半岛体育

Off-Off-Broadway鈥檚 Flea Theater will terminate its resident artist programming, including its non-Equity acting company The Bats and its writer and director programs, later this month, 鈥渢he economic realities of the pandemic.鈥� The company states that it intends to implement new programs and organizational designs鈥攐nes where 鈥渁nti-oppression will be the rubric鈥濃�攊n 2021. That promise, however, is met with skepticism by the artists, with news of their dismissal arriving on the heels of a public reckoning; in the past six months, former and current artists have united to speak out about a culture of racial inequality and intimidation at the institution.

In the wake of an open letter by former Bats member Bryn Carter that called out the disconnect between the Flea鈥檚 public allyship with Black Lives Matter and internal practices, a collective of the Flea鈥檚 resident artists released 10 鈥渘on-negotiable demands鈥� that included legitimate wages as opposed to stipends, artist representation on the board. (An 11th鈥攖he resignation of Producing Director and Board President Carol Ostrow鈥攚as subsequently added.)

In the months that followed, the artists formed a Resident Artist Council, structured in a non-hierarchical model that aimed to center BIPOC voices. They established committees to address racial justice, healing and restorative justice, economic justice, and anti-harassment, as well as a planning subcommittee鈥攃omprised primarily of resident artists who were white-passing allies鈥攖o serve as intermediaries between the council and the staff and board.

The planning committee met with staff, including Ostrow and Artistic Director Niegel Smith, before beginning to meet with the board at large. Oscar Cabrera, a leader in the Economic Justice Committee and a member of the planning team, says that they had received signs of acceptance of the first 10 demands, but as conversations with the board continued, the execution of them faded. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when we received a lot of resistance on a lot of our ideas,鈥� he says. 鈥淭here was a lot of momentum, then when we were figuring out what the specifics were, it felt like they were having pacifying tactics with us.鈥�

Meanwhile, the institution faced a fall of continued shutdowns in light of the health crisis, which continues to keep in-person performance largely at a standstill. A representative for the company confirmed that leadership did begin to discuss the potential of digital alternatives that included the artists, though the conversations did not progress to the point of discussing specific compensation.

鈥淭here was hesitance from the artists,鈥� says Liz Morgan, who was a member of the Flea鈥檚 writers鈥� program Serials before leaving the company in the fall, as well as of the Council鈥檚 Healing & Restorative Justice Committee. 鈥淯ntil we had seen the other part of the work, which was very specific implementation of our demands, it wasn鈥檛 going to feel like a safe space to collaborate鈥�.so they have not had the opportunity to follow through on their promise to pay the actors and directors for their work.鈥�

The board鈥檚 letter to the Resident Artist Council announcing the terminations (sent December 3 afternoon) stated that previous resident members would be 鈥渋nvited to apply鈥� for the new programs, which would provide compensation 鈥渁lbeit to a smaller group of artists.鈥� Neither the capacity of the new residencies nor details of financial backing were stipulated.

To many members of the collective, this uncertainty underscores concerns that the downsizing is a retaliation against those who鈥檝e spoken out. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no transparency on what this process would look like, and it looks like a purging of the people that are trying to hold them accountable,鈥� says Adam Coy, a member of the Resident Artist Council who serves on the group鈥檚 Racial Justice Committee. 鈥淚f we do have to pare down who gets opportunities at The Flea, why don鈥檛 we have that conversation together and work out a solution?鈥�

Moving forward, members of the collective hope to continue their own endeavors, if not as resident artists of The Flea, as artists. 鈥淲hat this experience is giving me is more inspiration and empowerment to go into future collaborations with my values ahead of my fear of not getting the accolades I鈥檓 looking for,鈥� Morgan says. 鈥淚 think the kinds of fellowships I鈥檓 applying for are going to be different, because I鈥檓 going to be looking at the values really critically.鈥�

That being said, the group maintains its pursuit of accountability. In a group statement, the collective, under the name 鈥淭he Fled,鈥� makes one 鈥渇inal request鈥� to their former home: 鈥淗and over the keys. We do not want your name. We do not want your leadership鈥f you care about equity and anti-racism, take a step back.鈥�

Read their full statement .