PlayPenn Cancels Summer Workshop and Vows to Do Better Amid Accusations of Racism

PlayPenn has cancelled its annual summer workshop amid accusations of racism.

PlayPenn's artistic director, Paul Meshejian, posted a letter on the organization's website, announcing the cancellation, and vowing to do better.

"I am writing to you today with both a heavy heart and with a commitment to do better, for PlayPenn and for the entire theatre community," the letter reads.

"We allowed the comforts of familiarity to stall our progress toward making PlayPenn's administration and board more welcome to different voices, to LGBTQ+ people, to people of color."

The letter repeatedly states, "We failed, and it's on all of us."

PlayPenn vows to make the following changes:

• Increase solicitation of applicants of color by reaching out to theaters, other development organizations and writers' groups to encourage their application to programs

• Reconsider all elements of the company's evaluation and selection process

• Work harder to engage readers, evaluators and panelists for our blind application process

• Make more aggressive outreach in identifying qualified candidates of color

• Learn more about candidates who are already a part of the community

• Establish a mentorship program for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) administrators as they fill future staff openings

Read the full letter at playpenn.org.

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