The Ibis Theatre operates on the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe – Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. We recognize Michigan’s 12 federally recognized Native Nations, historic Indigenous communities in Michigan, Indigenous individuals and communities who live here now, and those who were forcibly removed from their homelands.
In offering this land acknowledgement, we affirm Indigenous sovereignty, history and experiences.
The Ibis Theatre Statement of Inclusion
The Ibis Theatre commits to identity-transcendent casting wherever possible while respecting identity-specific casting when necessary to empower marginalized communities through character integrity.
The Ibis Theater commits to creating inclusive spaces of belonging, featuring Black and Brown representation at every level of its creative team. We commit to having at least 75% of our designers, directors, and onstage talent identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, or Other marginalized racial identities within 3 years. We recognize the importance of anti-racist perspectives outside traditionally white, cis male viewpoints and commit to having at least half of our seasonal directors and designers who identify as women, trans, non-binary, or any other underrepresented gender identity.
The Ibis Theater commits to choosing scripts and stories that reflect anti-racist and authentic BIPOC experiences of healing, complexity and transformation, from BIPOC artists and playwrights. We commit to having at least half of our seasonal shows come from Writers of Color, as well as providing a platform for new plays, performance pieces and artworks from Artists of Color to be developed and explored. .
The Ibis Theater chooses flexibility and open communication when it comes to the needs of artists who need to care for children, elders, or any family member. We commit to providing support for artists who need to pump breast milk, including having a private space and extended break times available for nursing/motherhood needs during all rehearsals, shows and workshops.
The Ibis Theater will coordinate early conversations between the production teams and actors mindfully, with empathy and care that centers the actor’s needs and perspectives. These conversations will happen between the first and second production meeting for each show of the season. All actors have the option to request that a third person be present for the meeting. This could be the director, stage manager, AEA deputy, a fellow actor, a personal stylist, etc. These actions include (but are not limited to…)
Providing a budget line item specifically for hair and make-up, so as not to burden our actors with providing their own supplies, which disproportionately impacts women and especially Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and all Women of Color.
Production hair budget will always include needed products, wigs, salon or stylist visits, possible hair consultant, hair touch-ups
Providing budget line for salon services or wig/hair designer if costume designer is unable to appropriately design or provide guidance in styling
Providing a budget line for lighting, photography and digital equipment that features & celebrates melanated skin tones rather than diminishing or ignoring them.