- Target:
- Walnut Street Theatre
- Region:
- United States of America
- Website:
- www.instagram.com
I stand with Black, Indigenous, Latino, Asian, MENASA, Multiracial, and marginalized artists who have been denied fair opportunity to work at the Walnut Street Theatre because of their race or ethnicity.
I stand with LGBTQIA2S+ and gender non-conforming artists who have been shamed because of their identity while working at the Walnut Street Theatre or have been denied fair opportunity to work.
I stand with disabled artists who have been denied fair opportunity to work at the Walnut Street Theatre.
I stand with artists who have been body-shamed or demeaned while working at the Walnut Street Theatre or denied fair opportunity to work because of their physical appearance.
I stand with artists, employees, and contractors who have been made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe while working at the Walnut Street Theatre.
I stand with the artists, employees, and contractors who were intimidated into silence by the toxic workplace culture perpetuated by Walnut Street Theatre leadership.
I stand with artists, employees, and contractors who have endured emotional and verbal abuse while working at the Walnut Street Theatre.
I stand with artists, employees, and contractors who have sought therapy or other mental health counseling because of the trauma and abuse they suffered while working at the Walnut Street Theatre.
In solidarity with these people who have suffered emotional, professional, and/or financial harm as a direct result of the poor leadership of Bernard Havard and all senior staff at the Walnut Street Theatre, I demand:
* The removal of Bernard Havard from his position as President and Producing Artistic Director of Walnut Street Theatre and any future leadership position within the Philadelphia theatre community
* The removal of Mark D. Sylvester from his position as Managing Director of Walnut Street Theatre and any future leadership position within the Philadelphia theatre community
* An Anti-Racism action plan (using the #WeSeeYouWAT demands as a reference point)
* The addition of a permanent, full-time position of Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (IDEA), who will act as a consultant for all casting and hiring processes, development of initiatives to continually improve and renew the Walnut Street Theatre’s commitment to DEI, and will conduct annual DEI training for all staff
* Consistent representation within casts and artistic teams that better reflects the racial makeup and diversity of Philadelphia
* A team of full-time employees that statistically reflects the racial makeup and diversity of Philadelphia through equitable hiring practices and outreach
*Fair financial compensation for all Walnut Street Theatre workers, including apprentices, extras, understudies, and contractors, in the form of livable wages, adherence to contractually agreed-upon work hours, and a guarantee of paid overtime
* Financial transparency, in the form of a exhaustive financial audit made available to the public, including any and all bonuses awarded to employees, allocations of funding for the Education Department, and details of dispersal of PPP loan funds
* Handicap and disability accessibility in all backstage, office, and front of house spaces
Until these demands are met, I will:
* Cancel all subscriptions or recurring donations to the Walnut Street Theatre
* Not attend any Walnut Street Theatre show or event
* Not audition, attend any callback, interview, or accept any offer of employment at the Walnut Street Theatre
* Regularly inquire about the Walnut Street Theatre’s status regarding the above demands via the Walnut Street Theatre’s ‘Contact Us’ page on their website and WST social media accounts
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Protect the Artist - Walnut Street Theatre Petition petition to Walnut Street Theatre was written by Protect the Artist and is in the category Civil Rights at GoPetition.