BIPOC Letter to the Leadership and Board of Trustees at Hale Centre Theatre
To the Senior Leadership and Board of Trustees at Hale Centre Theatre:
At a time where the conversation surrounding racial inequality, diversity, and inclusion is ever present, now is your opportunity to be a leader in the arts industry. Hale Centre Theatre (HCT) has the capacity to drive this change and push for equality, which is essential to the healing that the theatre commits to be a part of. The collective body signed herein represents Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and those who support this call to action.
We are hurting.
We thank you for your recent efforts to publicly spread the message of equality, love and hope. However, as an organization that serves this ever-growing community, we agree that there is room for improvement. There is an even greater responsibility to not only commit to being anti-racist, but to implement actionable steps which promote that intent, and support your mission of enriching lives through world class theatre.
In the spirit of accountability and creating equality for all BIPOC, we implore HCT to immediately introduce inclusive policies and procedures as follows:
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Publish a detailed non-discrimination statement and policy, inclusive of non-retaliation protection. This statement reinforces that racism of any kind will not be tolerated; neither from those associated with the organization or its patrons.
Specifically define, understand and reflect the community that HCT serves.
Commit to making a concerted effort to seek a greater representation of BIPOC throughout the entire organization to include, but not limited to:
Directors, choreographers, designers, production management and technicians
Front of House staff and volunteers
Development staff, sponsors, board members, and donors
Commitment to actively engage, hire and cast BIPOC creative staff and actors, meeting a threshold of at least 50% in each production.
Casting announcements should be drafted with inclusive language that welcomes and strongly encourages actors of all races and ethnicities to attend and participate in all auditions.
Make every reasonable effort to cast BIPOC actors in all roles (leading, supporting, and ensemble), specifically where race is not significant to the story. Roles developed for or by a BIPOC artist, in an original production(s) of a play or musical, should be held in high regard to proceed with that original intent.
Increased frequency/production of shows that depict stories of BIPOC (apart from historical slavery and oppression)
50% of the productions each season should encompass developed BIPOC stories; this includes works created by BIPOC writers.
Develop a fund in which donations can be made for, but not limited to: tickets for BIPOC audience development, scholarships for BIPOC educational opportunities, and secondary cash donations to BIPOC non-profit charities.
EDUCATION
There is an immediate need to increase focus on the development of an inclusive youth theater education program, including in-school visits. Priority should be given toward outreach to Title 1 Schools that statistically have a higher percentage of BIPOC students.
Provide scholarships or grants to make HCT’s educational outlets more accessible to low income BIPOC students.
Actively recruit BIPOC students to be a part of both the HCT Stars children’s singing program, and OnStage performing ensemble. 50% of both programs should be comprised of BIPOC students.
Offer teaching opportunities for adult BIPOC artists, with special consideration of those from within the HCT family.
TRAINING
Conduct documented annual diversity, equity, and inclusion training for all seasonal creative staff (directors, choreographers, production stage managers, etc.) with an emphasis on diverse casting/recruitment, and facilitating sensitive discussions surrounding production material.
Conduct documented sexual harassment and implicit/unconscious bias training during orientation of each production. Additionally, this training should also be conducted annually for all board members, as well as full and part-time employees of the organization.
TRANSPARENCY
Provide a public, quarterly report that outlines and reaffirms HCT’s active commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This report should reflect measurable results of all topics outlined above.
HCT’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee should conduct a feedback forum, at minimum, once quarterly. 50% of those in attendance should be BIPOC artists, staff, volunteers, etc. who worked during that reporting segment.
Black, Indigenous, and People of Color are part of our community that is constantly changing, shifting and growing. As an influential staple within this community, we need HCT’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion to be clear, unwavering, reflected and celebrated across all artistic and operational aspects of the theatre. Honoring this mindset will not only lead to increased opportunities for minorities, but it will certainly continue to enrich lives by the sharing of those stories, that we are all so passionate to tell. The voices of minorities, through those stories, need to be heard. Be the rising tide that lifts all the boats.
You have our support to carry on Hale Centre Theatre’s mission. Therefore, we look forward to your response and continuing this conversation with you.
Signed,
-Past and Present Hale Centre Theatre Artists, Staff and Patrons-
Kandyce Marie
Actor 5 Shows
Latoya Cameron (formerly Rhodes)
Actor- 1 Show
Trevor Jerome
Actor- 6 Shows
Prod. Manager- 5 Shows
Sean Carter
Actor- 10 Shows
Patron Services Agent- 7.5 years
Michelle Love-Day
HCT Board of Trustees - Education Committee
Actor- 2 Shows
Prod. Manager- 1 Show
Stage Tech- 2 Shows
Chris Curlett
Actor- 5 Shows
Erica Richardson
Actor- 5 Shows
Stage Tech- 4 Shows
Jeremy Egan
Actor- 8 Shows
Kyle Khou
Actor- 4 Shows
Brandon Day
Actor- 1 Show
Stage Tech- 3 Shows
Josephine Scere
Actor- 4 Shows
Anthony Green
Actor- 6 Shows
Rebecca Burroughs
Actor- 9 Shows
Stage Tech- 2 Shows
Karli Biondini-Towt (formerly Martin)
Actor- 5 Shows
Aria Love-Jackson
Actor- 6 Shows
Raven Flowers
Actor- 2 Shows
Crystal Poloa
Actor- 4 Shows
Dresser- 17 Shows
Wardrobe Supervisor
Carleton Bluford
Actor- 4 Shows
Brandon Ngo
Actor- 3 Shows
Wesley Conrad Valdez
Actor- 5 Shows
Quesley Bunch
Actor- 1 Show
Markus T. Boddie
Actor- 4 Shows
Voice Over- 2 Shows
Siamani Harris
Actor- 3 Shows
Stage Tech- 11 Shows
Carlos Garcia
Actor- 6 Shows
Rebecca Roberts
Actor- 4 Shows
Alec Powell
Actor- 5 Shows
Tierra (Jean) Jones
Actor- 5 Shows
Jenny Rock
Actor- 5 Shows
Debbie Jane Fuchs
Actor- 1 Show
Erika Ovuoba (Incachi)
Actor- 2 Shows
Keslie Ta’afua
Actor- 1 Show
Aitana Alapa
Actor- 1 Show
Michael Hernandez
Actor- 1 Show
Melanie Fernelius
Actor- 1 Show
CJ Drisdom
Actor- 1 Show
Mikah Wonders
Actor- 2 Shows
Rita Martin
Actor- 2 Shows
Haley Wawro
Actor- 7 Shows
Wade Robert Johnson
Patron
Dee Dee Darby Duffin
Patron
Gray McKenzie
Patron
Cooper Howell
Patron
Kia Armstrong
ASM, Technician, Actress- 32 Shows
Angela Chatelain Avila
Actor- 3 Shows
Tyson Baker
Patron
Brooke Wilson
Actor, Stage Tech,
Choreographer- 15 Shows
Ellora Latin
Actor- 2 Shows
Jaymie Inouye
Actor- 2 Shows
Caleb Jensen
Actor- 1 Show
Jennifer Hill-Barlow
Director/Choreographer- 21 Shows
Julianne Whitney
Patron
Ashley Wilkinson
Dialect Coach- 1 Show
Trayven Call
Patron
Katie Harmer
Patron
Tiffani Mills
Patron
William Richardson
Usher- 2 Years
Bradley Hatch
Patron
Sarah Bell
Patron
Amy Ware
Actor- 1 Show
Aaron Swenson
Patron
Bre Welch
Actor- 10 Shows
Addison Welch
Actor- 8 Shows
Jordan Dahl
Actor- 5 Shows
Adrien Swenson
Actor- 10 Shows
Jack Shapiro
Actor- 3 Shows
Tyson Leavitt
Production Manager
Woody Brook
Actor- 8 Shows
Justin Bills
Actor- 10 Shows
Lauren Noll
Actor- 1 Show
Amanda Morgan
Actor- 1 Show
Contracted Photographer
Jared Morgan
Patron
Rachel Hanson
Actor- 8 Shows
Brock Dalgleish
Actor- 14 Shows
Gamyr Worf
Stage Manager- 3 Years
Mikey Allen Christensen
Stage Tech- 55 Shows
Jenny Walsh
Actor- 3 Shows
John Rowland
Actor- 1 Show
Cameron Garner
Actor- 23 Shows
Ashley LaRue Haslam
Actor- 12 Shows
Aaron Ford
Actor- 5 Shows
Amelia Rose Moore
Actor- 16 Shows
Megan Lynn Heaps
Actor- 8 Shows
Casey Elliott
Actor- 7 Shows
Cory Stephens
Actor/Choreographer- 10 Shows
Amanda Van Orden
Actor- 3 Shows
Travis Wilson
Stage Tech- 2 Shows
Tim Budd
Actor, Stage Tech, Stage Manager- 50 + Shows
Jerry Rapier
Patron
Darin Stites
Actor/Stage Tech- 30+ Shows
Alan Babcock
Actor- 11 Shows
Kelly Pulver (Hennessey)
Actor- 4 Shows
Ali Bennett
Actor- 18 Shows
Alyssa Simmons
Actor- 1 Show
Sean Knuth-Bishop
Actor- 2 Shows
Dresser 1 Show
Taylor Knuth
Actor- 2 Shows
Thomas Moore
Dresser/Tech- 11 Shows
Actor- 1 Show
Casey Matern
Actor- 15 Shows
Katherine Nielsen
Actor- 3 Shows
Christian Lackman
Actor- 2 Shows
Lizzy Bean
Actor- 4 Shows
Spencer Bean
Actor- 3 Shows
John Nielsen
Actor- 28 Shows
Anna Daines
Actor- 3 Shows
Nate Brogan
Actor- 6 Shows
Luseane Vaili
Actor- 1 Show
Gregory Kyte
Patron
Matt Baxter
Actor- 5 Shows
Kailey Green
Actor
Matthew Sanguine
Actor- 8 Shows
Kenzie Belnap
Actor
Melissa Cameron
Patron
Yoah Christine
Actor- 1 Show
Deena Marie Manzanares
Actor- 4 Shows
David Guy Holmes
Actor- 9 Shows
Hope Bird
Wigs/Dresser- 15 Shows
Tiffany Nutter
Actor-1 Show
William Edward Cameron
Patron
Joanna Johnson
Dresser- 5 Shows
Ana Perkins
Dresser/Tech- 10 Shows
Camie Jones
Dresser- 5 Shows
Bryce Clifton
Actor- 4 Shows
Joy Zhu
Costume Designer- 29 Shows
Nathan Gallegos
Lead Stage Technician- 21 Shows
Terry Rasmussen
Patron
Madeline Ashton
Production Artist & Associate Designer
Evan Vincent
Dresser- 2 Shows
Liz Meredith
Dresser- 1 Show
Alexandra Bowden
Asst. Stage Manager- 11 Shows
Tech Crew- 19 Shows
Krissa Lent
Wig/Makeup Design- 23 Shows
Candice Cronin
Wig Design/Wig Crew- 12 Shows
Mina Sadoon
Actor- 1 Show
Alden Sturgeon
Actor- 6 Shows
Sher’l Cameron
Patron
Blake Barlow
Actor- 2 Shows
Dustin Bolt
Actor- 8 Shows
Dave Nutter
Actor- 2 Shows
Penny Rasmussen
Patron
Andrew Cortes
Patron
William Edward Cameron Jr.
Patron
Shaun Boyle
Patron
Elaine La Van
Patron
Tanner Forbes
Actor- 4 Shows
Brooklynn Pulver Kohler
Actor- 7 Shows
Matt Kohler
Actor- 10 Shows
Jaymie Lambson
Actor- 8 Shows
Jonathan Scott McBride
Actor- 5 Shows
Dixie Casasola
Patron Services Agent-
3 years
Carly McDermott
Patron Services Agent-
1 year
Abigail Cameron
Patron
Samantha Krohn
Patron Services Agent-
5 years
Brayden Searcy
Patron
Nicky Thompson
Patron Services Agent-
3 years
Nancy MaWhinney
Patron Services Agent-
3 years
Michelle Hunt
Patron
Nicki Nixon
Patron
Cassandra Stokes-Wylie
Patron
Aleksndr Arteaga
Patron
Anne Louise Brings
Actor/Patron
Michael Johnson
Patron
Madelyn Boudreaux
Patron
Mindy Young
Patron
Emilie Starr
Actor- 1 Show
Patron
Eb Madson
Actor- 1 Show
Jilene Stark
Patron
Suni Gigliotti
Patron
Lily Hye Soo Dixon
Patron
Nikki Baum
Patron
Beret Brems
Patron
Haley McCormick Jenkins
Patron
Sarah Young
Patron
Sarah Walker
Patron
Bryan Sommer
Patron
Connor Padilla
Patron
Sarah Shippobotham
Dialect Coach- 1 Show
Michelle Lynn Thompson
Patron
Nicol Raszon
Patron
Malinda Money
Actor- 1 Show
Meredith Hammond
Patron
Maddie Tarbox
Patron
Cameron Park
Patron
Jaynann Daly
Wig Maker- 1 Show
Patron
Kealy Meese
Patron
Nadia Sine
Patron
Jessie McCullough
Patron
Rusty Bringhurst
Actor- 7 Shows
Emily Sellers (formerly Bell)
Actor- 8 Shows
Preston Taylor
Actor- 3 Shows
Cypress Thompson
Patron Services
Agent- 5 years
MacKenzie Pedersen
Actor- 4 Shows
Topher Rasmussen
Patron
Timothy Aaron Cooper
Actor- 2 Shows
Summer Camp Dialect Teacher- 2 Camps
Jennie Sant
AEA Stage Manager
Thomas Marcus
Patron
Jason Wesley Buonforte
Actor- 9 Shows
Scott Cluff
Actor- 3 Shows
Brian Kocherhans
Patron
Kaitlin Kocherhans
Patron
Eric Geels
Patron
Jason Sullivan
Actor- 1 Show
Scenic Carpenter- 2 Years
Greg Barnett
Actor- 10 Shows
Jenny Latimer
Actor- 4 Shows
Joshua Black
Actor- 1 Show
Sara Schmidt
Actor- 8 Shows
Merry Magee
Patron
Brian Nelson
Actor- 1 Show
Adriana Lemke
Patron
Judi Biondini Martin
Patron
Cynthia Fleming
Patron
Aathaven Tharmarajah
Actor- 2 Shows
Olivia Custodio
Actor
Darla Davis
Actor 9 Shows
Carlie Young
Utah Actor
Kara Corry
Patron
Juliet Doherty
Principal Dancer/Actor
An American in Paris
Jeremy J Minagro
Patron
Chris and Lisa Clark
Director/Director’s Spouse, Host of “The Lisa Show,” BYU
Patrick Livingston
Actor- 1 Show
Amy Shreeve Keeler
Actor- 8 Shows
Dr. Lindsay Livingston
Patron, Professor Bowdoin College
Author of “Extra Ordinary Violence: Performance, Race, and Gun Culture in the United States.”
David Morgan
Director, Professor of Theatre BYU
Jared Oaks
Patron, Conductor/Musical Director Ballet West & Grandson of Dallin H. Oaks
Dalaney Westfall
Actor
Joshua D. Tinoco
Patron
Erika Ahlin
Patron
Shanice Holt
Dresser- 5 Shows
Sunny Simkins
Actor
Brianna Packard
Patron Services Agent
Peter Reid Lambert
Actor- 2 Shows
Zack Wilson
Actor- 3 Shows
Afton Wilson
Choreographer- 1 Show
BRYN Campbell
Actor- 2 Shows
Wig Dresser- 13 Shows
Kalyn West
Actor- 1 Show
Nathan Kremin
Actor- 5 Shows
Eboni Williams
Stage Tech- 3 Shows
Brian Russell Carey
Actor 1- Show
Bill Witcher
Patron
Judy Witcher
Patron
Ames Edwards Bell
Actor- 12 Shows
Krista Saltmarsh-Hemsley
Actor- 2 Shows
Daniel Anderson
Actor- 6 Shows
Mia Gallardo
Aerialist- 2 Shows
Marshall Madsen
Tech/Actor/Accompanist
6 Shows
Cody Neville
Technician- 21 Shows
5 Years
William Maguire
Actor/Aerialist- 1 Show
Usher- 2 Years
Jessica Edling
Production Stage Manager
Michelle Marie Jensen
Properties Designer- 70 + Shows
Lesli Spencer
Wig Crew Supervisor
Wyatt Hendricks
Actor- 2 Shows
Josh Lee
Actor/Aerialist- 1 Show
Jessica Zoë Bird
Actor/Aerialist- 6 Shows
Serena Kozusko
Actor- 2 Shows
Chadwick Taylor
Actor- 8 Shows
Justin Utley
Patron
Summer Naomi Interior
Actor- 1 Show
Ann Marshall Odom
Actor- 3 Shows
Bryant Larson-Ford
Actor- 2 Shows
John Sweeney
Actor/Director- 42 Shows
Ally Sweeney
Actor- 3 Shows
Debora Wawro
Patron
Nneka Barcelona
Actor- 1 Show
Ryan J. Poole
Actor, Stage Manager-
50+ Shows
Michael Hadley
Company Manager
Austin Dorman
Actor- 4 Shows
Kimberly Paulsen
Actor/ Aerialist
Jeffrey Nakashima
Patron/Volunteer- 16 Years
Akemi Nakashima
Actor- 2 Shows
Dresser- 1 Show
Cabrielle Andersen
Actor- 1 Show
Jeff Thompson
Actor- 4 Shows
Alex Boye’
Actor- 2 Shows
Danna Barney
Head of Lighting-
100 + Shows
Dar Monte
Stage Technician
Abrea Ascione
Actor/Dancer- 1 Show
Carolyn Crow
Actor- 1 Show
Trisha Ison
Wig Shop Manager/Designer- 30+ Shows
Natalie Keezer
Actor/Patron
Lane Richins
Actor/Patron
Joseph Paul Branca
Actor - 3 Shows
Liz Joyner
Technician - 8 shows
Thomas Kulkus
Actor - 1 show
Erica Walters
Actor
Gabriel Misla
Patron
Kande Shackelford
Patron Services Agent
Production Assistant
Technician - 50 shows
Trevor Dean
Actor - 10 shows
Mandi Barrus
Actor - 8 shows
(Signatures updated as of July 3, 2020)