Our Values

The Lucille Lortel Theatre’s mission is to foster both new and established artists, increase awareness and appreciation of Off-Broadway, and uphold fair and equitable business and artistic practices in service of creating a larger, more diverse community of theatre makers and audiences.

At the Lucille Lortel Theatre, we believe that Off-Broadway can, and should, be for everyone. Our commitment to a multicultural environment is not a static checklist, but an evolving practice rooted in accountability, representation, and care.

We recognize the historical exclusion and ongoing marginalization of many communities in American theatre and society at large. As we work toward a more inclusive and just field, we commit to examining our own practices and dismantling the barriers that keep people out – whether on stage, backstage, or in the audience.

Below, you’ll find an overview of how we embed Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) values into every corner of our organization: from hiring to programming, from development to education, from our historic building in the West Village to our online presence. All decisions are made based on merit, mission alignment, and operational needs, consistent with applicable law.

We strive to cultivate a work culture where everyone, regardless of background, identity, or lived experience, can thrive.

• We evaluate our hiring practices and continue to update our standards with care and intention.

• • Wages are listed transparently in job postings.
  • We exclude unnecessary degree requirements.
  • We use inclusive, bias-free language across all job listings.
  • We advertise roles on platforms that reach a broad and diverse range of applicants.

• We believe interns are workers and ensure all are paid at least minimum wage.
• We provide a supportive, accessible onboarding process, with attention to the needs of people from historically marginalized communities.
• Every employee receives our EDI Policy, Code of Conduct, and Land & Peoples Acknowledgement as part of their orientation.
• We offer ongoing EDI training to all staff.
• We maintain a retribution-free space for employees to raise concerns about behavior inconsistent with this policy.
• Our reporting protocols are formalized and confidential. Our reporting process is transparent because real accountability starts with trust.

The history of arts philanthropy has not been representative of the world we live in, but the future can be.

• We actively seek to diversify our donor base across all demographics.
• We pursue funding that supports multicultural representation, not just on our stages but within our systems.
• We reserve the right to discontinue funding relationships that conflict with our mission or legal obligations.

Our education programs are grounded in equity and designed to reflect the diverse communities we serve.

• We collaborate with teaching artists and community partners who represent a broad range of identities and perspectives, including race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status.
• We emphasize accessibility and minimize barriers to entry by offering support to participants who need it.
• We build our programs in tandem with the communities they serve, ensuring they are culturally responsive and inclusive by design.

Our education programs are grounded in equity and designed to reflect the diverse communities we serve.

• We collaborate with teaching artists and community partners who represent a broad range of identities and perspectives, including race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status.
• We emphasize accessibility and minimize barriers to entry by offering support to participants who need it.
• We build our programs in tandem with the communities they serve, ensuring they are culturally responsive and inclusive by design.

Theatre should be welcoming to everyone – not just in theory, but in practice.

• We strive to reach multilingual audiences by offering translations (currently Spanish) in our digital programming
• We extend our programming beyond our venue through our digital programming that is often free or donation-based and partner with community-based organizations and artists across neighborhoods.
• We apply an inclusive lens to all our visuals, communications, and marketing materials, celebrating cultural specificity.
• We constantly examine and expand how we market and present ourselves to ensure that people from all communities feel seen and invited in.

We subsidize rental costs to help make our space accessible to nonprofit productions of varying means, and:

• We encourage all productions to apply for consideration, particularly those that align with our mission, artistic vision and organizational practices, recognizing that each production operates independently and within their own legal and practical constraints.
• Renters are informed of our EDI Policy and asked to match it as best they can, with the understanding that this work takes resources and support.

The Lucille Lortel Theatre stands on the Lenape island of Manhattan (Manahatta) in Lenapehoking- the ancestral homeland of the Lenape peoples. We honor their enduring presence and sovereignty and acknowledge our privilege to live, work, and create on this land. In partnership with American Indian Artists Inc. (AMERINDA), we share this acknowledgment with all our audiences, both in-person and digital. We continue to support Indigenous artists through programming, financial resources, and subsidized access to our space.

Nothing in this statement is intended to require or permit unlawful discrimination, or to limit participation in Lucille Lortel Theatre programs, employment, or services on the basis of any protected characteristic under applicable law.

Marginalized refers to communities that have been pushed to the edges of society and denied power. This includes—but is not limited to—Black, Asian, Latine, and Indigenous peoples; women; disabled people; LGBTQIA2S+ individuals; people from low-income backgrounds; and more. We use this term with care and respect, acknowledging the structural forces that create inequality.

More Resources:
• What Does Marginalized Mean—and Why Does It Matter?

• Five Ways to Be an Ally to Marginalized Groups

This document is a living one. We welcome feedback, reflection, and continuous revision as we refine our policies—not as a box to check, but as a commitment to the communities we serve.