Building Inclusive Spaces: The Power of Allyship at CTC

What is allyship? And why is it important?

AC: At CTC, we define an ally as someone that understands multiple forms of oppression, is aware of their privilege, and works to correct injustice. Allyship is the process of doing this work to dismantle oppressive systems and assumptions. It’s important to be an ally to marginalized people in all areas of life. This is important in our spaces in particular because creativity is often stifled by feeling disempowered and alone, but knowing that everyone in the space has agreed to do their best to treat everyone else equitably ideally allows artists to be their full and honest selves in the rehearsal room. 

What is allyship training? 

AC: Allyship training is an evolving framework for a facilitated group conversation developed by Michael Winn, our Associate Artistic Director and Director of Community Partnerships and Inclusion. Allyship training asks questions about identity, assumptions, and how to prevent and address harm. In the workplace and within a collaborative rehearsal space, allyship training offers tools to help us question assumptions, identify blind spots, and learn how to work with others in an anti-oppressive way. 

Why does CTC do allyship training? 

AC: We do allyship training because systemic injustice already marginalizes many people in myriad and intersecting ways. In the potentially vulnerable creative space of the rehearsal room, we do not want to add to anyone’s experience of marginalization. We want our spaces at CTC to be safe and brave places where people can bring their whole selves to the work and advocate for themselves without fear. At CTC, we believe that children and youth deserve the highest quality theatre experiences and that they have the right and the capacity to advocate for themselves. Allyship training gives everyone in our rehearsal spaces the tools to practice treating each other as whole individuals with equity and compassion. 

What does allyship training at CTC look like?

AC: An allyship training workshop at CTC is a round table discussion which begins with a set of questions about identity and mistaken assumptions. Everyone gets a chance to share about how they identify along various axes and why, and to consider the stories they’ve heard told about themselves and others that may not be accurate to what they know.  This is the longest part of the two-hour Allyship Training, but also the most important. It gives individuals a chance to share their context consensually, helping others engage with them as allies in the rehearsal process. Following this discussion, we offer a shared understanding of intent vs. impact of harm and subtle acts of exclusion, and suggestions of what to do when these acts occur, both for the person receiving the harm and the person unintentionally causing it. We then come to a consensus on a signal that allows our artists to “pause the moment” when harm occurs or they need to self-advocate. We help the artists agree on what aspects of the rehearsal environment make them feel most empowered and create a list of Room Agreements to serve as guiding principles when it comes to being allies to one another.