This circus is for everyone.

Roustabout Theatre Troupe is committed to playing a role in the growth and improvement of Michigan theatre during this critical turning point in American history. 

We stand with communities who have had to fight to have their voices heard. We empathize with artists who have lacked opportunities to share their talents in roles that represent them, and with audience members who haven’t seen themselves reflected nearly enough (or at all) on stage. This is especially true for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ people, and those with disabilities.

We understand that not all harmful practices are intentional, but we’re learning that systemic racism has permeated even the most progressive corners of our society. We acknowledge that we have not adequately prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion during our early years as a company, and that our ability to turn a blind eye to these critical issues was in itself a symptom of privilege. We know we have an urgent role to play in helping create lasting change. 

Roustabout is committed to making several changes to increase outreach and transparency, ensure equal access for opportunities, and honor the safety and respect of our audiences and artists:

• We are aware that casting begins long before auditions. Artists who have previously worked with our company, or whose performances we’ve seen before have an unfair advantage. To counter this, we will work as a team to attend or stream other companies’ productions on a regular basis, and will partner with educators to get to know students and newcomers to the theatre community.
• Geographic location also benefits local artists. We will strive to live up to our motto of “meeting you where you are” to encourage artists to run away with our circus. To do so, we will expand marketing our audition notices and offer alternative options for artists who cannot attend in-person auditions. Additionally, for any artists we hire, we will budget for a mileage stipend for anyone traveling further than 25 miles from the rehearsal or performance venue.
• Access and outreach does not stop onstage, but extends backstage and to the scripts produced as well. As with casting, we will increase our marketing efforts and exposure to other companies’ work as a means to reach new designers, crew members, and playwrights. 
• We know that a safe work environment cannot be reached on a foundation of assumptions. We commit to outlining clear HR practices and action steps for our artists and volunteers.
• We also recognize that a positive audience experience can be ruined by a single act of bigotry or aggression. We will not tolerate those behaviors among our artists, patrons, or supporters.
• We will continue to educate ourselves about the Indigenous history of the land where we work, and find ways to honor that history in our program materials and beyond.
• Finally, we commit to reaching out to individuals, groups, and organizations that represent marginalized communities for advice and guidance as we continue to work toward these goals. We promise to continually assess this statement against the efforts we have made and what more we can do to play an active role toward the future of Michigan theatre.

It is clear that life has been too difficult for too long for too many people, and by prioritizing these changes in the present, we can help begin a better foundation for the future. We do this not only for marginalized communities, but for the next generation of artists and audiences. A circus is made up of a group of diverse people from a variety of backgrounds coming together to create a community and cohesive experience. In the same way, the theatre community will only benefit from diversifying our stories, artists, and patrons: the more voices we have in the collaborative process, the better the work and the art will be.

We are Roustabout Theatre Troupe, and all are welcome in our tent.

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