“And though the newspapers called the shooting the Crime of the Century, Goldman knew it was only 1906 and there were ninety-four years to go.” - E L Doctorow, Ragtime
1906 marked the founding of Orpheus Musical Theatre and in the following 114 years we have witnessed continued acts of aggression, racism, discrimination, and injustice. We are called to collectively face and act on these realities. Orpheus acknowledges that it can no longer stand idly by while our Black community, Indigenous community, LGBTQ2+ community, and other communities continue to face discrimination.
We must put entertainment aside and remember that as a theatre company, we are storytellers. As such, we have a duty and responsibility to speak out, to provoke thought and discussion, to educate, and to promote social justice. We stand in solidarity with our communities of colour in the pursuit of justice and equality. We support your right to peaceful protest and share in the quest for freedom and safety. We will always be by your side and, recognize that we must do better.
As a theatre organization that is member-driven and community-based, we renew dedication to accessibility and inclusion.
We are committed to increased outreach to encourage a more culturally diverse membership, audience, and community.
We are committed to providing a safe space for all.
We are committed to providing space for marginalized stories and voices on our stages.
We acknowledge that we profit from the art forms created by the Black community.
We will address our own systemic issues and inequities.
We will continually listen to our communities, engaging and acting on social issues.
We acknowledge our own faults and complicity. We are dedicated to improving and to change. Change is necessary and overdue. We will do better, be better, and help pave the path forward.
“Say a prayer that change is a comin', Say a prayer that hope is 'round the bend. And if you pray that change is a comin', Then may what you pray come true.”
- Memphis: A New Musical
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