Equity & Anti-Racism Vision & Action Plan

• We are committed to questioning the traditional notion of a “classic”. We are expanding our repertory canon by including more playwrights from systemically marginalized communities and identities.
• We actively work to create an equitable environment by listening to concerns, answering questions, and providing necessary resources for each staff member to feel welcome and supported.
• A member of leadership meets with all incoming APT staff to begin a transparent conversation about the potential challenges of working and living in a small rural, predominantly white area.
• APT offers to facilitate a conversation between incoming actors and artists who have previously worked at the theater. The two have a confidential conversation about what it’s like to be an actor working in a small, predominantly white community, creating theater for a predominantly white audience. The returning artists who participate in these one-on-one conversations are compensated by APT.
• We have a BIPOC artist with casting authority in each audition room where BIPOC actors are auditioning.

• The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee of the Board of Directors provides accountability and ongoing training for Board members.
• APT provides ongoing IDEA training to seasonal and year-round staff to identify obstacles, challenge unconscious bias, and learn how to better address equity concerns in real time. We work with our consultant, Sarah Bellamy, to create meaningful tools and training content.
• We ensure, as part of the onboarding process, all staff go over this document – as well as APT’s Mission Statement, Values document, and Anti-Harassment Policy – with a member of leadership.
• Artistic Leadership has discussions with directors and designers about Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access, as it pertains to their project, to best prepare them to be responsive and responsible in case concerns arise in the rehearsal process.
• Sarah Bellamy regularly meets with the Core Acting Company to work with them on building leadership skills to create a welcoming and supportive rehearsal process for all.

• In order to better understand and disrupt our own biases, and to root out systemic racism and inequity in the organization, we actively seek feedback from employees that are part of systemically marginalized communities and identities.
• We have several organized opportunities for all employees to tell us how things are going and how their work experience could be improved. These include onboarding discussions, voluntary check-in meetings throughout the season, and exit interviews. In addition, all staff have access to leadership for ongoing feedback.
• We provide space and support for self-directed affinity groups. These coalitions provide an additional conduit for APT to hear concerns that arise.

• The Staff Accessibility Committee meets regularly to prioritize goals and work on improving APT facilities and infrastructure to provide greater accessibility for audiences of all abilities.
• We are committed to addressing accessibility needs of all employees who work for APT.
• We strive to create meaningful relationships with BIPOC communities and welcome them to the APT audience.
• All positions at APT are paid; we do not offer unpaid internships for artists or technicians.

2024

• November 2024: Wildfire by Reginald Jackson, the first piece in APT’s “New Voices: Creating the Classics of Tomorrow” program, is slated to hold its first public reading.
• The next New Voices: Creating the Classics of Tomorrow project will begin with a workshop of Gavin Lawrence’s play, The Barber and the Unnamed Prince.
• From this season forward, we will devote two of our four Winter Words readings to pieces by BIPOC playwrights each year.
• The Language Project, APT’s new training program for early-career actors, will launch. We are committed to the program being economically accessible, so scholarships will be offered.

2023

• Created the Community Engagement Coordinator position; a full-time, year-round staff position to make connections with communities that were traditionally not included at APT.
• Installed the Galapro Open Captioning system for use in all performances of Romeo and Juliet, and for future productions.
• APT’s production of Romeo and Juliet featured two actors who are deaf, and incorporated ASL communication as an essential part of the production.
• The patron parking lot was renovated for greater accessibility. It included paved surfaces, better lighting, and an accessible picnic area.
• Modifications were made to the accessible seating in the Hill Theatre, providing better access and side-by-side companion seating.
• Provided gender non-specific restrooms in APT staff areas. Photo directories can include people’s pronouns.

2022

• Wildfire by Reginald Jackson, the first piece in APT’s “New Voices: Creating the Classics of Tomorrow” program, held its first week-long workshop. The second workshop was held in Fall 2023, with the final workshop and public reading scheduled for Fall 2024.
• The Words Between Us education program expanded to six Wisconsin high schools during 2022, and is now a regular program offered by APT Education. The program has also been expanded to include teacher training and presentations in corporate settings.
• Upgraded artist housing with the addition of two 8-unit apartment buildings, two of which are wheelchair accessible.

2021

• Formed the Staff Accessibility Committee to concentrate on ways for APT to improve facilities and infrastructure to provide greater accessibility for staff and audience of all physical abilities. The committee completed a facilities assessment that provides a framework for future improvements.
• Commissioned our first playwright for the “New Voices: Creating the Classics of Tomorrow” program. Reginald Jackson began work on his play, Wildfire.
• The Words Between Us was piloted in three Wisconsin high schools.
• Expanded the number of BIPOC Board members (21% of Board members are BIPOC).
• As a first step towards understanding and accountability, we adopted a Land Acknowledgement, recognizing that the land on which APT is located is part of the traditional and current homelands of the Ho-Chunk people.

2020

• Produced a virtual play reading series of plays by BIPOC playwrights. Selections included: Are You Now, Or Have You Ever Been… by Carlyle Brown, Nat Turner in Jerusalem by Nathan Alan Davis, Smart People by Lydia R. Diamond, and The Sins of Sor Juana by Karen Zacarías.
• APT staff and artists designed a new education program, The Words Between Us. The program uses APT teaching artists’ skill with language and literature to increase racial fluency in Wisconsin schools.
• Created the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee of the APT Board of Directors.