Ancestral Lands
We want to acknowledge that we gather on the ancestral lands, past and present, of the Chumash, the Fernandeño Tataviam, and Gabrielino Tongva (also called the Kizh Nation, kizh being the word for home in the Gabrielino/Tongva language). We honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations. For those of us, who are not Indigenous to this land, we must acknowledge the lasting impact of the California genocide on its native peoples. This calls us to commit to continuing to learn how to be better stewards of the land we are honored to inhabit as well.
DEIA Action Plan
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum has made a commitment to the Los Angeles Anti-Racist Theatre Standards which were created by a diverse collective of LA theatre artists inspired and influenced by the work of We See You White American Theatre.
In an effort to prioritize transparency, this page will be regularly updated following each season with our DEIA goals for each department. Our leadership demographics and budget can be found on Guidestar.
Staff Management and Hiring:
- Increase BIPOC in Leadership Roles Over 2 Years
- Recruit new staff position(s) that will report to Managing Director
- Increase BIPOC in Leadership Roles Over 2 Years
- Open with Land Ackwnoledgement at Company and All-Staff Meetings
- Management will consider feedback offered from company and staff in annual DEIA/Demographics survey as part of planning for each season’s DEIA goals
Production and Casting:
- Inclusive Mainstage Programming
- Show selections for non-Shakespeare plays will center diverse stories
- Adaptations will be undertaken with consideration for diverse casts and audiences
- Inclusive Mainstage Programming
- Increase Diverse Representation at Auditions
- Audition Coordinator and Marketing Manager will work together to promote auditions to diverse communities (social media groups, etc.)
- Increase Diverse Representation at Auditions
- Casting Director will send audition invitations to LAARTS Database
Company Management:
- Seasonal position(s) for cultural competency and intimacy coordinators will be added to the budget
- Mid-season each year, there will be a company check-in about the procedure for conflict resolution/grievances
Education:
- Hire More BIPOC Teaching Artists for Education Programs
- School Programs Manager will recruit diverse candidates from performance internship program
- Add “Are you interested in teaching and performance opportunities with Theatricum’s education department?” to audition sign up form
- Adult Education will add workshops between the already set classes for 2022 to expand our roster of instructors
- Diverse teachers with equivalent experience will be recruited through advertising on job sites, trusted referrals
- Hire More BIPOC Teaching Artists for Education Programs
- Gender Inclusion
- All Education programs will add sections for pronouns and access needs to class forms and existing workplace harassment reporting language to teacher contracts
- Gender Inclusion
Marketing/PR:
- Community Relationship Building
- At the beginning of the season, Marketing Manager will work with Casting Director to share audition info on community-specific Facebook Groups and return to those Facebook groups to promote all rep season shows and discounts.
- Community Relationship Building
- Language Access
- Marketing will translate messaging about the rep season into Spanish, and link to it on our social media sites.
- Language Access
Grants:
- Grants will include accessibility (in all forms) to all applications as a core concept and continue to use self-reported (name optional) company surveys to keep reliable demographics data updated
- Grants will seek sustainable funding to lower/eliminate the cost of the internship program
Board:
- Board members will attend shows at LA’s diverse theatres and bring their promotional materials to display on a table at Theatricum
- Anti-Racism training for board members will be added to the budget
- Discounted tickets will be made available to companies in the LA Theatre community to encourage relationships that may lead to more diverse board recruitment
Statements and Policies
Anti-Racism Policy (In Development)
Cultural Equity and Inclusion Statement, Policy, and Plan
Feedback
As we strive to be more accountable to our community, Theatricum welcomes feedback on these policies from anyone who identifies as part of a group historically marginalized by predominantly white theatre institutions. Contact us at DEIA@theatricum.com