MADISON, WI; We have received a lot of feedback in the last couple of days regarding some inappropriate language in one of our shows. We felt it necessary for our community that we reach out and acknowledge the hurt we have caused.
For those who may not know, we recently put on a production of Dog Sees God. In this production there was a white character who greeted another white character by using a racial slur. We recognize that this was an incorrect choice on the production's part.
Going into this production we wanted to center and focus in on the “queer” aspects of the show. What we failed to realize was that we were becoming lost in our own queer perspectives and experiences. As a predominately white production crew and board we failed to consider the feelings of those most marginalized within our community. And for that we are truly sorry.
StageQ has tried to create an inclusive environment for our community, and has strived to make sure that all who come to our productions feel welcome and safe. But unfortunately this time we failed. We are very thankful for those who have spoken out about this. We want to be able to grow and be better for our community, and we know that it starts with holding ourselves accountable. We are prepared to listen and do the work.
Humbly,
Jeremiah Gile, Co-Director & Vice-President
Zak Stowe, Co-Director & President
StageQ Board