Published using Google Docs
No More All-White Seasons//an open-letter to PTC
Updated automatically every 5 minutes

Dear Paige Price, Emily Zeck, & Philadelphia Theatre Company,

Philadelphia Theatre Company has always been regarded as one of the most storied and respected companies in town.  When we first learned about PTC’S financial turmoil, many of us were concerned about the future of the institution.  We were thrilled to learn that Paige Price would be taking over the organization and moving PTC in what we hoped would be a new progressive direction.  Being the first theatre company in America to commit to The Kilroys’ List is a huge breakthrough for our community as this list is one of the most important documents in contemporary theatre.  

You rolled out your premiere season with Lynn Nottage, Marsha Norman, & Christina Anderson. Three female playwrights, two women of color, one Kilroys’ play. This was change for PTC (good change!), and we were expecting this change to continue with you at the helm of the organization.

That being said, we are infuriated with and exhausted by your upcoming 45th Anniversary season.  We know that having a three-show season is challenging and we are well aware that it is impossible to reach every community in our city.  But as Philadelphia Theatre Company, you have a commitment to highlight stories that speak to the racial diversity of the Philadelphia community at large and selecting three plays by white writers is not honoring this commitment.  

On the most recent Kilroys’ List (2017), the Kilroys made a conscious choice to only include plays by playwrights of color.  It feels disingenuous that you aren’t including a single play by a writer of color, but still using the Kilroys’ List Pledge to highlight diversity and inclusion in your programming.  Furthermore, every play in your season is written by cis-writers and the Kilroys’ List serves transgender and gender non-conforming (gnc) playwrights as well.

In addition, your season selection is in direct opposition to the very mission of The Kilroys’ List.  The list was made to highlight underproduced works by women, trans, and gnc playwrights.  Choosing The Wolves as your Kilroys play defeats the purpose of the list as it was one of the most produced plays of the 2018–2019 season, receiving more than a dozen productions with even more productions to follow during the 2019–2020 season, including your own.  

Western Theatre is arguably the whitest art-form we have.  As theatre artists working in 2019 it is our duty to impact this.  We have an obligation to program plays with perspectives that challenge our base audience, invite new audiences in our spaces, and engage with them.  We are offering you our perspective as members of this community because this can not happen again.  This is a landmark season for Philadelphia Theatre Company and as one of the largest theatres on one of the busiest streets in one of America's most populous cities, you have an obligation.  And with your season announcement, it's an obligation that you are not living up to.  

Your season selection has us asking some questions. We want to know:

– How many artists of color, gnc, or trans people currently sit on your season selection committee?  How many full-time staff members do you have who are POC and or LGBTQ?

– What did your grants promise about diversity and inclusion on your stage in your 2019/20 season?

– Was there a conversation had by your season selection committee about not representing any voices of color?

– Was there a conversation had by your season selection committee about not representing any trans or gnc voices?

– How are you planning to staff these productions to highlight inclusion and diversity?

– You say that you are interested in finding a “new generation” of audience.  What are you doing to cultivate younger and more diverse audiences?

– How does choosing one of the most produced plays in America align with the mission of the Kilroys’ List to serve underproduced plays?

– What action steps will you take to make sure this doesn’t happen again?

Our hope is begin a conversation that leads to direct action in your future season selection. There are a wealth of artists in this community that would be happy to be paid members of your season selection committee and to help prevent the embarrassment of an all-white season under the umbrella of Philadelphia Theatre Company. The artists in this community deeply care about representation, and are actively trying to do better and make change. We invite you to join us.

Look around. We are not represented on your stage this season.

Signed,

Jess Conda, a white cis female Philadelphia-based performer and teaching artist. I’m more represented on your stage than most of Philadelphia, and I don’t want to be.

Jess DeStefano, a Philadelphia-based, queer, white, cisgender female, production & stage manager. I’m tired of hearing voices so similar to my own.

Elaina Di Monaco, a Philadelphia-based queer white cisgender able-bodied female director/dramaturg. I’m more represented on your stage than most of Philadelphia, and I don’t want to be.

Eppchez! A Latinx/Jewish non-binary/trans self producing playwright and performer. I am not represented on your stage.

Alexandra Espinoza, a Philadelphia based Black Latina Queer Actor, Playwright, and Theatre Maker.

Christine Freije, a white, cis, able-bodied female director.

Allison Heishman, a Philadelphia-based white heterosexual cisgender female Artistic Director, director, and educator

James Ijames, a Philadelphia-based black gay cisgendered male playwright and director.

José Raúl Mangual, a Philadelphia-based, queer, latinx, gender-queer, able-bodied, actor/singer/songwriter/dancer/model/choreographer/playwright/illustrator. To make space for underrepresented people is to enrich the collective human experience. To take marginal steps toward inclusion is to perpetuate marginalization.

Jarrett McCreary, a writer, theater maker, a black queer educator speaking to black queer youth everyday about fighting for representation of themselves.

Joshua McLucas, a Philadelphia-based white cisgender male actor and director.

Erlina Ortiz - cis Latinx woman - playwright, theatre maker, and educator.

Sara Outing, a Philadelphia-based Black cisgender female Scenic and Props Designer. I don't see myself represented on your stage this season.

Cat Ramirez - Philadelphia-based • queer • mixed-race • Asian • genderfluid • director, producer, and theatre maker.

Maria Shaplin, a Philadelphia-based white cisgender female lighting designer.

Amy Smith, a Philadelphia-based white heterosexual cisgender female dance and theater artist.

Twoey Truong, a mixed-race Asian-American bi/queer ciswoman theatre artist; not impressed with companies who fail their mission statements

Haygen-Brice Walker, a Philadelphia-based queer Latino cisgender male playwright/producer--I have never seen myself on your stage.

Meghan Walsh, a Philadelphia-based white queer theater producer.

Quotes:

“Our audience is not as diverse as our city. I thought, ‘We have to put on more shows where people in Philly can see themselves, whether they’re queer audiences or African American audiences.’ We’ve done the Terrence McNally plays for so long that we have a niche for an older generation. And I would like to find a new generation.”

– Paige Price, source

"This is an opportunity to do some serious work that maybe has a bigger impact on the community and reaches into topics not often covered in summer theater," she said. "That's what's really appealing ... as well as to do serious work and reflect the voices of American artists. I'm aware of the artists in Philly. But my first marching order is to listen and learn."

– Paige Price, source