The 51% Preparedness Plan for American Theatre (downloadable pdf) by Tim Dang: A sample statement from an LA based theatre (East/West Players) determined to shifting staff demographics to represent their community, including majority people of color, women, and under 35 years old by the year 2042. From East West Players (external link) as reported by the Theatre Communications Group (external link).

Preview:

Tim Dang, Producing Artistic Director of East West Players (EWP), the longest running theatre of color in the country, has launched a national campaign, 2042:  See Change (www.2042SeeChange.org), introducing the 51% Preparedness Plan For The American Theatre.

The Plan challenges our theatre field to keep pace with America’s rapid demographic changes by proposing goals of 51% people of color (POC), 51% women, and 51% hires under 35 years of age to ready our field for future leadership and depth of experience when our nation will be majority minority by 2042.

In light of the Plan’s call for dramatic changes in hiring and programming in the next five years, some have raised concerns whether the Plan represents unlawful quotas.  To the contrary, there are no penalties or fines or other firm sanctions imposed against those who don’t meet these proposed benchmarks.  But, many theaters are located in areas with very substantial minority communities, yet fail to reflect or truly serve those communities.  In fact, California has been considered majority minority since 2010, along with Hawaii, New Mexico, and Texas.  So Dang’s suggested benchmarks, albeit aggressive, would potentially bring theatres in these regions up to where their organizations and season selections would more accurately reflect the populations they currently serve.   (For more details see the FAQs on www.2042SeeChange.org.)