invited to come as they are, embraced for the fullness of their identity, and nourished in both spirit and body… In the most unlikely of settings, JAG Productions has thrived, profoundly altering the cultural terrain of Vermont and New Hampshire. We’ve celebrated Blackness and queerness, fostering an atmosphere of belonging, joy, creativity, collaboration, and intellectual rigor. JAG has acted as a village, a council, a committee of minds … Our community has adapted and changed with openness, embracing each moment with the warmth of a family reunion, the depth of fine wine and intimate conversations, all set to the backdrop of an ambiance filled with love and ancestral wisdoms.”
Green is confident that the legacy and learnings of JAG will continue to guide the community into the future.
“As I, and we, step into the next act, the lessons learned, the connections made, and the stories shared through JAG will guide and inspire our path forward.”
What’s next for Green? He plans to pursue an MFA in directing, “a step that is both exciting and daunting,” he said.
