From Friday 10 December onwards, each Wonka stage will have a rainbow carpet instead of a red one. This carpet has the color palette of the progress flag, a variant of the more familiar rainbow flag. In addition to red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, the colors black and brown have been added to this flag to represent people of color. The colors pink, baby blue, and white represent the different genders. 'This flag emphasizes inclusiveness and progression, which is why we used that color palette in our rainbow runner,' explains Jochem Otten (director De Cacaofabriek & Het Speelhuis). 

Rainbow action  
In addition, the venues will invite children from the entire region to engage in a low-threshold way with the theme of accessibility and being open to others. From the Christmas vacations onwards, sets of Wonka crayons and colored pencils will be available at each stage. With these, children can chalk or draw their own rainbow runner at home during these winter months, and share the result with the stages via email or social.  

Everyone is welcome 
Based on the idea that 'everyone is welcome', the regional theaters are committed to being an accessible and safe meeting place for audiences, staff and theater professionals of all ages, genders and colors with or without disabilities. 'The richness of theater is that it allows us to look at the world from a different perspective every day. That provides food for thought. Often without judgment. But theaters are also there to give direction to the social debate and thereby contribute to progress and connection in society. 

From symbolism to taking steps 
The runner is a symbolic way of showing color, but the theaters also reinforce it in terms of content through various projects. To name a few: The cultural houses are working with International Theatre Company Eindhoven (ITCE) on their own regional, international production. Also, with the help of experience experts, they are working on an increasingly better theater experience for deaf and hard of hearing people. In De Cacaofabriek, the thematic period Under The Rainbow (exhibition, films, lectures and gay pop quiz) opens on December 10 and runs until January 14.