SpeakEasy's Equity & Anti-Racism Action Plan

Version 1.0

Last Revised: February 1, 2021

SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY

EQUITY & ANTI-RACISM ACTION PLAN

SpeakEasy’s Mission

SpeakEasy produces intimate, entertaining plays and musicals that are new to Boston and compel thoughtful conversation. We champion new talent and future arts leaders, alongside a diverse community of experienced local theatre professionals who share our devotion to excellence. We treat our artists, audiences and supporters as collaborators, working with us to make Boston a city that is sustainable for artists.

SpeakEasy Stage Company Staff

Producing Artistic Director: Paul Daigneault General Manager/Production Manager: Paul Melone Director of Marketing & Communications: Jim Torres Director of Development: Cathi Ianno Community Programs & Events Manager: Alex Lonati Creative Services & Social Media Manager: Evan Turissini Associate Manager of Production & Operations: Dominique D. Burford Development Coordinator: Frankie Concepcion Artistic Fellow: Dwayne P. Mitchell

SpeakEasy Stage Company Board of Directors

Michael Appell; Alex Baker, Chair; Cathy Cotton; Paul Daigneault, President; Richard Davies; Danné Davis; Kerry A. Dowling; Jonathan Dyer; Andrew Fullem; Susan Irvings; Melissa Langa; Peter Palladino; Joey Riddle; Nancy Roberts; Alejandro Simoes; Jim Stiles; Ann Teixeira; Clea Winneg

SpeakEasy Stage Company Board of Advisors

Michael Appell; Bob Band; Gene Bauer & Ellen Shortell; Susan Black; Brian Bourquin & Paul Mataras; Gregory Bulger & Richard Dix; A. Joseph Castellana & Jim Seligman; David F. Coleman; Stacey & Chris Constas; Anne d’Avenas; Tom Formicola & Lenny Goldstein; Joe Gimbel & Jo Strobel; Meegan Gliner; Curly Glynn; Laura Haas; Robby Morse Levy; Keith MacDonald & Thomas Webber; Ben Manthei; Jeffrey Mello; Roberta Orlandino; Grace Parker; Jackie & Robert Pascucci; Ellen Piccioli; Kenneth & Rise Shepsle; Hal Tepfer; Sandra Weinstein; Hannah Weisman; Neal Winneg; Angela Yarde; Julianne Yazbek

FRONT PAGE PHOTOS (Clockwise from Top Left): The cast of Allegiance (Nile Scott Shots); Erica Spyres and James Caverly in Tribes (Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo); the cast of Men on Boats; Hubens “Bobby” Cius and Kadahj Bennett in Pass Over; the cast of Choir Boy (Nile Scott Shots); Alison McCartan in Violet (Glenn Perry Photography); Octavia Chavez-Richmond, Stewart Evan Smith, Tyrees Allen, Lewis D. Wheeler, and Maureen Keiller in Between Riverside and Crazy (Nile Scott Shots); Adrianne Krstansky in Every Brilliant Thing; Karen MacDonald and Tyrees Allen in The Children (Maggie Hall Photography).

COMMITMENT STATEMENT PHOTOS (From Left): Aubin Wise and Lovely Hoffman in The Color Purple (Glenn Perry Photography); Munson Hicks and Anne Gottlieb in Other Desert Cities; Diego Klock-Perez and the cast of In The Heights (Craig Bailey/Perspective Photo); Melinda Lopez and Ally Dawson in Grand Concourse (Glenn Perry Photography); Geraldine Bogard, Sabrina K. Victor, Shanelle Chloe Villegas, and Tenneh Sillah in School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play; Billy Meleady, Billy Butler, and Marta Rymer in Once (Maggie Hall Photography); Eddie Shields and J’Royce Jata in The View UpStairs; Cheryl McMahon and Maureen Keiller in Admissions (Nile Scott Studios).

TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE: OUR COMMITMENT

EQUITY & ANTI-RACISM COMMITMENT STATEMENT | P. 6 INTRODUCTION | P. 8

SECTION TWO: INTERNAL OPERATIONS 1. BOARD LEADERSHIP | P. 12 2. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE & EMPLOYEE RETENTION | P. 14 3. TRAINING, SKILLS, & COMPETENCIES | P. 15 4. RECRUITING & HIRING PRACTICES | P. 16 5. DEMOGRAPHIC TRACKING & DATA COLLECTION | P. 17

SECTION THREE: ARTISTIC PROGRAMS 1. PROGRAMMING FOR INCLUSIVITY & EQUITY | P. 20 2. PROGRAMMING FOR ACCESSIBILITY | P. 21

SECTION FOUR: EXTERNAL SERVICES & COMMUNICATIONS

1. WELCOMING & INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATIONS | P. 24 2. AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT, PARTNERSHIPS, & FUNDRAISING | P. 25 3. PERFORMANCES AT THE CALDERWOOD PAVILION | P. 26 GLOSSARY | P. 28 This is Version 1.0 of SpeakEasy’s Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan (SEARAP). This document was last revised on February 1, 2021. It appears on our website and will be distributed at all new employee orientations, first rehearsals, new board member meetings, and will be available in our offices for perusal at all times.

To view a digital copy of SEARAP, or to see the latest version, visit www.SpeakEasyStage.com/SEARAP.

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SECTION ONE: OUR COMMITMENT

EQUITY & ANTI-RACISM COMMITMENT STATEMENT Guided by our mission, we at SpeakEasy believe that live theatre has the ability to connect us to one another. On stage and throughout our programming we tell stories that invite us to understand ourselves and the world around us more deeply; to uplift the voices of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, economic statuses, and abilities; and envision the changes we wish to see in our society.

As storytellers, we must engage honestly and deeply in conversations about our humanity. The appalling events of 2020 exposed the inherent racism and inequity in our nation, our city, and our theatre community. We witnessed the murders of innocent Black individuals at the hands of police officers; the disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); and the inequities in theatre as an industry as pointed out by We See You White American Theatre. We must examine our own inequitable practices and complicity in systemic racism and engage in an ongoing process of addressing and undoing these wrongs.

We at SpeakEasy Stage stand in solidarity with those calling for justice and radical change.

We stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We recognize the history of violence and racism perpetuated against traditionally marginalized communities, especially Black and Indigenous people, most commonly by people and organizations rooted in white privilege.

We acknowledge that it is not enough to believe in equality, but that we must actively and deliberately reduce harm and combat systemic oppression in all forms.

This commitment statement will ground our work, and we will continue to evaluate it as our organization grows. We acknowledge that this requires a long-term commitment and openness to structural and sustainable change. We are part of a mobilized arts community that must be in step with the needs and desires expressed by BIPOC, as well as individuals of all ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and physical and mental abilities.

We encourage feedback from our community and see this ongoing dialogue as imperative to shaping both our internal and external work. If you have comments or suggestions about this work, please complete this contact form.

EQUITY & ANTI-RACISM COMMITMENT STATEMENT To deliver on these commitments and the vision of our organization, we have created the SpeakEasy Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan (SEARAP). The guiding principles are: 1. We reaffirm our commitment to ensure that the stories we tell and all the work we produce reflect the multitude of identities, viewpoints, and experiences of our shared world.

As we continue to examine what it means to create conversations through the art we produce, we acknowledge the power of our platform to amplify a diversity of voices. We commit to uplifting the stories and talents of those who have been silenced by institutional racism and exclusion. We will actively seek individuals of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, economic statuses, and abilities to be decision makers and collaborators in our organization, so as to best manifest the experiences of all the communities we serve.

2. We will engage a broad spectrum of perspectives and voices throughout our organization and ensure that those who have been traditionally silenced are encouraged and supported to actively participate at every level. By continuously evaluating our policies, processes and informal practices, we will actively pursue a workplace culture and organizational systems that uphold the perspectives of BIPOC and traditionally marginalized individuals and affirm a sense of belonging.

3. We will more effectively reach out to and welcome communities that have been traditionally underrepresented in our theater, especially BIPOC individuals and people with disabilities. We will widen our outreach through thoughtful collaborations with community partners, and we will remove barriers, internal or external, that would prevent BIPOC individuals or people with disabilities from feeling welcome.

4. We will use the power of our platform responsibly and actively to combat systemic racism and advance social justice. We will elevate and support artists on the frontlines of anti-racism and equity organizing through public advocacy, community partnerships, and intentional programming.

INTRODUCTION The SpeakEasy Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan was developed by the SpeakEasy staff and Board of Directors (June 2020 - January 2021), with feedback and recommendations provided

by Deidra Montgomery Consulting. This plan combines goals, initiatives, and ideas from several bodies of work: SpeakEasy’s 2016-20 Strategic Plan, which outlined action items for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; strategies outlined in SpeakEasy’s Theory of Change related to Cultural Competency developed through the Barr-Klarman MA Arts Initiative in 2019; and the document released in June 2020 by a collective of BIPOC theatre makers called “BIPOC Demands of White American Theatre.”

SpeakEasy’s leadership has unequivocally prioritized the examination of the company from top to bottom for opportunities to promote equity and justice within our organization, and the larger community, and permanently embed anti-racist practices in our work.

This is a living, breathing document, and we may make changes to our plans as we go along.

We expect that our work will continue to evolve over time in conjunction with how we learn and grow as an organization. We will publish an update to the plan annually.

The following notes provide context for how we approached this plan.

Demographic Data and Goals Central to our mission and goals is a commitment to being an organization and welcoming an audience that reflects the diversity of the city of Boston around us - with all of its various identities.

The “Greater Boston area” has different boundaries, depending on your source material. With the majority of our staff, boards, artists and patrons living inside the I-95 belt, we are striving to mirror the racial diversity of this area using data from the 2019 US Census Bureau: White 56.8%, Hispanic 15.0%, Black 12.8%, Asian 10.6%, Other .3% - or 43% BIPOC and 57% White.

For the 2019-2020 season, the racial diversity of our organization looked like this: • Actors: 37% BIPOC to 63% White • Creative Teams: 43% BIPOC to 57% White • Administrative Staff: 23% BIPOC to 77% White • Production Staff: 15% BIPOC to 85% White • Board of Directors: 7% BIPOC to 93% White • Audience: TBD* *Note: We do not have fully accurate audience data at this time. However, this action plan establishes an ongoing process for collecting audience data.

INTRODUCTION As we manage the implementation of this plan, we will continue to measure ourselves against the census data while striving for an aspirational goal of at least 50% BIPOC representation.

However, we will pursue these goals with intentional actions and will never make choices solely based on numerical targets. We know that achieving authentic representation of the community is an urgent and significant need, and we will carefully measure our progress over time.

Definitions of Time Frames To achieve the goals detailed in each section of the plan, SpeakEasy has identified “continuing practices,” “immediate changes,” “short term initiatives,” and “long term goals” to lay out an approximate time frame for the work. Priorities and the sequencing of initiatives may change over time, depending upon the outcome of the current public health crisis, the continually evolving financial and social environment in the greater Boston area, or other factors external to the company. After this initial plan was activated, the company will release an annual update every July to identify priorities for the coming year and outline any changes to our long term intentions.

• Continuing Practices: These describe practices and policies that are already embedded in SpeakEasy’s ongoing operations.

• Immediate Changes: These describe actions that SpeakEasy will take during the current fiscal year - July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021. Note that some of this work has already begun during the writing of this plan.

• Short-Term Initiatives: These initiatives will take preparation and time to implement, and as such, will take a full 1-2 years after the release of this plan. In most cases, financial resources and staff time will need to be planned for and secured.

• Long-Term Goals: These goals will have significant financial implications for the company and will take a full 3-5 years (or more) to achieve. The company will undertake a major fundraising campaign to implement these and other strategic goals to become a fully anti-racist organization. It is our intention to carefully monitor and update our long-term goals as necessary.

SECTION TWO: INTERNAL OPERATIONS

SEARAP Version 1.0

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1. BOARD LEADERSHIP The SpeakEasy Stage Company Board of Directors, working closely with the staff, are stewards of the Company’s mission and the artistic vision of the Producing Artistic Director.

This stewardship takes several forms: • Balancing the mission with the financial health and long-term viability of the company • Collaborating with and supporting the SpeakEasy staff to fulfill the Company’s mission of producing intimate, entertaining plays and musicals that compel thoughtful conversation and champion new talent and future leaders in the performing arts • Supporting innovation and growth in the Company’s artistic endeavours on and off the stage • Ensuring that in its membership, the Board represents the entire SpeakEasy community staff, artists, audience members and the broader Boston community • Using the Board’s professional and personal resources to support activities of the Company.

• Serving as ambassadors for the Company, which ranges from supporting philanthropy to attending Company events and productions A critical part of our stewardship is a commitment to examining our individual and collective roles in perpetuating systems of oppression and marginalization that are antithetical to SpeakEasy’s values of heart, loyalty, excellence, courage, respect, and joy.

While we continue to learn, discuss, reflect and challenge ourselves, we also need to act and be held accountable for implementing action. We must measure our success and be honest about where and how we fall short as a Board and a Company.

This section of the document outlines specific steps in the Board’s long-term, ongoing commitment to effecting structural and sustainable change through the full engagement and participation of all members of the Board. The role of the Board is not limited to this section as it is also the responsibility of the Board to wholeheartedly support staff in executing all sections of the plan and ensure that together we are constantly and consistently addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of SpeakEasy’s work.

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1. BOARD LEADERSHIP CONTINUING PRACTICES • Board members will complete ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion training and immediately apply learning to Board initiatives and operations.

• We are expanding the range and reach of our ongoing Board recruitment practices.

• We participate in the annual Demographic Data Survey outlined in the “Demographic Tracking & Data Collection” section of this document.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • Onboarding of new Board members will include an anonymous demographic data survey to add to the Company Census.

• We will form a Nominating Committee that is freestanding of other committees and tasked with an explicit goal of promoting, increasing, and sustaining Board diversity.

• We will require and provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training to all members of the Board on an annual basis and before initial Board engagement.

• We will develop and maintain an annual budget line item for SpeakEasy’s diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism work.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will use the Board composition data obtained as part of the Company Census to measure progress towards increasing Board diversity to align with Company targets. The Nominating Committee will use this data to inform and guide Board recruitment efforts.

• We will revise the Board Charter to expand the definition of what constitutes Board Members’ contributions to the Company, recognizing there are many ways of bringing value to the Company. While it is important that all Board members actively support the Company, the stated roles and expectations should not act as barriers for potential or existing Board members.

• We will review and strengthen existing processes to ensure allegations of discrimination from or about any person in the SpeakEasy community (including staff, Board, performers, other contract workers, audience) have a defined path for reporting and for their complaints to be addressed.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will assign and empower a role within the Board’s Executive Committee to be responsible for ensuring that the Board sustains its commitment to this work.

LEADERSHIP • This work will be done by Board members in collaboration with SpeakEasy staff and will be coordinated by the Executive Committee of the Board.

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2. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE & EMPLOYEE RETENTION GOAL: SpeakEasy’s board, staff (permanent and seasonal), and artists have a clear, shared vision of the company’s organizational culture that is rooted in the principles of equity and justice. All employees, of all group identities, are valued by the organization and their voices are heard. By being intentional with our workplace culture, SpeakEasy exists as a safe, productive, and anti-racist environment for BIPOC leaders, staff, and artists. .

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We include regular conversations of equity and justice issues in our staff meetings and allot focused time for discussion on how to improve our operations to be as equitable and just as possible.

• We hire dramaturgs/cultural consultants for all productions that deal with topics of specific communities or identities. We hire intimacy directors for any production that includes intimacy, nudity, sexual situations, and/or sexual violence.

• We recognize Juneteenth, Indigenous People’s Day, and Election Day as staff holidays.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • Before all performances and all major meetings and events, we will read and/or publish a land acknowledgement: SpeakEasy Stage Company and the Calderwood Pavilion reside on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Massachusett people. We recognize the truth of violence perpetrated in the name of this country and commit to uplifting the voices of those who have historically been left out of the conversation. You can find our land acknowledgment printed in full on Page 26.

• At every First Rehearsal, we will present our Equity and Anti-Racism Commitment Statement to create a rehearsal/performance culture that is explicitly inclusive and anti-racist. We will ask everyone to sign a statement to commit to upholding these values, and create a process to check in, listen, and appropriately address all concerns in a timely manner.

• We will distribute an annual staff survey to assess how seasonal and permanent employees and artists view the organizational culture with the opportunity for employees to provide feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Specific attention will be paid to the retention of BIPOC employees.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will re-evaluate our Company Guidebook to ensure that our company policies reflect the clear, specific, anti-racist, and inclusive values that exist in this document, and will review and update those policies annually.

• As part of our land acknowledgement, we will make reparations to the Massachusett people upon whose land we work and perform.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will reduce or eliminate our “10-out-of-12” rehearsal days and reduce work weeks from six days per week to five. Both of these initiatives will necessitate a renegotiation of our lease agreement and significant operational funding increase.

LEADERSHIP • This work will be done by the senior staff working within their departments and will be coordinated by the Producing Artistic Director.

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3. TRAINING, SKILLS, & COMPETENCIES GOAL: SpeakEasy’s staff and artists believe in and demonstrate the principles of equity and justice throughout their work and specifically endeavor to tackle systemic racism and implicit bias within our organization and in the Boston theatre community. Everyone is held accountable for their actions.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We provide mandatory equity and anti-racism training for all our staff, and will update this on an annual basis.

• We require new permanent staff members to receive equity and anti-racism training immediately upon hiring.

• We present our anti-harassment policies at first rehearsals and other first meetings/orientations, and provide all seasonal and permanent staff with anti-harassment resources and protocols in their welcome packets.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • At every First Rehearsal, we will present our Equity and Anti-Racism Commitment Statement to create a rehearsal/performance culture that is explicitly inclusive and anti-racist. We will ask everyone to sign a statement to commit to upholding these values.

• When seasonal or temporary employees (contracted staff, artists, and technicians) join the organization, we will present our Equity and Anti-Racism Commitment Statement and will provide equity and anti-racism training.

The amount of training will reflect the depth and duration of the work.

• We will provide or highlight, at least once per fiscal quarter, education and training opportunities for reinforcing SpeakEasy employees’ understanding of equity and social justice issues, as well as specific equity and anti-racist practices, to develop the cultural competency of the company’s permanent staff.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will revise our current performance evaluation form to include specific skills and competencies related to equity and anti-racist values and practices.

• We will require all seasonal employees to have received equity and anti-racism training and we will provide this training if needed at the start of every show or project.

• We will distribute a list of equity and anti-racism resources and materials to newly hired artists, seasonal staff, board members, and volunteers in their welcome packets delivered on their first day of work at SpeakEasy.

LEADERSHIP • This work will be done by the senior staff working within their departments and coordinated by the Producing Artistic Director.

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4. RECRUITING & HIRING PRACTICES GOAL: SpeakEasy establishes an anti-racist, equitable hiring and recruitment process to identify and welcome candidates from traditionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. In addition, we continually re-evaluate our language and expectations with regards to employee qualifications to reflect these values.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We are committed to hiring at least 50% BIPOC performers in all seasons.

• We employ artists that authentically represent the culture of the story being produced.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • We will post a range of salaries or fees on all job listings going forward.

• We will expand our contact list for recruiting candidates from a wide range of communities and/or distributing and publicizing job postings.

• We will hire BIPOC artists, and artists of all genders and abilities, to work on shows that represent all cultures.

• When hiring a new vendor, we will first seek proposals from BIPOC-owned or -led firms and companies.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will complete an updated document outlining our hiring process to embed equitable and just practices with an eye towards representation. We will also develop new language and criteria for job descriptions that avoid bias, specifically rethinking educational requirements and job experience. All staff openings will be open to both external and internal candidates in order to provide opportunities for all potential candidates.

• We commit to hiring at least 50% BIPOC directors and designers.

• We will develop the funding to support an expanded recruiting program and inclusive hiring.

• We will create events and training for BIPOC individuals interested in technical or crew positions.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will eliminate unpaid internships.

• We will create new paid substitute and assistant production positions, and we will offer training and mentorship opportunities, to reduce barriers to employment for those whose schedules and/or financial constraints are prohibitive to the long hours of a production process.

• We will create an understudy/swing performer plan for all productions to protect the health and well-being of our artists.

• We will define, expand, and publicize resources for recruiting and supporting people with disabilities who apply for jobs and/or work for SpeakEasy.

• We will reach at least 50% BIPOC representation within our permanent staff at all levels.

• We will reach at least 50% BIPOC representation among all production and creative workers.

LEADERSHIP • This work will be led by the General Manager, working in conjunction with senior staff and Associate Manager of Production and Operations as needed.

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5. DEMOGRAPHIC TRACKING & DATA COLLECTION GOAL: SpeakEasy has systems to track demographic data for all of its communities – staff, board, artists, and technicians. We are working toward an organization composed of an average of 50% people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color; and 50% people of traditionally marginalized gender identities.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We issue a Demographic Data Survey every season for all seasonal and permanent employees to produce an annual Company Census that reports on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other group identities.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • Onboarding of new employees will include an anonymous demographic data survey to add to the company census.

• We will collect anonymous demographic data for job applicants and auditioning artists, and measure BIPOC and gender representation of the group of candidates. Individual demographic data will be kept separate from resumes, and we will monitor the diversity of our pool of applicants before we move to interviewing and hiring.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will use the Company Census as a tool for evaluating the progress towards the goals laid out in this document and an indicator of when efforts need to be redirected.

• We will include Company Census information in our annual report each year.

• We will measure financial equity for staff and artists. Each season we will report on total dollars paid to BIPOC artists and staff vs. white artists and staff.

LEADERSHIP • This work will be led by the General Manager, working in conjunction with senior staff and the Associate Manager of Production and Operations as needed.

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SECTION THREE: ARTISTIC PROGRAMS

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1. PROGRAMMING FOR INCLUSIVITY & EQUITY GOAL: We program works in the season that thematically reflect the full range of Boston’s identities and experiences.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We select works that address a wide range of relevant and timely topics, including systemic racism, equity and justice, and identity.

• We produce and invest in stories that challenge the narrow and unexamined scope of narratives about the BIPOC experience - focusing on joy, innovation, and expression, as well as overcoming hardship and oppression.

• We will continue to use our assessment process for SpeakEasy’s season selection with the following goals in mind: • Equitable gender and racial balance among designers, actors, and crew throughout all productions, regardless of themes or structure.

• Selection of stories that represent and engage a wide range of communities and backgrounds.

• Authentic representation from the communities whose stories we are telling.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • We will create more opportunities to work with and support BIPOC-led partner organizations.

• We believe that the stories and experience of individuals with disabilities are an integral part of our programming and we will incorporate access and representation into our season selection.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will expand our season model to add additional plays and musicals in order to amplify a more diverse range of voices in our community and offer more employment opportunities for local artists and experiences beyond our South End venues.

LEADERSHIP • SpeakEasy’s artistic team, led by the Producing Artistic Director in consultation with the full board and staff.

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2. PROGRAMMING FOR ACCESSIBILITY GOAL: We offer programming that welcomes and represents people of all abilities through the stories we tell and artists we employ. We provide access to regular performances that meet the unique needs of people with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We work with a community consultant to identify one show a season (if appropriate) that is conducive to a Sensory-Friendly Performance.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will have a plan and budget for adding large print programs for all SpeakEasy productions.

• We will have a plan, budget, and schedule for adding each of the following resources to at least one performance per SpeakEasy season: • ASL Interpretation • Open Captioning • Audio Description • We will bolster our list of partners and contacts to facilitate awareness, outreach, and ticket sales for these accessible performances. In addition, SpeakEasy staff will develop distinct marketing plans for these performances.

• We will work with our web developer to make sure SpeakEasy’s new website is accessible to all, including those with visual impairments.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We believe that accessible programming should be available for all productions, and so we will generate support and interest in our accessibility programs. We will offer these services for multiple performances of every production in each SpeakEasy season.

LEADERSHIP • Community Programs Manager working in conjunction with Marketing, Development, and Production staff.

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SECTION FOUR: EXTERNAL SERVICES & COMMUNICATIONS

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1. WELCOMING & INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATIONS GOAL: All of the company’s communications express inclusivity and use specific and appropriate language and images that encourage participation by patrons representing a diversity of races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities. We affirm our community’s trust in our commitment to equity, justice, and anti-racism practices through the launch of a reinvigorated brand identity and an updated and fully-accessible website.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We use all our platforms to amplify and celebrate the voices of artists from traditionally marginalized communities.

• We work with BIPOC-owned and BIPOC-run media to promote our shows and highlight our artists.

• We utilize digital marketing to expand our reach to all Boston communities and their members.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • We will continue to research and identify outlets that focus their coverage on traditionally underrepresented communities, and we will advocate for dominant media outlets to diversify the shows they cover and the critics they employ.

• We have engaged a consultant (firm) to revise our branding to better reflect who we are today, and how we are evolving as a company committed to equity and anti-racism. This will include new messaging, graphic identity, web site, and communications strategies that are welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to all audiences.

• We will evaluate and revise our Mission Statement and Values to incorporate our ever-evolving commitment to equity, justice, and anti-racist practices. We will continue to see our Mission & Values as living documents, revisiting these statements annually.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will develop specific communications strategies that can be employed for a wide array of SpeakEasy’s constituencies and identify the language, media channels, and contacts that will be effective.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will bolster our marketing plan with goals and metrics for outreach to patrons in traditionally marginalized communities, and re-examine our budget to make sure this work is sustainable.

LEADERSHIP • SpeakEasy’s Director of Marketing Communications and Director of Development working with staff in the Community Engagement, Marketing, and Development departments.

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2. AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT, PARTNERSHIPS, & FUNDRAISING GOAL: We will grow SpeakEasy’s audiences so that our patrons represent a diversity of races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities, and will advance conversations around equity and anti-racism in conjunction with our productions. We have developed additional financial resources for the Access Program and deepened our participation in the Huntington Community Membership Initiative, Card-to-Culture, student group, and other ticket programs.

CONTINUING PRACTICES • We invest in the Huntington Community Membership Initiative, Mass Cultural Council’s EBT Card-to-Culture program, our student ticket underwriting efforts, and other ticketing access programs.

• We are expanding our contact list of community leaders, artistic collaborators, and community-based organizations.

• We co-design and collaborate with community leaders to encourage attendance at our shows and develop audience engagement activities that will promote and advance conversations around equity and anti-racism.

• We deliberately seek gender parity and racial diversity when selecting artists for fundraising and other special events.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • We will devise a system using audience data and company census data to evaluate participation growth in our Access Program.

• We will add at least one new funding source each fiscal year that allows us to expand our reach into underserved communities in and around Boston.

• We will develop a gift acceptance policy that prohibits accepting gifts from donors, businesses, or grant-making institutions that engage in racist, sexist or other discriminatory and oppressive behaviors.

• We will establish a yearly audience demographic tool to survey and analyze our success in efforts to reach wider audiences in traditionally marginalized communities.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will identify and build relationships with leaders of the Indigeneous communities in and around Boston to explore avenues towards increased participation within SpeakEasy both on our stage and in the audience.

• We will increase the diversity of race, gender, ability, and age of SpeakEasy’s audiences each season, and utilize patron demographic data to track that progress.

LEADERSHIP • This work will be led by the Director of Marketing & Communications, working in conjunction with the Director of Development and the Community Programs Manager.

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3. PERFORMANCES AT THE CALDERWOOD PAVILION GOAL: Working closely with the Calderwood Pavilion staff, SpeakEasy will create an equitable, anti-racist, and inclusive environment for individuals of all races, ethnicities, gender identities, economic statuses, and abilities.

IMMEDIATE CHANGES • We will present or publish a land acknowledgement that pays homage to and honors the Massaschusett people on whose land the Calderwood Pavilion resides.

SHORT-TERM INITIATIVES • We will collaborate with the Calderwood staff to create anti-racist practices for all venue and box office staff, including anti-racism, implicit bias, anti-oppression, and bystander training.

• We will work with the Calderwood staff to develop specific intervention and disruption protocols for harmful behavior.

LONG-TERM GOALS • We will create a plan with the Calderwood staff to further make our space welcoming to all, including increasing SpeakEasy staff presence at the theater.

LEADERSHIP • SpeakEasy’s General Manager and Producing Artistic Director.

SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY’S LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SpeakEasy Stage Company is built on the power of storytelling and the transformative way the arts can be used to amplify voices of those historically silenced. In that spirit, we would like to acknowledge that SpeakEasy Stage and the Calderwood Pavilion, which we call our artistic home, reside on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Massachusett people, whose name was appropriated by this Commonwealth. We pay respect to the Massachusett elders past and present and recognize the truth of violence perpetrated in the name of this country. We commit to educating ourselves about the stories of indigenous people and to uplift the voices of those who have been left out of the conversation. We encourage you to learn more about the Massachusett people, their history and their living traditions at massachusetttribe.org.

WHAT IS A LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT?

A land acknowledgement is a formal statement of recognition that we are operating on and benefiting directly from land that rightfully belongs to Indigenous communities, taken without consent. The purpose of recognizing the original inhabitants of this land is to show respect, gratitude, and appreciation; to raise awareness of a history that is often erased; and to express support of and participation in efforts to dismantle the white supremacy and colonization present today.

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GLOSSARY The purpose of the SpeakEasy Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan (SEARAP) glossary is to emphasize key terms that are important to understanding the full SEARAP document.

We acknowledge that the conversations surrounding social justice can often be derailed by miscommunications and differences in the definitions of the terms being used in these discussions. While we know that there are a multitude of valuable definitions for each of these terms outlined below, the first portion of this glossary puts forth SpeakEasy’s working definitions for each of the terms stated-- the definitions which give a full understanding of how the SpeakEasy staff & board implement our mission and the present action plan. In addition, we have included some other helpful definitions for key terms that are already commonly used or whose definitions are not subject to change in the context of our organization or this plan. The glossary is NOT meant to define already existing identities, but rather presents already-existing definitions that are widely used and accessible to others.

10-OUT-OF-12

ANTI-RACIST

A contractual term for a long all-day actor and stage manager work call. A standard contract for a SpeakEasy mainstage production will have at least one of these days, when the actors may be kept at work for 10 hours out of a maximum of 12 consecutive hours. During the 12-hour span of day (e.g. 9am to 9pm) there will be either two 1-hour breaks or one 2-hour break for food, and a total of 10 hours of work. Whilst the work day is long, the intensity allows a great deal of progress to be made. Actors’ Equity Association (the labor organization representing American actors and stage managers) only allows a period of 10-out-of-12 rehearsals during the 7 days before a performance opens.

(Related terms: Anti-Racism)

ACCESS (Related terms: Accessibility, Accessible) Access refers to everything a system does and has in place in order to ensure equal opportunities in activities regardless of gender, race, or sexual orientation.

Accessibility refers to the strategies used to assist and empower those with special needs, mobility issues, language barriers or impaired vision or hearing in their ability to fully participate or engage in a program, production, or space.

ACCESS PROGRAM SpeakEasy’s Access Program is a robust set of initiatives with the purpose of providing opportunities for traditionally underrepresented members of the community to participate in our programming. This includes our participation in the Huntington Community Membership Initiative (discounted tickets for lowincome families and members of community organizations), a partnership with Opening Doors to the Arts (providing access to members of the mental health community), our Student Matinee Series, Sensory-Friendly Performances, and other accessibility initiatives such as ASL Interpretation or Audio-Description.

ACCOUNTABILITY (Related terms: Accountable) The process through which a community holds an individual or organization to their responsibilities and ethos. An obligation or willingness to accept responsibility. It is an assurance that an individual or an organization will be evaluated regarding their performance or behavior related to something for which they are responsible. This term is related to responsibility but seen more from the perspective of oversight.

ANTI-OPPRESSION Anti-oppression is the strategies, theories, actions and practices that actively challenge systems of systemic oppression on an ongoing basis on a both personal and societal level.

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A form of action against the systemic racism and oppression of marginalized groups; an active effort to work against the multidimensional aspects of racism including: individual racism, interpersonal racism, institutional racism, and structural racism.

ASL INTERPRETATION (Related terms: ASL Interpreter) American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation is defined by the International Standards organization as a service that renders a spoken message into a signed language. An ASL interpreter helps hearing impaired or deaf individuals understand a spoken language by converting it into sign language.

AUDIO DESCRIPTION A form of narration used to provide information surrounding key visual elements in a show or media work, often for the benefit of those who are visually impaired.

AUTHENTIC (Related terms: Authentic Representation) A notion that is real or genuine. Individuals telling or sharing stories based on personal lived experiences.

BIPOC An acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. This term is used to acknowledge that not all people of color face equal levels of injustice.

The term BIPOC is significant in emphasizing the United States as a nation built on a history of slavery, colonialism, and genocide against Black and Indigenous people.

BLACK LIVES MATTER A decentralized political and social movement advocating for non-violent civil disobedience in protest against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against black people. The movement began in July of 2013, with the use of the hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) on social media after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Black teen Trayvon Martin 17 months earlier in February 2012.

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GLOSSARY BYSTANDER TRAINING

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

(Related terms: Bystander Intervention, Intervention Protocols)

A formal statement that recognizes Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of the land on which our organization conducts our operations and programs, and respects the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories.

A violence prevention strategy that empowers community members to diffuse violent or harassment situations as a third party (i.e., neither the victim nor the perpetrator). Bystander training most often deals with sexual assault or sexual harassment scenarios, but can also be a tool for dealing with racist, homophobic, and transphobic harassment.

CULTURAL COMPETENCY A learned set of skills and abilities that allows one to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures, outside of a white supremacist lens. While cultural competency is necessary in achieving goals of diversity, inclusion, and equity, it is not an end goal in-and-of itself.

DISCRIMINATION (Related: Discriminatory, Discriminate) The unjust and/or prejudicial treatment of a person or people on account of one or more of their group identities.

DIVERSITY (Related terms: Diverse, Diversify) A range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religion, and national origin.

EQUITY (Related terms: Equitable, Inequity) An organizational process that prioritizes equal opportunity and equal outcome.

An equitable workplace acknowledges and seeks to overcome barriers surrounding privilege and white supremacist values to both achieve anti-racist outcomes and enhance the quality of their product. Equity is often paired with diversity and inclusion, though they are not synonymous.

GENDER IDENTITY One’s personal relation to and sense of their own gender. Gender identity is distinct from gender expression, sexual orientation, and biological sex.

GENDER PARITY A benchmark of representation for all gender identities that can be applied to all facets of SpeakEasy employment, including but not limited to: actors, directors, playwrights, designers, technicians, and staff. SpeakEasy’s benchmark is 50% representation of people with marginalized gender identities, in concert with StageSource’s Gender Parity Initiative.

GROUP IDENTITY A societal grouping through categorization within a greater community. We use an assortment of major group identities - race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religion, and national origin - in discussions regarding diversity and inclusion.

INCLUSION (Related terms: Inclusive, Inclusive Hiring, Inclusivity) An intentional effort to allow those who have been traditionally marginalized to have a valued and integral role in the processes, activities, and decision making of the organization. Inclusion emphasizes the well-being of the traditionally marginalized population, rather than simply increasing the diversity of individuals within the organization or program space.

INEQUITY A lack of fairness or equality amongst individuals perpetuated by systemic racism and oppression within communities and institutions.

REPARATIONS Restitution, sometimes but not always financial, for the wrongs done to a traditionally marginalized community by centuries of white supremacist systems, such as colonization and imperialism. In most contexts, reparations are used as a method of transactional justice for Black people to redress the harm of slavery or for Indigenous Peoples to redress the harms of colonialism and genocide.

REPRESENTATION In programming, representation refers to the depiction or portrayal of traditionally marginalized individuals and/or their experiences, with the goal of elevating these identities/experiences and fostering understanding and acceptance. In the workplace, representation refers to the parity of racial identity, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other group identities in the demographic composition of the organization. Representation values authenticity over tokenization.

SENSORY-FRIENDLY (Related terms: Relaxed Performance, Autism Friendly) The intentional structuring of an event, program, or space to accommodate individuals on the autism spectrum or those with sensory sensitivities. This includes modifications to environmental factors such as lighting, sound, and easy access to exits, and the availability of trained staff who are knowledgeable about sensory-friendly accommodations.

SOCIAL JUSTICE An anti-oppression orientation to the internal and external operations of the organization, guided by a vision of society which recognizes the inherent worth and connectedness of all people, in which the distribution of resources is equitable, and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure.

SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION (Related terms: Institutional Racism) The inequitable distribution of structural and institutional power and resources, which benefits dominant groups and results in the disempowerment of marginalized groups.

SYSTEMIC RACISM (Related terms: Institutional Racism) The institutional policies and practices which are premised upon racial prejudice/stereotypes, maintain or reinforce racial inequity, and which target or have a disproportionate negative impact upon Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED (Related terms: Traditionally Underrepresented, Traditionally Silenced) Groups and communities that have historically experienced discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) due to systemic racism and oppression perpetuated by dominant groups.

WHITE SUPREMACY An ideology that positions white people and the ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions of white people as superior to People of Color and their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and actions. A political or socio-economic system where white people enjoy structural advantages and rights that other racial and ethnic groups do not, both at a collective and an individual level. While white supremacy is most associated with extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan and the neo-Nazis, it is ever present in the dominant, unquestioned standards of behavior and ways of functioning embodied by the vast majority of institutions in the United States.

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OTHER HELPFUL TERMS ABILITY

OPEN CAPTIONING

The skill, power or capacity to perform proficiently regardless of barriers such as identity, experience, physical barriers, etc.

On-screen text descriptions which display a video’s dialogue, identify speakers, and describe other relevant sounds that are otherwise inaccessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Open captions are always in view and cannot be turned off, whereas closed captions can be turned on and off by the viewer.

DEMOGRAPHIC The statistical data about the characteristics of a population, such as the age, gender and income of the people, etc. We are using this term to acknowledge the group identities of our staff and community. A demographic analysis can cover whole societies or groups.

DISABLED (Related terms: Disability) An individual who is impaired or limited by a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition; i.e. affected by disability. Any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or interact with the world around them.

IMPLICIT BIAS The unconscious attitudes, stereotypes, and unintentional actions (positive or negative) toward an individual based on their perceived group identities such as race, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, or ability.

INDIGENOUS (Related terms: First Nations, Native American, American Indian) Indigenous refers to those peoples with pre-existing sovereignty who were living together as a community prior to contact with settler populations, most often – though not exclusively – Europeans. While we recognize that there are Indigenous peoples on every continent throughout the world, in this context we refer to peoples living within what is now the United States prior to European contact and their descendants, who continue to be impacted by the effects of colonization.

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RACISM A complex system of beliefs and behaviors, grounded in a presumed superiority of one racial group over one or more other racial groups and perpetuated by systemic racism and oppression. These beliefs and behaviors are conscious and unconscious; personal and institutional. They normalize the oppression of one or more racial groups in order to benefit and maintain power for a dominant racial group.

WE SEE YOU WHITE AMERICAN THEATRE In response to the on-going civil unrest, “DEAR WHITE AMERICAN THEATER,” collectively crafted by theatremakers from across the country, exposes the indignities and racism that BIPOC, and in particular Black theatremakers, face on a day-to-day basis in the theater industry. Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) theatremakers formed a collective of multi-generational, multidisciplinary, early career, emerging and established artists, theater managers, executives, students, administrators, dramaturges and producers, to address the scope and pervasiveness of anti-Blackness and racism in American Theatre. #weseeyouwhiteamericantheater

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GLOSSARY SOURCES Vice: “What’s the Difference Between Non-Binary, Genderqueer, and Gender-Nonconforming?”

YWCA Boston: “Our Shared Language: Social Justice Glossary” Racial Equity Tools: “Glossary” Franklin & Marshall College: “Black Lives Matter: Antiracist Resources” University of Washington: “What is the difference between open and closed captioning?”

UCLA: “Native American and Indigenous Peoples FAQs” Northwestern: “About: Land Acknowledgement” The Place for Children with Autism: “What Does ‘Sensory Friendly’ Mean?”

NCCDH (Canada): “Marginalized Populations” CBS News: “BIPOC: What does it mean and where does it come from?”

Law Insider: “Underserved Populations” The Anti-Racist Educator: “Glossary” The Anti-Racist Educator: “Working Definitions”

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SpeakEasy Stage Company 539 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02116

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617-482-3279 info@speakeasystage.com @speakeasystage