Founding Strides

THE STRIDES COLLECTIVE is a theatre company originally established in Philadelphia and operated with help from individuals across the Mid-Atlantic area. Founded by Artistic Director Jonathan Edmondson in early 2020, The Strides Collective produces works of theatre by queer artists, about queer stories, and for all audiences with the goal of normalizing the conversation about queer identity, creating a safe haven for emerging artists to tell their stories and giving them the ability to express themselves freely without fear of judgment. We produce original works both in person and online that innovate on the ideas of what it means to create theatre and to diversify the stories often not heard about queer experiences.

Our Reach

What began as just a need for a name on advertising materials during Philly Theatre Week 2020 turned into an opportunity to be an incredible asset for the queer community. Edmondson produced his own work, Whirlpool, as the first show under the Strides Collective name, weeks before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than riding out the shutdown in silence, Edmondson believed in the ability to create and collaborate on something special while doors to theatres were still closed.

Our inaugural season took place online, and it gave us an opportunity to expand our community beyond Philadelphia thanks to the digital collaborative space. Our collective consists of members living all over Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and our first digital production, Ignite, reached over 200 viewers in 8 countries. Our second, The Diamond Peak Studio Sessions, featured artists and collaborators from 4 states and was heard by audience members in over 20 states and 2 countries.

Strides forward

The Strides Collective continues to push forward, operating digitally still with hopes of soon being able to gather, collaborate, and create in person when it is safe to do so.