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Commercial Theatre & Broadway

Guiding Unions into Anti-Racism

IATSE

We demand the divestment from IATSE and its local unions until they comply with antiracist practices. If the aforementioned demand is not met, we will demand the formation of BIPOC Entertainment Unions. (For more detail, please see the following section on Unions.)

MORE DISCUSSION NEEDED
  • What are the historic practices that are problematic? Do the issues hold true in the DC local community?
SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • As we enter into a contract with IATSE, how can we use our platform to further this demand?

CSA

We demand the divestment from the Casting Society of America (CSA) as the arbiter of industry standards, with its national oversight of hundreds of casting directors, until they comply with the following:

  • Change the racial makeup of their membership and board leadership as stated above within the next five years.

  • Dismantle the seniority/apprentice membership requirement system in the next five years. Publish and implement anti-racism policies for all members within the next six months.

  • Require all members to undergo anti-racism and anti-bias training annually.

  • Create an anti-nepotism policy within the next six months.

  • Put an end to free and unpaid labor by implementing a transparent and competitive pay rate for BIPOC casting interns, assistants, and associates when working in large casting offices.

  • Put an end to the project-to-project independent contracting of BIPOC assistants and associates in large casting offices that employ more than 3 salaried casting directors.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • As we hire NY casting agents (members of CSA), we should not be afraid to open a dialogue on their Anti-Racism practices. Follow the progress of CSA's response to this closely.

Encouraging Broadway Theatre Owners To Embrace Anti-Racism

By Renaming Theatres

We demand that Broadway theatre owners rename 50% of the theatres they own with BIPOC theatre artists’ names.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • While there are only a few spaces at Signature named after individuals, we believe the only space named after a BIPOC individual is the Shen. As we gear up for an expansion, we should be mindful of how spaces are named and who they are named after. This also speaks towards stewarding more BIPOC donors, etc.

By Introducing Transparency into Production Contracts

We demand that Broadway theatre owners abolish the current system of secret handshakes that give theatre rentals to the same producers over and over again.

ALREADY DOING
  • Looking at the slate of our 2021 season, that represents a mix of signature family members and new/diverse artists
SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • Look at longstanding artistic partners that are predominately white - (i.e. casting directors, writing teams, creatives, etc.). How can we maintain those relationships while welcoming more space at the table for BIPOC Artists?

By Incubating Talent

We demand that Broadway theatre owners take an active role in developing BIPOC talent, including BIPOC producers.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • This applies to us as well. Continue to foster careers/growth of BIPOC artists/staff across all fields at Signature.

By Cultivating Diverse Audiences

We demand that Broadway theatre owners do the work of cultivating diverse audiences. Hire BIPOC consultants to engage with communities. Create special pricing and increased opportunities for these communities to see Broadway projects.

ALREADY DOING
  • Insert Emily's efforts in community engagement.
MORE DISCUSSION NEEDED
  • Get a list from Emily on what she is doing to boost community engagement and add to "Already Doing"
SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • Increase efforts in cultivating new audiences and subscribers.

Encouraging Commercial Producers To Embrace Anti-Racism

By Incubating Talent

We demand that individual commercial producers actively seek to find and develop more BIPOC co-producers. Reserve space at the table--make them among the first people you reach out to for producing opportunities.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • Be thoughtful about how we choose outside producer teams to enter partnerships with.

By Valuing Diversity

We demand that individual commercial producers value the uniqueness that diverse projects offer; do not assign risk to them.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • There are many cultures that we have yet to explore in our story telling (i.e. LatinX and indigenous tribes). Seek to tell their stories on our stages without fear of making ticket goals (budget accordingly similar to new works)

By Primarily Hiring BIPOC

We demand that individual commercial producers ensure that each of your productions have 50+% BIPOC hires. Employ only directors who will subscribe to your conditions of creating an inclusive workspace and support them by pointing them to resources.

ALREADY DOING
  • Making a stronger effort to assemble a more diverse creative team and cast with each project.
SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • If/when bringing in a white director, include this discussion, even before the initial offer. Make sure they align with these goals before bringing them on to lead.

Communicating About Wages

We demand that all current gag orders or any other orders given by general managers and producers as a requirement of employment that inhibit communication/conversation surrounding wages be terminated, and all future orders that inhibit communication/conversation surrounding wages must cease.

ALREADY DOING
  • LORT ordered us to stop telling artists that they can't discuss their salary with others and we no longer make that a contingency on accepting an offer.

Revealing Investment Partners

We demand that all information regarding who or what is investing in each production must be made public and easily accessible. Information pertaining to other investments of said investor/producer must also be made public and easily accessible.

ALREADY DOING
  • Essentially already doing with our donor lists in programs.

Ending Contracts with Police Departments

We demand that all theatres/productions cease all contractual security agreements with police departments across the United States. Theatres/productions must invest in security agencies that are not affiliated with or founded by police/ex-police officers.

ALREADY DOING
  • We don't have security contracts!

Stopping Discriminatory Language

In Parlance

We demand the discontinuance of racially charged and insensitive language and/or labels in regards to BIPOC artists/staff.

  • Language around lighting BIPOC bodies on stage must be stripped of any racially insensitive or discriminatory undertones or implications.

  • Racially charged language and/or labels shall not be used in the workplace by creatives, cast or management in regards to or about any BIPOC actor’s appearance. *Non-BIPOC employees are to be held responsible for educating themselves on this unacceptable language.

MORE DISCUSSION NEEDED
  • Are there commonly used phrases still in practice that we need to address?

As Part of Exploration

We demand the discontinuance of the usage of racial slurs in rehearsals, performances and/or as ad libs, unless the recitation of a racial slur is part of the actor’s work in the production.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • We endorse this.

Creating BIPOC Spaces

We demand producers foster and fully support the creation of BIPOC affinity groups and spaces.

ALREADY DOING
  • Newly formed

Ending Unnecessary Competition

We demand the complete eradication of the practice of measuring the successes and abilities of BIPOC artists against each other.

MORE DISCUSSION NEEDED
  • Is this something we are guilty of? Consult with BIPOC artists that have worked with us on this topic.

Casting Without Race Where Unneccesary

We demand the eradication of the practice of making SOME roles open to BIPOC actors and making actors of every race compete for those few slots. Acknowledge that the majority of roles are not racially specific--their stories are not about race--and can be played by actors of any race.

SUB-COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
  • We endorse.

Training in Anti-Racism

We demand that there be adequate and ongoing Anti-Racism Training and oversight for all creatives, cast and management.

  • The Broadway League must mandate Anti-Racism Training for every producing partner/commercial investor of every commercial theatre/Broadway show.

  • An anti-racism policy statement must be verbally stated and physically distributed at the start of every casting, PR, marketing, rehearsal, and tech process.

  • Every company of each show must engage in Implicit Bias Training during the rehearsal process and bi-annually for the duration of the run, provided by the producer in association with Actors Equity.

  • Every commercial production must have a dedicated EDI specialist present.

ALREADY DOING
  • Anti-Racism training for all staff through Wayfinding.
MORE DISCUSSION NEEDED
  • We do not have a clear plan/goals on if/how we would implement Anti-racism training for all artists. Though important, this is costly and logistically difficult given the nature of rolling new hires.

Unmuzzling Personal Expression

We demand the immediate eradication of any language, written or verbal, that prohibits or discourages any BIPOC artist/staff member from mentioning/celebrating/claiming their own identity and genetic makeup with regard to social media and media as a whole. This silencing is an act of racial discrimination and will not be tolerated.

ALREADY DOING
  • Signature's code of conduct does not restrict affiliates from mentioning/celebrating/claiming their own identity and genetic makeup on social media.