Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.

~ Verna Myers

 

Theatre Artists Workshop is dedicated to upholding the principles of DEI in our organization. Our mission as a safe place to take theatrical risks in pursuit of artistic excellence is linked to our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. Indeed, it is central to our mission as a theatre arts organization to ensure that the Workshop membership has the full opportunity to thrive in our environment, for we believe that diversity is key to understanding the full breadth of the human experience, which will only aid in advancing the artistic growth of our members, and in turn the experience of our audiences. 

 

Furthermore, the Workshop seeks to create and foster a diverse and inclusive membership. As an incubator of new artistic work, we encourage and support our members in creating and developing material that explores issues of race, sexuality, age, gender, identity, and disability. We hope to foster intellectual engagement that will create positive change. With that said, the Workshop acknowledges that there is a history of casting white, cis gender actors when race, sexuality, gender, identity and disability are not central to the theme of the work. We strive for a climate that encourages playwrights and directors to write and cast openly and diversely when the work at hand does not call for specific casting needs. Exploring color conscious casting as well as open minded casting will only serve to strengthen the work we create. To put these words into action, the Board of Directors created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy, posted in 2021.