This sign-on letter was initiated by the group of Boston-area artists signed below and posted online on April 8, 2019. If you are an artist, cultural worker, audience member, or other person with a stake in the greater Boston/New England theater community, you are invited to add your name by filling out this form.
Dear IRNE committee,
We are writing to you as artists. We are artists that care deeply about our community. We want the greater Boston area to be a place that values live performance and that is an energizing environment for artists working at all levels, from community to fringe to professional environments. We believe that the IRNEs are an essential part of this community. We need you and we are glad you are here.
We also feel that the IRNE committee is not fully meeting the community you are reviewing -- in both what you review and what you recognize with award nominations. We would like to see your reviews and awards more appropriately and respectfully reflect a broader scope of the work being done in the greater Boston area. We are asking you to reassess your reviewing processes and consider adapting to the community you aspire to represent. We understand your committee is small and mostly volunteer; nevertheless, we feel there are concrete measures that can be taken to curtail harmful practices and amplify helpful ones. As artists, we have been discussing these needs for years. We were moved to write a letter at this time because this season’s IRNE awards failed to adequately acknowledge the contributions of women and people of color. For example, as cited in a tweet from Artistic Director Shawn LaCount on February 28th, 2019, Company One featured a diverse roster of artists over the course of the 17-18 season, including a total of 19 actors, 16 of whom were actors of color. Yet, the only C1 actors nominated by the IRNE committee were two of the three white actors. 24 backstage artists of color were involved in C1 productions this season, none of whom were nominated -- though, again, two more white artists received nods. The season also included a large number of critically acclaimed productions created by female artists and/or with central female characters that were not acknowledged with a nomination by the IRNE committee -- including Huntington’s Top Girls, Bridge Rep’s Dark Room, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre’s The Tragic Ecstasy of Girlhood, the Nora’s The Women Who Mapped the Stars, and Off the Grid’s Our Dear Dead Drug Lord. These five shows encapsulate all ranges of theatrical size, and although IRNE voters attended and, in many cases, responded positively in reviews, none of these shows were recognized. In the case of Our Dear Dead Drug Lord, Boston audiences received the rare opportunity to see the first production of a new play by a female writer of color (directed by a female director and featuring a diverse cast of mostly young female performers) in advance of the play receiving substantial national attention and the announcement of an upcoming off-Broadway premiere at Second Stage Theatre and the WP Theater. This is exactly the kind of talent Boston should be nurturing, and the kind of work our independent theater community should be supporting and lifting up. It is disheartening to find that is not the case. The IRNEs are important to us -- especially small and fringe companies, independent artists and producers, and community theatres. For us, reviews are about more than selling tickets. We are not marketing directors courting your attendance to make sales goals. We are artists longing to have our voices heard and to find inventive ways to make new work, develop new talent, and tell the stories that are deeply important to us. Your reviews, nominations, and awards can have a lasting effect on an artist’s or a company’s long term growth. For a company, awards can act as an investment tool for grant and donor opportunities that will directly affect the life of a company. For the individual artist, your awards bolster our resumes and can get us job interviews or auditions. Outside of Boston, your award is a source of validation. This acknowledgment can lift an artist to a larger stage where they can have a more expansive voice and bigger impact. Please understand your vital importance in the success of individual artists and the entire community. Here are some suggestions for how the IRNEs can more accurately reflect and support the breadth of talent and achievement of Boston-area theater artists.
Reviews and awards can have the most value for our community if they reflect the values of that community. We ask you to work with us to strengthen the Boston theatre community that we all love. We hope this letter opens a dialogue between the IRNE committee and the artists you support. We would like to work together to strengthen this influential event. Sincerely, Melia Bensussen Rebecca Bradshaw Lyndsay Allyn Cox Jen Lewis Pascale Florestal Kirsten Greenidge Melinda Lopez Gillian Mackay-Smith Megan Sandberg-Zakian Alexis Scheer Dawn Meredith Simmons Alexandra Smith Summer L. Williams With Support From: Audrey Seraphin Daniel Thomas Blackwell Lawrence E Moten III Scot Colford Ilana Brownstein Elle Borders Katie Elinoff Caroline Lawton Jeff Song Dylan C. Wack Joey Frangieh Sarah Cohan Robin Abrahams Kyler Taustin Lynn Wilcott Corianna Moffatt Michael A. Rosegrant Tonasia Jones Jessie Baxter Josh Glenn-Kayden Joe Juknievich George Page Cassandra Lovering Noah Simes Darren Evans David Valdes Greenwood James Peter Sotis Daniel Morris Joseph Marrella Bailey Libby Harold Steward Francis Xavier Norton Georgina Coffey Zoe Hastings John Meredith Micaela Slotin Carla Martinez Meg Taintor Blair Nodelman Kody Grassett Brandon Milardo Sara Katzoff Kira Rockwell Rachel Cognata Geena M. Forristall Natalia Temesgen Talya Kingston Joe Ruscio Anneke Reich Kim MacCormack Nicole Olusanya Arthur Gomez Samuel James Zeiberg Jessica Ernst Nick Sulfaro Eliott Purcell Toccarra Cash Rebecca Price Pamela Lambert John Minigan Emma Walker Ben Nissan Louise Hamill Michael Tow Morganna Becker Mindy Cimini Emma Roth Marge Dunn Adrienne Boris Margaret Clark Angie Jepson Todd Michael Hall Tyler Prendergast Amanda Ostrow-Mason Hayley Spivey Rosalind Bevan Nathan Leigh Bryn Boice Danielle Fauteux Jacques Daniel B. Kozar Danielle Perry Erica Desautels Padraig Sullivan Veronika Duerr Evan Turissini Sarah Schneider Robert Thorpe II Joe Siriani Liz Fenstermaker Tyler Rosati Marci Diamond Ivy Ryan Marcella Barbeau Chris Coffey Benjamin E Winick Erica Brown Marta Rainer Caitlin Nasema Cassidy Nina Louise Morrison Stewart Evan Smith Laurie Singletary Danielle Leeber Lucas Aina Adler Nile Scott Hawver Carmen Catherine Alfaro Rafael Jaén Emily Woods Hogue Kevin Mullins Matt Bouldry Michael John Ciszewski Derek Fraser Emily Bear e Deniz Khateri Elizabeth Yvette Ramirez Brian Dudley Shana Gozansky Stephanie Hettrick Bill Lattanzi Patrick Gabridge Garry Florestal Matthew Stern Alex Lonati Stavroula Tzortzis Thom Dunn Rosalie Norris Sean Daniels Amy S. West Chelsea Kerl Sarah Vasilevsky Liam Hofmeister Cassie M Seinuk Kate Heffernan Mary Lauve Guy Ben-Aharon Sarah Vasilevsky Tyler Crosby Julie Hennrikus Walt McGough Graham Wright Bridget Kathleen O'Leary Rachel Belleman Michael Underhill Alexander Platt Olivia Dumaine Carrie Ann Quinn Bob Mussett Stephen Libby Destiny Polk Shauwna Grillo Isabel Dollar Hannah Pryfogle Jennie “Ie” Dineen SeifAllah Salotto-Cristobal Benjamin Finn Fred Sullivan Jr Ryan Marchant Rachel Canowitz Carey Accola-Gavin Sean Patrick Gibbons Meg O'Brien Rebecca Schneebaum Sean Taber Danny Bryck Armando Rivera Christine Power Paxton Crystal Christina Mei Chen Jo Williams Lisa Nguyen Desiré Graham Ariella Suchow Sarah Shin Jack Serio Michael Fennimore Lee Viliesis Leslie Sears Elizabeth Cahill Daniel Begin Lila West Kelley Holley Madison Lusby Sarah Rozene Olivia Caputo Joyce Van Dyke Caley Chase Gabrielle Jaques Laura Hildebrand Emily Grove Shelley Barish Rebecca Miller Kratzer Amy Merrill James McLindon Caroline Cronin Mariagrazia La Fauci Steve Auger Sarah Schnebly Amanda Collins Lia Russell-Self Scratch Shira Weiss Natalie Solomon Kevin Paquette Jenna Worden Laura Sullivan Kim Klasner Carolyn Saxon Juliet Bowler Liz Adams Drew Chasse J.Cottle Samantha Evans Edrie Edrie Kelly Smith Adriana Zuniga Shonna Cirone Molly Burman Meryl Prendergast Noe Montez Cody Sloan Jana Jacobson Julia Lennon Kayleigh Kane Jolie Frazer-Madge Joe Wilson, Jr. Linda Sutherland Grace Campbell Grace Trapnell Katie Grindeland Maryanne Truax Stephen Zubricki IV Maegan A. Conroy Patrick Mahoney Scott Sweatt Evan Prizant James Wilkinson Nathan Malin Dominique Burford Sydney Grant Coriana Hunt Swartz Lisa Kate Joyce Mark Linehan Graciela Femenia Tully Dori Robinson Elizabeth DuPré Lisa Kate Joyce Rachel Sturm John Greiner-Ferris Elizabeth Battey Madison Findling Cam Torres Victoria Townsend Nick Perron Ian Thorsell Abe Rybeck Rachael Warren SpeakEasy Stage Company Kyle Lampe Atlee Jensen Jennifer Rich Deirdre Benson Rosalind Thomas-Clark Alicia Weber Joan Raube-Wilson Brian De Lorenzo Brett Milanowski Christine Dickinson Gigi Watson Becca Freifeld Stephen Reinstein Ciera-Sadé Wade Maggie James Sheehan Ari Herzig Mary Olsen Jeff Adelberg Daniel P Ryan Heather Radovich Ryan Began Lin Nulman J.T. Turner Ingrid Oslund Jake Mariño Eva Elaine Vaan Hogue Sophie Sinclair Amy Morin Kelly L. Gaudet Kaley Bachelder Jeri Sykes Michael G. Dell'Orto Samantha Rose Valletta Rosa Procaccino Rebecca Glick Laura Neill Dev Blair Daniel Bazarian Kristin Reeves Aimee Doherty Katy Poludniak Ilyse Robbins Arshan Gailus Maureen Keiller cynthia m august Tarik Jones Alexis Pelletier Phyllis Y Smith Rebecca Cohan Alex Johnson Alice Corvo Alexis Ingram Josephine Moshiri Elwood Mary C. Ferrara Andrew Sianez-De La O Mackenzie Cala Ramona Ostrowski Omar Robinson Dale Place Taire J. McCobb Weylin Symes Mandy Mitchell Nora Conley Jessica Richardson Adele Nadine Traub Kaitlyn Crockett Jude Torres Joey C. Pelletier Lindsay Eagle Danielle Rosvally Saskia Martinez Mary M. Thames Jake Catsaros Brittany Phillips Jane Reagab Rick Park K. Alexa Mavromatis Dee Rogers Karthik Subramanian Deirdre McCabe Gerrard Keith Foster Emma Weisberg Kate Shanahan Pilar Rehert Jennifer Ellis Jon Vellante Haris Lefteri Michael Comey Greg J. Smith Kim Heymann McCaela Donovan Matt Orell Haddon Kime Graceson Abreu Nunez Gabriel Graetz Mia Haiman Graceson Abreu Nunez Haia R’nana Bchiri Nora Hussey Luraine Kimmerle Drew Donoghue Jacey L. Rutledge Deb Sullivan Liliane Klein Jess Viator Jason Rutledge Colleen M. Hughes Fabiola R. Decius Jessica Scout Malone Elizabeth R. Stone Lelaina Vogel Benjamin Evett Jessica Price Amy Bennett-Zendzian Kelli Edwards David Anderson Brendan O'Brien Nick Bennett-Zendzian Zoë Golub-Sass Jennie Israel Elizabeth Hunter Gamalia Pharms Siobhan Carroll Sydney Fells Tyler Kinney David J. Castillo Jonathan Carr Dustin Bell Karen McConarty Michael Colfoird Kimmerie Jones Alaina Fragoso Joey Thomas Grace Hill Julia Perez Shelley MacAskill Lexi Ryan Josh Bryan Elena Morris Boston Playwrights' Theatre Stephanie Clayman David Keohane Evelyne Cardella Matthew Zahnzinger Becca jewett Catherine Lee Christie Nathan K Lee Kate Snodgrass Gary Ryan Nick Malakhow Katie Speed Adrianne Krstansky Jasmine Brooks Gwendolyn Tunnicliffe Gabriel Kuttner David Clark Marianne Phinney Catherine Bertrand Cassie Chapados Tim Hoover Ed Hoopman Carl Danielson Sarah Batista-Pereira Jaymes Sanchez Catherine Peterson Jade Guerra Lynda Bachman Maxine Wolfson Lenni Kmiec Barbara Crowther Nicole O'Keeffe Annalise Cain Christopher Chew Samantha Stafford Michael Barry Margaret Ann Brady Stephen Chueka Jillian Couillard Emma Undine Wiegand David Reiffel Alyson Varvel Bell Leah Fine Sarah Jacobs Karen Fanale Kitty Drexel Noe Kamelamela Sarah Newhouse Randi Hopkins Adam Kassim Laura Chowenhill Taylor Ness Ashley Cabral Christine Hamel Jackie Theoharis Liana Asim Paula Langton Ari Welch Amy Meyer Melissa Kievman Shari Caplan Brian Michael Boruta David Schrag Shawna M James Elizabeth MacLachlan Bruno Baker Todd McNeel M. Bevin O’Gara Lexie Vogel Josh Telepman Emily C Rolston Justin Lahue Robin Ann Rapoport Riley Cohen Khloe Alice Lin Marta Rymer Phyllis Bretholtz Dan Rodriguez Jaime Hernandez Michael Joseph Shaun Leisher Eric Cheung Scott Caron Sarah Hickler Barb McRae Brenna Nicely Amy Barker Michael T Lacey Alexandra McDougall Lindsay Fuori Erik D Diaz Richard Wood Dawn Davis Kevin Bleau Jackie Davis Elizabeth Rouse Marie Gertje A Nora Long Tim Lawton Emily Ruddock Jules M. Tanner Matt Ryan Grace Burns Kyle Thomas Hemingway Alison Russo Kara Chu Nelson Daniel Boudreau Jamie Lin Sara Kenney Betsy S. Goldman Mark E. Wolterbeek Kaitee Tredway Evey Connerty-Marin Sean Baird Courtney Beth Plati Aislinn Brophy David Coleman Kamelia Aly Karina Wen Bill Stambaugh Leila Ghaemi Erica Jade Simpson Bobbie Steinbach Juanita Rodrigues Paul Melendy Ginger Lazarus Lila Rose Kaplan Judy Braha Carol Smolinsky Marianna Bassham Lauren Villegas Shanaé Burch Lydia Barnett-Mulligan Katie Taylor Andrew Child Craig Howard Meri Madden Maren Flessen Bridgette Hayes Gina Fonseca Becky Thorogood MJ Halberstadt Alissa Cordeiro Lindsey Walko Aja M Jackson Eric McGowan Charlotte Meehan Tyler Hayes McMahon Jackie Schram J. Deschene Elise Arsenault Paul Masters Kevin Becerra Thomas Grenon Courtney O'Connor Kevin Cirone Somaiya Rowland The Lyric Stage Company of Boston Jessica Doonan Alyssa Bene Kate Kohler Amory Joan Jubett Amos Nasongo Elisabetta Polito Evelyn Holley Brian M. Robillard Ted Hewlett Michael Knowlton Olivia D’Ambrosio Wren Romero-Gilhooly Kathleen Bitetti James Remmes Charles G. Baldwin Stephen Peterson Cortland Nesley Sam Nudler Sandra Pirie-St.Amour Katie Suchyta Kate Kelly Jonathan Acorn Andrew O’Shanick Jenna Lea Scott Enrico Spada Jessie Bodner Matt Robson Hannah Taytslin, Advisory Council Chair, Lyric Stage Co. Damon Singletary Sarah Gazdowicz Sarah MacIntyre Connor Paradis Elizabeth Baker Christian Ruiz Ryan Gold Christopher Reilly Ana-Sofia Meneses Vivien Singer Liz Carletta Eric Simon Shannon Rosa Thorin Russ Swift Matthew Woods Becca A. Lewis Allentza Michel Drew Myers-Regulinski Robin Grady Judith Jerome Jeomil Tovar Mads Massey |