Diversity Equity and Inclusion | History Theatre

Diversity Equity and Inclusion

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

History Theatre sits on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary land of the Dakota people, for whom the land holds historical, spiritual, and political significance. We recognize and honor the Dakota people, ancestors, and descendants, as well as the land itself, and all the sovereign Native nations in Minnesota and beyond. We recognize that this acknowledgment itself is not enough and only serves as a first step toward decolonization. 

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION (DEI)

Inclusivity is a part of History Theatre’s foundation. Representing “the diverse American experience” is a fundamental aspect of our mission. A core value is “Illuminating Diverse Voices and Viewpoints: By producing work that explores familiar and untold stories that reflect the true diversity of our region and its people.” In this time of political polarization, pandemic, and a renewed focus on racial reckoning triggered by the murder of George Floyd, we recognize that what stories we present, how they are chosen and who is telling them, is more important than ever.

History Theatre is a mission-driven organization, and we know we can only continue to do our work successfully when we honor our values and take a critical look at the way our organization is run at every level. Over the past two years, History Theatre, like all of us in the Twin Cities theatre community, has taken seriously the calls from the community, artists and audiences to reflect on how we contribute to systemic racism and how we can advance our commitment to equity throughout our organization.

Our collective history, as well as our current moment, is fraught with traumatic injustices based on race, gender, sexuality and ability. During this time we continue to renew our commitment to undoing these systems of injustice within our own organization and in our communities with urgency, investment and accountability. We recognize that these goals require intentional time, reflection, dedicated resources, and action.

History Theatre’s overarching equity goal is to continue telling the stories of historically underrepresented communities through the work we commission and present on stage. These stories, written and directed by playwrights representing each community, currently make up 25% of the plays and musicals presented at History Theatre in its 45-year existence; 44% of History Theatre playwrights are women.

OUR PLANS AND PROGRESS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK

In the summer of 2020, History Theatre created a 16-member task force of board and staff members to assess where we stand and where we need to go in regard to our equity and inclusion goals. Phase I of our task force included gathering information on who is attending our shows and how key stakeholders (audiences, artists, employees, volunteers) feel about History Theatre. The following are a few examples of how we’ve gathered information and the actions we have taken so far.

Input from Artists and Action Taken

In August 2020, History Theatre sent out a survey to all artists who had worked with us in the last three years to gather more information about who they are and how their experience was. Organizational changes thus far include greater representation in artistic decisions; improving equitable labor practices, such as adding personnel support to the costume department, hiring understudies for both cast and crew, and decreasing our tech work day from 10 out of 12 hours to 8 out of 10 hours. Equity and non-Equity salaries for actors increased in actor salaries by 40% in 2012.

In response to feedback from our one-time artist survey, History Theatre developed an anonymous way for artists to provide continuous feedback after each project or production they work on at History Theatre. At the end of each show run, all artists are given an opportunity to provide feedback on their experience through a virtual survey, which is analyzed by a third party to further ensure artists’ privacy. This has allowed us to be responsive to artist feedback throughout the year.  So far we’ve made changes to safety protocols, and communication practices, and developed new communication channels based on feedback we received from artists. 

Input from Audiences

In February 2022, History Theatre sent out a mass general survey to anyone who had attended History Theatre in the last three years. Over 2,500 people responded, sharing anonymous information about the ways they identify, and how they interact with and feel toward History Theatre. This information is still being analyzed but will be used to better understand who is coming to History Theatre and why, to deepen relationships with, expand and diversify audiences.

Over the past two years, the committee was additionally invited to determine focus areas for expanding History Theatre’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work. The committee met multiple times from 2020-2021, and along with staff, finalized a new, deeply intentional plan that prioritizes:

  • Identifying, building trust, and engaging with current and new audiences.
  • Engaging and empowering more diverse artists, cast, and crew to ensure the production of high-quality works that explore familiar and untold stories that reflect the diversity of our region and its people.
  • Ensuring that staff, board and volunteers are effectively engaged and that operational decisions are made through an equity lens.

Working with the committee, we identified more than 45 strategic action items that range from ongoing DEI training for staff and board to reviewing and adjusting artist and staff pay, to connecting and consulting with BIPOC community leaders and connectors early and consistently throughout a play’s development processes, to issuing the aforementioned anonymous surveys.

Most recently at the annual meeting of the board of directors, we explored the concept of inclusiveness and its implications for systemic change. As the committee moves forward to the next phase of work, the board and staff will continue to review our progress, set new goals based on our initial objectives along with a deeper analysis of how History Theatre promotes “the practices and structures that are in place that promote exclusion in the first place”.   

For more information or questions about our DEI plan, please email Karen Mueller Managing Director at History Theatre.

For more information

The following is a selection of books, articles and media shared among Board and staff members throughout our discussions: