EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT

Musical Theatre Productions (MTP) is committed to ongoing work surrounding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). It is our utmost priority that our stages reflect our diverse city, and all participants feel safe and supported. MTP is currently reviewing its 2024-25 EDI priorities and practices, in the past this has included:

  • Diverse recruitment practices (i.e. being thoughtful in the communities we invite to audition);

  • Inclusive audition and rehearsal practices (i.e. ensuring the physical space is accessible to all, looking at non-traditional casting, methods to report and resolve challenges);

  • Relaxed performances (i.e. reducing volume and special effects, leaving house lights on, etc); and/or

  • ASL (American Sign Language) interpreted performances.

This is not an exhaustive list, and it’s possible that not everything on this list is part of our 2024-25 initiatives. Creating and launching projects for this list is what the EDI committee will do together!

EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (EDI) COMMITTEE

If you would like to participate in MTP’s 2024-25 EDI Initiatives, consider joining the EDI Committee! 

This committee is formed of interested individuals from London, Ontario and surrounding areas. Committee members serve to represent the voice and perspective of the community, and they will help us discover and plan initiatives related to our EDI Areas of Focus.

EDI Areas of Focus:

  • Identify & Address Barriers to Participate in Theatre

  • Increase Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility

  • Improve Outreach to Other London Communities

A Focus on These MTP Communities:

  • Talent: Includes Artistic Teams, Cast, and Crew Members (actively participating within the past 3 years)

  • Auditioners: Anyone who auditions for a show (within the past year)

  • Audiences & Donors: Anyone who attends a performance or donates to MTP

  • Board & Committee Members: Includes those who were voted onto the board and members of committees

  • Ancillary: Others who interact with MTP, for example, vendors/rentals/event hosts, other local community theatre programs, etc.


What to Expect

The committee will meet monthly to prioritize and plan projects related to EDI. 

Outside of monthly meetings, committee members are invited to volunteer to help these projects come to life. The amount of time you volunteer will be in your control, and we will do our best to give you projects that play to your strengths and interests.


Who Can Sign Up

Anyone from London, Ontario and surrounding areas who are interested in making a difference in community theatre at MTP.


Who Will I Work With

Most importantly, you will be working with other committee members. Whether at meetings or while working on projects, you will have a team of committed and safe people to support you along the way.

Depending on the projects you work on, you may also work with the communities listed above. You may work with Artistic Teams to help them prep for a relaxed performance or prepare for auditions. You may help us build connections with other local communities and expand our Talent and Audiences.

Finally, Lisa Cardinal is our EDI Director. Her role will be to facilitate these meetings, set priorities, and ensure action items are taken by committee members and keep momentum going strong. She is an ally to many communities, with experience supporting autism and disability communities through launching MOVE by GoodLife Kids, BLM (Black Lives Matter) London, and relaxed performances at the Palace Theatre and the Auburn Stage at the Grand Theatre.


How to Sign Up

To sign up for the committee, please complete the EDI Committee Sign-Up Form below:

If you are interested in joining the committee, please review our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) statement above to ensure you are aligned with our goals. Should you have any questions regarding EDI, please email our EDI director Lisa Cardinal at lcardinal@mtplondon.ca. 

past projects

In 2020-2021, Musical Theatre Productions reflected on how to better understand and enact Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in our organization. With the generous support of a grant from the London Arts Council, MTP is partnered with Impact Consulting through Pillar Nonprofit Network to support MTP in nurturing an equity-oriented and inclusive environment and culture, whereby all volunteers and audience members feel safe and supported. The project will be used to develop a stronger understanding of DEI and how it can be embedded across MTP's programming as we continue to learn.

DHARSHI LACEY

Director Equity, Inclusion & Governance (above left)

Dharshi has worked for over 20 years in the nonprofit sector that includes over a decade's experience in Inclusion and Equity Work. She has facilitated sessions with boards and organizations to help them embed an inclusive lens in their leadership and operational work. Her approach to this work is to help organizations recognize the need for and work toward authentic systemic change, to create engagement and belonging for all.

Dharshi also leads professional development workshops on board governance for Pillar Nonprofit Network and offers consulting services to nonprofit boards. She teaches Board Governance for the Nonprofit Management Post-Degree Diploma offered by Western University Continuing Studies.


FARZANA CHOHAN

Impact Consulting Associate (above right)

Dr. Farzana Chohan, is a subject matter expert, a leader — through her work in Healthcare Architecture, Leadership in international non-profit and her Leadership research on Mentoring, Equity and Inclusion. She is an author of 2 deeply thought-provoking books, 1. “Leadership IN Women: Thrive” & 2. “SUBTLE”: mindset yielding to unconscious bias.

She understands the value and impact of shared experiences of her own journey and the lived experiences of others. Through her extensive work, inclusion panels and executive consulting, she motivates professionals and companies to “Optimize Excellence”, and develop leadership maps for achieving success.

Farzana's passion is to “Optimize Excellence” which cultivates Leadership through Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging and Equity in Workplaces. Dr. Farzana helps organizations solve the problems of workplace cultures and mindsets to remove barriers and create an authentic inclusion and belonging. Farzana is a catalyst for Human-Centered Excellence in the global world.