After two wonderful years in Takoma Park, The Performing Arts Training Studio has recently relocated to the Columbia Heights/Pleasant Plains neighborhoods.  Conveniently located at 733 Euclid Street NW, PATStudio is now about 1/2 block from Howard University and 6 blocks from the Shaw/Howard University metro on the Green Line. That's prime real estate in a vibrant historic community. Of course, PATStudio will continue to offer professional level acting and playwriting training for adults and youth in the D.C. metro area. 

"It’s really wonderful that we’re into our third year and now with a new midtown location. I feel that we’ll be able to help even more people achieve their dreams." Executive Director Denise Hart shared.

To celebrate, they’re hosting an Open House this coming Saturday, January 5th from 12-2pm.  Stop by to see the space, win some prizes, and FREE give-aways while they last. Before you go, be sure to register for classes and meet the team.

Questions? Please contact the The Performing Arts Training Studio:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 202.321.0779
Address: 733 Euclid St. NW 2nd floor WDC 20001
Website: www.performingartstrainingstudio.com

In the midst of her preparations, Executive Director Denise J. Hart spoke with me about what inspired her to start The Performing Arts Training Studio and what students can expect once they enroll. Here's our conversation:

JACQUELINE LAWTON: What inspired you to start the Performing Arts Training Studio?
DENISE HART:  Helping others achieve the skills they need to actualize their dreams is definitely a part of my life’s calling.  Although, I’m a tenured professor of theatre at Howard University and have been teaching theatre for 25 years, I once had the dream of heading to LA and casting my hat in the ring of television acting.  However, 20 years ago when I gave birth to my son I decided to remain here in WDC.  I’ve had the pleasure of working locally as a professional actress with Wolly Mammoth, Alliance Theatre, African continuum and Arena Stage and I also play the recurring role of Miss Anna on HBO’s The Wire.  So many of my mentors always told me that I was born to teach and I guess they were right.  I’ve had the great privilege of studying under Vera J. Katz, Kelsie Collie, Al Freeman, Phylicia Rashad and Mike Malone.  I see what I do as an instructor, playwright, director and even as the Executive Director at PATStudio as very spiritual service oriented work.  People want to transform.  They want to learn, grow, express and create space for people to think, laugh and just be. That’s what the theatre does for people and to people.  I’m delighted for PATStudio to be a part of the long legacy of institutions providing theatrical training in Washington.

JL: What excites you most about moving to the Columbia Heights community. How do you feel this move will serve your students?
DH: As you know, Columbia Heights and nearby Logan Circle/Shaw are all abuzz with new restaurants, bars and a wonderful mix of historic architecture, long time residents and newcomers to the area. I purchased a condo on 14th street in 2011 and I wanted PATStudio to be connected to the wave of entrepreneurial energy impacting the area, the nearby thriving theatre district and the midtown location makes us that much more accessible to a wide range of people.  As the word spreads that PATStudio is in the community, many are saying that although new restaurants and bars are nice, it’s a relief to have something different in the neighborhood.  To Celebrate our move, we’re having Open House this Saturday, January 5th from 12-2pm.  We welcome folks to stop by to see the space, win some prizes, FREE give-aways while they last, register for classes and meet the team. Conveniently located at 733 Euclid Street NW about 1/2 block from Howard University and 6 blocks from the Shaw greenline metro stop PATStudio will continue to offer professional level acting and playwriting training for adults and youth in the WDC metro area. 

JL: Who are your typical students? 
DH: Everyone from professional actors to newbies have benefited from our unique programs and our team of professional working Master Instructors.  Our classes, workshops and camps help a wide range of people transform their craft and their career. Over the past two years we are thrilled to have served over 500 youth and adults! 

JL: What type of acting classes do you offer? What is your pedagogical approach to acting?
DH: For the adult actor, this January we’re launching our signature training program, The Intrinsic Acting Method. A full immersion developmental program inspired by the principles of Stanislavski, Hagen an Spolin.  Our philosophy is that all actors have within them the innate ability to craft characters from an intuitive space of authenticity and truth.  Our unique training approach helps actors to create from this powerful imaginative space.  For youth ages 5-16, we offer 3 developmental levels of acting: Acting Bonanza 5-8, Actor’s Playground 9-12 and Ready, Set, ACT! ages 13-16.  We also offer two very popular musical theatre summer camps for kids ages 5-16.

JL: As a professional and award winning playwright, what is your approach to playwriting classes?
DH: Playwriting students also move though a developmental program from beginner to advanced classes culminating in our Playwrights Posse. A workshop style class designed to help advanced playwrights develop their plays for production, for entry into competitions and self producing at local and national festivals.

JL: Have your students gone on to work professionally?
DH: Many of our acting students frequently work locally and also work in New York, Atlanta and LA for projects.  We pride ourselves on helping our students radically transform their ability to use imagination, intuition, body, voice and creativity in service to the world of the play both as actors and playwrights. Students who train at The Performing Arts Training Studio discover more meaning and value in their careers and craft as they learn how to better connect to themselves, their creativity, the text and the world of the stage.

JL: The classes sound amazing and fun! I feel like I’d learn a lot. How much do classes cost?
DH: Yes, folks will have fun as they work with our team of Master Instructors to strengthen their skills and excel in their craft.  In keeping with the mission of our nonprofit organization to create accessible theatre training for the WDC metro area, our adult semester class tuition is $150 for a 5 week semester while our kids acting classes (ages 5-16) are $260 per semester.  We also have payment plans available for adults who desire to complete their training in one year.

JL: As someone who casts readings, workshops and productions, I’m always on the lookout for new acting talent. Will there be an opportunity to showcase your students work?
DH: Definitely!  Adult students can look forward to our culminating showcase production in November for invited special guests, friends and family; while youth share their growth with a free performance for family and friends at the end of each semester.

DENISE J. HART, Executive Director, holds her MFA in Playwriting from Sarah Lawrence College and a BFA in Acting from Howard University and is the founder and Executive Director of The Performing Arts Training Studio, which provides professional training in acting and playwriting for youth and adults. She is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre Arts at Howard University where she coordinates the Playwriting minor. She has authored and directed 16 children's musicals and authored the plays: Nothing to Lose, Sistah Girl, Masquerade Parade, Ring the Bell, My Soul is a Witness and This Joy, (former finalist in The Lark & Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights competitions). Her Directing and Dramaturgy credits include: Breath Boom, Secret Mist of Blue, Melancholy of Barbarians, The Exile & the American, Day of Absence, Zooman and the Sign, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.  Her acting credits include the recurring role as "Miss Anna" on HBO'S The Wire, African Continuum Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and The Theatre Alliance.   Ms. Hart is also a Creativity Life Coach, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, The Dramatist Guild, The Playwrights Forum, and Theatre for Young Audiences. 

JACQUELINE LAWTON: What excited you about attending TCG's 2012 Fall Forum?
YOLANDA WILLIAMS: Not only was I excited about seeing my YLC cohorts but I was excited to jump into this discussion on Diversity. I was excited to see if we were going to go beneath the surface and actually dig deep and discuss the heart of the matter in terms of Diversity in Theatre. I was anxious to share my thoughts and listen to those who truly want to address the issues and solve the problems concerning the topic- and not glaze over it with smiles and pleasantries.

Jl: What were some of the common themes and challenges being addressed?
YW: Defining Diversity was the biggest theme and presented the biggest challenge. As we addressed the issue and totality of its definition we realized the term ‘diversity’ was more complex and became a discussion that lead us all to reexamine our commitment to implement diversity on all levels in theatre. By tackling the issues in defining ‘diversity’ head first and having an honest and open discussion helped to a set course our need for change and action.

JL: What surprised you the most about your experience?
YW: I was surprised about the open and honest dialogue used in the small group discussions. When first arriving, I did not know what to expect. I thought it would be a very conservative broad overview of topics and not enough time to actually break down some common themes and problems we are facing in American Theatre. I was thoroughly impressed. Although we did not cover every problem of diversity, we did start the conversation and the movement to work towards change.

JL: When considering Models for Diversity, what does it mean to have a commitment to diversity? 

YW: A commitment to diversity when considering Models for Diversity is making changes to diversify and tackling each challenge that blocks progression until it starts to pay off. It is realizing that it might not be the most popular decision starting out and at times or in appearance, not the most profitable one, but it the long run it would be the most beneficial to your community and your company.  Ultimately your reward will be far greater than what you could have imagined. We’ve seen it time and time again by looking at the bigger picture. It’s all about being patient and investing in your community and those who make up your surrounding areas. A commitment to diversity is a commitment to your own company.

JL: Where do you see Models for Diversity working in the theatre community, whether locally, regionally or nationally? What can we learn from their efforts?

YW: There is a way to implement Models for Diversity throughout the theatre community, in every aspect. From front of House to actors, designers, directors, crew, producers all the way up to trustees and board of directors. If diversity is evident in the theatre from the ground up, then it can not help but to reflect the community it represents. By representing the community more people want to support it therefore creating a broader and more diverse audience.

You sometimes see Models of Diversity in community theatre more than anywhere else. I believe the theatre community, regionally and nationally can learn a lot from them. In community theatre, they put on productions strictly for the sake of art and the chance to work on a piece together and bring their community out to see a show. The key word here is their community. They cast is the community in terms of the Art they are presenting. This goes beyond terms of age, race and background. The focus instead is on working together to present the work they bring to life in their production. They understand that it is the community and surrounding areas that come out and support these shows because they want to see people they can relate to on stage. They want to see people like them get on stage and bring a show to life. Without diversity where would that leave community theatre? Without diversity where would that leave theatre in general? That is just one Model of Diversity that I see present that has worked and continues to work and generate revenue.

JL: What efforts have you made, or been involved with, to foster diversity competence and understanding in your community? How were these efforts met? Do you see a change?

YW: I’ve been a mentor to up and coming artist in my community. I have also been working on ways to give voices to new artists by helping them produce new works. I have been working with young playwrights of diverse backgrounds and working with them to have staged readings of their works.

JL:  Coming out of the TCG's 2012 Fall Forum, what goals have you set for yourself to Model the Movement?
YW: Two goals I set forth in progressing the push for implementing the tools I gathered from the forum: 1.) Continue to cultivate young minds and promote diversity in theatre in my community. 2.) Continue to be proactive and not wait for someone else to make a change but start the change.

TCG has invited those who attended the 2012 Fall Forum on Governance: Leading the Charge and those, like me, who wish they could have attended, to keep the conversation on diversity and inclusion going. They have created a public group on 2.0 called, Leading the Charge: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Here, you can take part in the conversation. They've even uploaded the brilliant and useful documents and resources made available at the Fall Forum, and you can even upload your own.

TCG has invited those who attended the 2012 Fall Forum on Governance: Leading the Charge and those, like me, who wish they could have attended, to keep the conversation on diversity and inclusion going. They have created a public group on 2.0 called, Leading the Charge: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Here, you can take part in the conversation. They've even uploaded the brilliant and useful documents and resources made available at the Fall Forum, and you can even upload your own.

JACQUELINE LAWTON: What excited you about attending TCG's 2012 Fall Forum?
AL HEARTLEY: I was excited about the chance to talk about diversity and inclusion with many leaders of the American theater.  I was also particularly excited that TCG decided to invite the Young Leaders of Color who are very invested in the conversation.  TCG also asked me to be a small group facilitator for the larger group conversations that we were going to have.  When I looked over the curriculum, I was excited and nervous.  There was a lot of ground to cover and some intimate topics that I certainly had strong opinions on.  However, the nervousness was met with excitement by most that I had talked to prior Fall Forum. 

JL: What were some of the common themes and challenges being addressed?
AH: One common challenge I felt people had was the idea of rhetoric vs. action.  I think many people in the room had the rhetoric about why diversity is important.  It was clear that the whole room could agree on specific examples and terms surrounding diversity and inclusion.  What you also saw though, was clear disagreement on some issues with some people being very liberal on issues and others expressing more conservative views on diversity and inclusion.  Despite the rhetoric though, I think people wondered where to go, how to go there, and I think most importantly, what was the litmus of when true diversity and inclusion occurred in the theater.  The challenge wasn’t talking about diversity and inclusion (though there were issues at some tables).  The challenge was looking past our own biases of what is diversity and inclusion and figure out how we can do more at our own theaters and within the field. 

JL: What surprised you the most about your experience?
AH: I was surprised by how versed people were in the conversations.  One exercise that we had to do was to define specific terms given to our table.  The term at my table where I was the facilitator was institutional racism.  I thought this was a great term to tackle, but also I was extremely nervous about it.  I knew what the term meant in my eyes, but I did not think that my table would be able to tackle the term.  However, this is where I was pleasantly surprised and I had to check my own biases.  I had come to believe that most white people could not recognize institutional racism because they tend to be the beneficiaries of such racism.  But my table, as well as others, was very adept at the various terms that were being discussed.  However, it was also surprising how many people needed to start with some simple definitions.  What is race?  What is ethnicity?  That was also surprising that people needed something that they could wrap their head around, which is a positive thing.  People need to ask the question and I think that’s the central goal. 

JL: When considering Models for Diversity, what does it mean to have a commitment to diversity? 
AH: It means that with greatness and leadership comes trial, error, and even resentment from others.  There are many who do not see diversity and inclusion as important or they see it as an attack on whiteness in favor of people of color.  In other words, it is not simple and it is not easy.  Instead, this kind of work takes a lot of effort and courage amongst people that want to fight for total diversity and inclusion.  However, it does not take time.  Something wonderful I heard at the TCG Conference was this: “Change does not take time.  It takes new ideas.”
     
JL: Where do you see Models for Diversity working in the theatre community, whether locally, regionally or nationally? What can we learn from their efforts? 
AH: One of the companies that I have looked toward in terms of Models of Diversity has been Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  I have admired how they have chosen to tackle diversity and how they have approached diversity as something that should just be and not something that is forced.  They also were brave enough to take the time to have the tough conversations about their organization.  I also look to their diversity consultant and someone who I take a lot of my cues when it comes to diversity and inclusion, Carmen Morgan.  OSF has put in place specific plans and goals when it comes to diversity and inclusion and has put the resources and investment towards equality.  For instance they have a Diversity and Inclusion Planning Committee as well as an Audience Manifesto about how they will help to bring in minority communities (age, race, ability) to the theater.  I look to them for tools and techniques that help to shape my own thinking. 

JL: What efforts have you made, or been involved with, to foster diversity competence and understanding in your community? How were these efforts met? Do you see a change?
AH: I have recently moved from Chicago where I did some work with fellow colleagues at Steppenwolf that I worked with in the Multicultural Fellowship program.  The fellowship specifically focused on bringing more people of color into arts administration.  We also attempted to help strengthen diversity and inclusion in various ways at Steppenwolf.  We had our own inclusion committee that worked with staff members to discuss issues of diversity at Steppenwolf.  We also incorporated a Multicultural Social Hour where we would send out an invitation to artists in Chicago to come and have conversations with others in the community around an issue of diversity within the Chicago and US theater community.  There was also a program that we modeled that encouraged our coworkers to support theater by minority playwrights as well as women. 

Since moving to Cleveland, I am pleased to say that I am discovering a community at Cleveland Play House that has a passion for diversity and inclusion.  I would say that in Cleveland I have not seen a change yet, but I have heard vocalized from leadership that diversity and inclusion is very important to them.  I look forward to working on a proposal for a diversity and inclusion statement. 

JL: Coming out of the TCG's 2012 Fall Forum, what goals have you set for yourself to Model the Movement?
AH: I have set a goal to keep the conversation toward action.  I think that there is a lot of excitement around the topic now, which is wonderful.  However, I want to see conversation turn into meaningful action so that we are not just talking about the issue constantly.  But there is also a goal to keep the conversation alive and to keep the movement going.   I want to continue to work with communities and theaters that have a vested interest in diversity.  I want to continue to be a part of programs nationally that are finding ways to promote diversity and inclusion.  Anything that I can be associated with that is action based will be important to me.  I also hope to continue to train with various people about promoting diversity and inclusion.  

TCG has invited those who attended the 2012 Fall Forum on Governance: Leading the Charge and those, like me, who wish they could have attended, to keep the conversation on diversity and inclusion going. They have created a public group on 2.0 called, Leading the Charge: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Here, you can take part in the conversation. They've even uploaded the brilliant and useful documents and resources made available at the Fall Forum, and you can even upload your own.

JACQUELINE LAWTON: What excited you about attending TCG's 2012 Fall Forum?
J.J. EL FAR: I was excited to continue the momentum generated in the TCG Conference around diversifying and making more inclusive the theater field at large as well as nurturing the emerging young leaders of color and identifying success stories within our field leaders. I was thrilled to reconnect with my cohort of YLC'ers and looked forward to furthering our leadership training, which I found enormously useful in June.

JL: What were some of the common themes and challenges being addressed?
JJE: Some of my concerns coming into Fall Forum were that the conference would fail to move the conversation forward on this topic and that we would be rehashing the familiar needs and conflicts of diversifying. I also was anxious about the idea of commodifying Diversity, which seems like it echoed among my fellow YLC cohort as well. Would this be a passing phase, or were we really developing sustainable shifts within our hiring structures and season selection that would affect the field for years to come. Fortunately, I think Katori Hall's opening keynote really hit the nail on the head asking how we can transcend tokenism.

Going in I wondered: Who is Diversity for? Who are we serving by Diversifying our theaters? Who is asking for it? What are well intentioned white folks supposed to do? What the hell does "White" mean anyway? And specifically, the question I asked after Katori spoke, which ended up becoming a framing question of the Fall Forum: "What would the ideal situation look like and how can we envision it so we can enact it?"
I felt that we spent so much time reiterating what wasn't right and working, that we needed to flip the conversation to talk about what was.  My mom, sage that she is, always tells me that I need to visualize what I want so I will be able to recognize it when I get it. Isn't that just exactly what we needed to do? Theater makers have the unique ability to envision other worlds and create scenarios that do not (yet) exist, surely we should be the leaders of the field, setting the example for other industries.

JL: What surprised you the most about your experience?
JJE: I was surprised that my question to the whole had such resonance with the folks at TCG and the conference as a whole. I was really grateful that we were moving in a positive direction. When we were in our small group sessions working to find group definitions of huge terms like "institutional racism," "diversity," "sexism," and "inclusion," I had a really difficult time finding language to describe these terms that wasn't already loaded with slanted meaning. I struggled deeply throughout that session. I ended up going home that night and writing six pages on the experience. A short excerpt from my rantings:

"I expected this weekend to be as stimulating, overwhelming, and beneficial as the conference in June. Fortunately I was prepared this time, or so I thought. Having spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on and formulating my perceptions of the subject of diversity and inclusion, I had my pre-packaged catch phrases in command ready to pop out as readily as a pez dispenser. I had made up my mind but forgot that it still has to respond to my tongue.

One of the concerns I have felt as someone socially identified as white, especially someone coming up in the 1990's was the issue of political correctness. In an age of whistle blowers, where one misinformed word can mean the end of someone's career, regardless of intention, it was a tricky time to keep up with the ever shifting moral and verbal battleground. My terminology and vocabulary have been positively uprooted. 
4. When considering Models for Diversity, what does it mean to have a commitment to diversity? A commitment to diversity would look like a more colorful and cultural administrative and artistic staff, a reflection of global perspective in season choice and artists on stage, and a sincere effort to broaden audiences through expanded access and outreach.

JL: Where do you see Models for Diversity working in the theatre community, whether locally, regionally or nationally? What can we learn from their efforts?
JJE: I think TCG is definitely a model in this area. I think Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Cornerstone Theater, Signature Theatre, and Centerstage are leading the charge. They are placing diversity as a core value of their organizational structure and making sure that it is represented on all levels of their work.

JL: What efforts have you made, or been involved with, to foster diversity competence and understanding in your community? How were these efforts met? Do you see a change?
JJE: Where I live in Harlem, we have a very unique situation. In my work with the Harlem Arts Festival, part of our goal is to represent the changing and diversifying faces of the artists who call Harlem home. While the Harlem Old Guard has historically been rooted in the African Community, many artists who are not of African descent find themselves left out of the conversation to begin with and denied access to opportunities for creating and showcasing their work. I am trying to create a broader global conversation that Harlem can participate in that is reflected in the artists in our line up. We have changed the requirements for artists to be "inspired by or inspiring Harlem," notably including those that live here, and those that see themselves as part of the larger conversation. I am usually still the whitest person in the room at most community events, and its a role that I am increasingly comfortable with. I enjoy the process of breaking down stereotypes and educating folks about new definitions of culture, diversity, and what progress truly looks like. I think we have a lot further to go. It is a rapidly shifting landscape, loaded with landmines. We are keenly aware that in Harlem, the conversation is still very much about color. I hope we can move beyond that in the coming years.

JL: Coming out of the TCG's 2012 Fall Forum, what goals have you set for yourself to Model the Movement?
JJE: I would like to offer myself as a diversity ambassador and hopefully develop an ambassadorship program that would include my fellow YLC  people. After the Fall Forum, I started the tumblr, "bindersfullofcolor," as a joke after hearing a desire expressed at the Forum for a kind of showcasing resource that would be available to theaters looking to diversify their staff. Rather than a binder, I think we should work towards having a reserve of individual artists and administrators who were available to consult and offer critical and positive feedback to an organization looking to improve in this area. We would hope that this type of program would develop a sustainable funding structure, and offer leadership and diversity training as in the YLC program for those who participate. This is an idea in progress, and I welcome your thoughts!

TCG has invited those who attended the 2012 Fall Forum on Governance: Leading the Charge and those, like me, who wish they could have attended, to keep the conversation on diversity and inclusion going. They have created a public group on 2.0 called, Leading the Charge: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Here, you can take part in the conversation. They've even uploaded the brilliant and useful documents and resources made available at the Fall Forum, and you can even upload your own.

JACQUELINE LAWTON: What excited you about attending TCG's 2012 Fall Forum?
KATIE CHRISTIE: I think a was most excited to see the conversation get to that for front of the conversation.  5 years ago....no one was talking about diversity and inclusion but a small group of YLC's in rooms no one knew about.  Emilya asked us in our wrap up what we would like to see happen.  One of the things we said was lets have this conversation with the leadership and now we have.  It took a little while but it is very clear that TCG is listening to us!  I'm excited to see the movement.

JL: What were some of the common themes and challenges being addressed?
KC: What stands out in my mind is addressing the issues of Power and Access....that came up often.  Also, the mixed race conversation has finally been added to the conversation.  That one was important to me...I was feeling surprised that it was not part of the conversation in LA and in Boston it really stuck out to me but I didn't have the courage to raise it...I wasn't sure that it would resinate with others.  In NY I brought it up day one and it continued to stay a part of the conversation.   

JL: What surprised you the most about your experience?
KC: So many things....I was surprised and the resistance and at the willingness to learn and change.  I was surprised to see how many people were uncomfortable doing a little physical warm up with Libby....by day 2 when they heard she was come about half of the people left the room...interesting.  I was not surprised but am always in awe of how many wonderful people I get to spend time with when I'm the this group.

JL: When considering Models for Diversity, what does it mean to have a commitment to diversity?
KC: To me it means to continue to broaden my approach to diversity and inclusion.  It has always been the core part of our mission but we can continue to expand.

JL: Where do you see Models for Diversity working in the theatre community, whether locally, regionally or nationally? What can we learn from their efforts?
KC: Oregon Shakespeare Festival is doing an amazing job but I think everyone knows about that.  I see also that the smaller theaters seem to have an easier time addressing these issues.  It also seems that these organization have strong education/outreach programs in place.  

JL: What efforts have you made, or been involved with, to foster diversity competence and understanding in your community? How were these efforts met? Do you see a change?
KC: Our whole organization is designed to promote cross cultural understand through the arts so all of our work in our community has this theme.  We accomplished this simply because that was my goal when I started the organization, it's our mission, and all of our programs have always reflected that...I didn't realize it was such a problem until I came to meet with the YLC's.  Everything is always changing for us because we work with youth and they are very quickly changing and adapting to a new world that is less familiar and comfortable to us older folks.  Working with youth has me continuously looking at how I can better serve and enrich the lives of our youth in a way that resonates with them.

JL: Coming out of the TCG's 2012 Fall Forum, what goals have you set for yourself to Model the Movement?
KC: My first goal is to try to organize local theaters and share TCG's Diversity and Inclusion message because no one from my community is ever at these meetings.  I will also work on bringing more people from my community to the table in Dallas.  My second goal is to re-evaluate our strategies and see where we can broaden our approach.  My third goal is to try to stay more engaged in the conversation between now and June.  
Thanks for doing this...it's been helpful for me and I hope it is helpful to you and JJ as you work with TCG on putting info together.  I think it is really important for people to note how good of a job they are doing at keeping this conversation moving....I'm not sure that everyone is able to see that depending on how long they've been involved.  Almost like it would be a nice example to see what it was the TCG staff took away from our meetings each year and what action they took as well as what result it produced.  I have never experienced such a receptive organization.

TCG has invited those who attended the 2012 Fall Forum on Governance: Leading the Charge and those, like me, who wish they could have attended, to keep the conversation on diversity and inclusion going. They have created a public group on 2.0 called, Leading the Charge: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Here, you can take part in the conversation. They've even uploaded the brilliant and useful documents and resources made available at the Fall Forum, and you can even upload your own.

This past November, Theatre Communications Group (TCG) hosted its annual Fall Form on Governance: Lead the Charge. This year's focus was on Diversity and Inclusion. The Fall Forum is an intimate gathering of theatre trustees, senior staff, speakers and workshop facilitators to discuss issues of leadership and governance. While invited, unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend. I was in the midst of writing three new plays and just couldn't get away as I had hoped. However, I was able to participate in a debriefing/next steps conversation hosted by the wonderfully supportive and encouraging folks at TCG and included a handful of Young Leaders of Color and New Generations Future Leaders.

In preparation for the conversation, J.J. El-Far, Megan Sandberg-Zakian and I prepared five framing questions:

1. ​Identify the real need. What is the core issue? How do we propose to solve it? Who are we talking about when we refer to the "They" that are the (mainstream/major regional) players who are lagging in this area?  What are the specifics of each situation and what would significant improvement look like?
2. ​In addition to the terms "diversity," "inclusion," and others reexamined during Fall Forum, what other terms around race and ethnicity still need further unpacking such as "whiteness/blackness," "exotic/ethnic," and "representation."
3. ​What would the ideal situation look and feel like? How will we be able to recognize it when we reach our goal?
   
4. ​How might we shift the language of "difficulty" (i.e., "It's so hard to find board members of color.") to language of opportunity? By the same token (pun intended), how do we negotiate the linguistic territory of racism based on color versus one based on culture or ethnicity?
5. ​What are the resources we can provide an organization? How do we act as advocates for inclusivity? How do we become "Diversity Ambassadors"?

The conversation felt like an extension of the work we were trained to do as Young Leaders of Color at the National Conference back in June. It was powerful, insightful and rejuvenating. Ultimately, there are no easy answers to any of these questions. The social constructs of race, culture, heritage, ethnicity and nationality have long been used as tools to allow or deny access to opportunities, resources and success. And winning the war against institutionalized exclusion will be a long and arduous endeavor. It requires patience, courage, diligence, and humility, all of which must be cultivated. I left the conversation feeling empowered and encouraged that my colleagues and I are working hard to become Diversity Ambassadors and Lead the Charge for change.

As a Diversity Ambassador, the most immediate impact I have is through my work as a playwright. I write about people of color and strive to write roles for women that are strong and meaningful. When going into production, I recommend women and people of color for artistic, production and staffing positions. It's incredibly frustrating when my recommendations don't manifest as I would like, but I am committed to these issues and am in it for the long haul. As a faculty member at the University of the District of Columbia, I am able to teach my students about the world and business they're about to enter. I try instill them with the cultural awareness and sense of responsibility that they'll need in order to be strong leaders as well. Of course, I'm also excited to have this blog. In the days, weeks, months and years to come, I hope to continue having these challenging, but necessary and essential conversations about diversity and inclusion.

TCG has invited those who attended the 2012 Fall Forum on Governance: Leading the Charge and those, like me, who wish they could have attended, to keep the conversation on diversity and inclusion going. They have created a public group on 2.0 called, Leading the Charge: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion. Here, you can take part in the conversation. They've even uploaded the brilliant and useful documents and resources made available at the Fall Forum, and you can even upload your own.

Now, since I wasn't able to attend the Fall Forum, I asked those who were there to share their thoughts, expectations and impression. Here's who we'll be hearing from:

KATIE CHRISTIE

Katie Christie is the Founder and Director of Voices United, Inc., which she established as a high school senior in 1989 to promote cross-cultural understanding through the performing and visual arts. Katie has facilitated and coordinated international arts programs for youth in Japan and Lesotho and directed original productions at the World Youth Congress in Quebec in 2008 and again in Instanbul in 2010.  A graduate of New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida, Katie has been recognized for her work on behalf of Voices United with diverse international accolades. In 2001, Voices United was recognized as one of the top 100 organizations addressing race and culture in President Clinton’s “Promising Practices” One America Initiative on Race. Most recently, Katie was nationally featured in “Making a Difference” on NBC’s Nightly News with Brian Williams. Before dedicating herself full time to Voices United, Katie taught drama, music and creative movement at Casa dei Bambini Montessori School on Miami Beach. She has served as Artistic Director on Peace Child International’s arts exchange programs in Russia and South Africa, and was a Facilitator at the Peace Child International Leadership Forum in Washington, D.C. She was the Advisor to the Key Biscayne Youth Council and is a member of the Theater Communication Group/Young Leaders of Colors.

J.J. EL-FAR

JJ El-Far is an Arab-American producer and interdisciplinary artist based in Harlem. She was named one of Theatre Communications Group's Young Leaders of Color. She currently holds the position of Arts Intern at the British Council in the British Consulate General. She is the Founding Executive Director of Otto Award nominated Hybrid Theatre Works, a network of theater artists engaging in cultural diplomacy through international exchange and innovative theatrical events. She is the Founding Creative Director of the multi-disciplinary Harlem Arts Festival. JJ is a Core Team member of Theatre Without Borders with whom she helped produce the “Acting Together on the World Stage” conferences at Brandeis University and La Mama. She is the contributing theater critic for Uptown Flavor. JJ has worked with The Castillo Theatre, Ted X Harlem, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, the NY Arab American Comedy Fest, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Berkshire Theatre Festival, and the Jerash Festival of Arts and Culture (Amman, Jordan). She has presented at the ReOrient Festival and Forum at Golden Thread Productions, Arts in the One World at Brown University; and attended the 2010 La Mama International Symposium for Directors in Umbria, Italy. She holds a B.A. from Brandeis University in Theater Arts and International Global Studies.

AL HEARTLEY

Al Heartley is currently the Education Associate at Cleveland Play House where he coordinates and implements all education programming as well as supervises the inaugural class of apprentices.  In November, Al was selected as a Small Group Facilitator for the Theater Communications Group’s 2012 Fall Forum on Diversity and Inclusion. Al was recently the Multicultural Leadership Fellow in Theater Management.  He previously worked at Steppenwolf as the Casting Intern under the supervision of Associate Artistic Director Erica Daniels.   While in Chicago Al worked for Writers Theater and was briefly the Associate Artistic Director of Sankofa Theater Company which is dedicated to works by minority writers.  Al also focused on new plays while in Chicago working as dramaturgy support for the workshop of a play by Robert O’ Hara at Steppenwolf and directing a ready of Same Difference by Sam Roberson with Sankofa Theater. Al as assistant directed Greenetree Theater’s Yellowman under the direction of Jonathan Wilson.  This past summer, Al was honored to represent Steppenwolf Theater as a Young Leader of Color at the 2012 TCG Conference in Boston.  Al graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater with an emphasis in Directing and Theater Studies.

MEGAN SANDBERG-ZAKIAN

Megan Sandberg-Zakian is a current recipient of the Theater Communications Group (TCG) “Future Leaders” grant to spend two seasons at Central Square Theater (Cambridge, MA), working on a series of publicly engaged development and production projects. Most recently, Megan co-developed and directed Danny Bryck's "docu-play" about Occupy Boston, No Room For Wishing, which was co-produced by CST, Company One and Boston Playwrights' Theatre, and is currently touring. Other recent directing projects include co-developing The Cabaret Series at CST, co-directing the Boston premiere of Tarell McCraney's The Brother Sister Plays at Company One (IRNE Award, Best Production; IRNE nominee, Best Director; Elliot Norton nominee, Best Production), Lydia Diamond’s Harriet Jacobs at Underground Railway Theater (Elliot Norton nominee, Best New Play; IRNE nominee, Best Ensemble, Best Actress) and the Rhode Island premiere of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Perishable Theatre/Trinity Repertory Company (Motif Awards, Best Production, Best Set Design, Best Actor). Megan has served as Associate Artistic Director of the Providence Black Repertory Company (RI) and The 52nd Street Project (New York City). She is a graduate of Brown University and holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College. Her production of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop can be seen at Central Square Theater January 10-February 3, 2013. www.megansz.com

YOLANDA WILLIAMS

Yolanda Williams (B.A. University of Dallas, M.F.A. University of Southern Mississippi) is a highly accomplished director, producer, educator and theatre artist with successful productions throughout her career that demonstrate her unique and innovative style in the Theatre Arts. She believes Theatre creates an understanding of the human condition by telling the story of the world while informing people of the past, present and future.  Her commitment to her craft has always been based in the belief that by helping young artists understand the workings of the theatre, one is able to teach others while motivating them to build upon their individual strengths and therefore cultivate other future artists! For more information please contact Yolanda Williams at [email protected].