Chester Theatre Company Announces Gifts in Support of Its Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Chester Theatre Company has announced the receipt of a gift of $25,000 from Richard and Carol Seltzer to support the company's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Karen and Chuck Schader have joined the Seltzers in making a $5000 donation to support important steps. Both Carol Seltzer and Karen Schader serve on CTC's Board.

"The roots of present-day systemic racism lie in centuries of horrible repression," said Mr. Seltzer. "Centuries of slavery and denial of equal opportunity have left us with a sad legacy... Chester Theatre has done some highly laudatory work in promoting artists of color on its stage and among its directors. It is to encourage and support the expansion of those efforts that Carol and I have sponsored the creation of the new diversity and inclusion fund for Chester Theatre."

"At Chester Theatre Company, telling diverse stories and holding important conversations about vital issues are central to our mission. We need to do more to make our work behind the scenes-in the rehearsal room and elsewhere-equally diverse and representative," says Daniel Elihu Kramer, Producing Artistic Director. "We want to make certain that our Board, our administrative and design teams, our audiences, and our excellent internship program are diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and we are taking meaningful steps toward those goals. I'm deeply grateful for the financial commitments that will make these steps possible."

The goals to which Kramer refers include:

• the diversification of the Board of Directors;
• the adoption of a Committee for Inclusion and Community Engagement;
• ongoing trainings for Staff and Board Members;
• outreach to, and tickets and transportation for, new and diverse audiences;
• increased stipends, tuition reimbursal, and travel costs for a more diverse intern program;
• travel and housing costs for more diverse hiring of designers and stage managers;
• and ongoing reviews of hiring and recruitment.

"Arts organizations must acknowledge the inequity of their past practices and step up to support models that reflect modern-day society," says Karen Schader, President and Board Chair. "Chester Theatre Company is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in every aspect of its work, and with the guidance of our DEI committee, I am proud to be leading our board in furthering this critical initiative. We encourage others to join us in making our theatre and community a fairer place. By our actions, we can all set an example for generations to come."

To learn more about CTC's Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, please visit http://chestertheatre.org/about-us/commitment-to-anti-racism/.