Culture & Values
Culture & Values
Our Mission
Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural life of Los Angeles through plays and educational programs that inform, entertain, and inspire.
Our Action
Since its formation in October 2020 a diverse group of Geffen artists, staff and Board members has met regularly to provide input and insight for all facets of the theater, ranging from the art produced on our stages to individual employee programs. The Committee has been responsible for developing and implementing a formal, accountable company-wide Equity and Diversity Policy (Read Full Policy), as well as bringing new voices and perspectives to the Geffen family. Now, as the Culture and Values Committee, we are committed to the broader goal of supporting future growth and development in our mission to be a welcoming theater home for all communities, as well as their stories.
Brian Allman (Staff), Berenice Campos (Staff), Gil Cates, Jr. (Staff), Ellyce Cooper (Community Member), Merle Dandridge (Artist/Board), Clay Dzygun (Staff), Jacob Feller (Staff), Karen Gutierrez (Staff), Elizabeth Kegley (Staff), Laura Kennedy (Community Member), Erick R. López (Staff), Vella Lovell (Artist), Tiffany Mayberry Co-Chair (Board), Tarell Alvin McCraney (Staff), Olivia O'Connor (Staff), Jeni Pearsons Co-Chair (Staff), Jon-Paul Schaut (Staff), Cela Sutton (Community Member), Miranda Tollman (Board), Eugene Young (Artist)
Our Initiatives
Being committed is taking action. Being committed is a willingness to learn, grow and evolve as an arts organization, embracing myriad points of view that reflect the inherent diversity in every community.
Our initiatives have included:
- Theater as a Lens for Justice—a multi-faceted program providing access to theater at Geffen Playhouse for populations impacted by incarceration
- Beyond the Barracks—an evening of veteran cultural identity monologues, the culmination of the Veterans Writing and Performance Workshop
- Black Partner Appreciation Nights and Black Out Nights
- AANHPI Partner Appreciation Nights
- Cultural events with the Irish Consulate and Irish American community around Waiting for Godot
- UCLA student outreach to engage UCLA students more fully in the Geffen Playhouse theater experience
- Spanish language performances of The Hope Theory (La teoría de la esperanza)
- ASL interpreted and open captioned performances for the deaf and hard of hearing communities
- Audio described performances for blind and low-vision community members
- In-classroom education programs with master Teaching Artists and student matinees performances
This list will be updated with new developments/actions steps as they happen.
Our work is ongoing. Our priority is to create, nurture and support a safe and inclusive space for all artists, employees, and patrons. This work includes internal reflection and critical analysis of our own environment and practices to evolve and move forward as an arts organization for all communities. As part of our ongoing reevaluation and reexamination of the organization, we continue to conduct regular assessments with staff, our Human Resources Director, our Culture and Values Committee, and The Aspire Group to develop and implement meaningful Action Steps to support our overall commitment to inclusivity and safety in the workplace.
Cultivating Community
As a non-profit organization, Geffen Playhouse has a deep commitment to sharing outstanding theater with everyone. Our entire city benefits from thought-provoking and inspiring performances, regardless of race, faith, sexual orientation, ability, gender, background, or the ability to purchase tickets. Geffen Playhouse’s Education & Community Engagement programs provide long-term, in-depth access to current and next generation theatergoers and instill a love for theater that will last a lifetime. Learning experiences and theater-making opportunities are designed to deepen program participants’ meaningful connections to the plays they attend, their sense of agency as thinkers and communicators, and their sense of community—with each other, the Geffen, and Los Angeles County.
Artist Voices
Geffen Playhouse is proud to support artists and present works reflecting our shared experiences. By amplifying traditionally underrepresented voices in theater, we can together create art that is more vibrant, more meaningful, and more inclusive of our communities.
Past Programs
As a way to engage staff, board, artists and community members, programs were developed to continue dialogue and thought-provoking conversation, including:
ART LIVES HERE
Art Lives Here project commissioned 12 original artworks to welcome patrons into our theater and experience theatergoing through the eyes of eclectic artists in Los Angeles. We are a home for the arts, and we believe our physical space should also reflect and be representative of our ongoing commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do and the communities we support.
COMMUNITY & CONVERSATIONS
In-depth conversations centered around diversity, equity, and inclusion in all facets of theater-making. Geffen Playhouse has hosted four events since January 2021. Past guest speakers include Snehal Desai (Executive Director of East/West Players), Kristin Sakoda (Executive Director of Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture), and Clint Ramos (Tony Award-winning designer).
BOOKED
A reading initiative and speaker series for Geffen Playhouse staff, board, community partners and artists. Past guest speakers include Kamilah Forbes (award winning director & producer), the late Greg Tate (writer, musician, and producer), and Marc Bamuthi Joseph (poet, dancer, playwright & TED Fellow).
