A Call In To the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.
Tags: Labor, Pwi, Theater, Equity, Equal Pay

On July 17, 2021, the apprentices and writer’s assistants of the summer 2021 season sent an email listing our grievances from the summer and demands moving forward. Below is the published letter with minor edits made to clarify staff positions and protect identities.

To the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center Board of Directors, Senior Staff, and Year-Round-Staff,

In the past month, we’ve witnessed a flurry of online and internal conversations about the livability of the apprenticeship program at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

On June 29th, 2021, The O’Neill posted the 2021–2022 apprenticeships on playbill.com sparking a maelstrom of social media responses and commentary

On July 2nd, 2021, Sarah Dew published an open letter. Since the publication, numerous O’Neill affiliated current and former staff, guest artists, apprentices and interns have signed as well as non-O’Neill affiliated theatre professionals.

On July 8th, 2021, Tiffani Gavin, executive director, made a statement at an all staff meeting.

Later that day on July 8th, members of the senior staff discussed the apprenticeship during an anti-racism task force meeting.

On July 13th, 2021, various members of senior staff met for an apprentice brainstorming meeting. Apprentices (former and current) were not invited, asked about their experiences, nor briefed about what was discussed.

On July 15th, 2021, a Healing Circle was held by several senior staff and HR members. Apprentices (barring the 2021 Theatre Maker apprentices) were invited at approximately 1 PM in the afternoon before this circle and no staff members or guest artists were invited or made aware of this Healing Circle.

We want to acknowledge the progress that has been made around this issue — particularly the space afforded by the Healing Circle. At the same time, we feel that we have not been truly heard nor has the harm that has been perpetrated been addressed or acknowledged.

We would like to be very clear. This letter is not simply a response to the Sarah Dew Open Letter. Though we share similar concerns alluding to the unlivable wages and inaccessibility promised by the apprenticeship program and addressed in that letter, this is an amalgamation of the treatment and experiences we have had this entire summer. While the apprenticeship listing may have catalyzed conversations online and at the O’Neill, this conversation includes summer staff at large.

This is not a call out, but a call in. Please know this is not meant to be inflammatory. We are writing this because of the potential we see within the institution for growth, collaboration, and improvement, and our desire for the O’Neill to not only be the place where the theatre of tomorrow is created, but a leader in the building of the new, equitable standards of the American theatre. It is also our belief that we can build a better work environment for all of us, together.

We, the undersigned, would like to express the following grievances, in no particular order of importance:

The lack of a living wage for apprentices/writer’s assistants. We are currently paid $150/week.

The lack of transparency in conversations surrounding the Sarah Dew Open Letter.

The amount of senior staff meetings where the apprentices were discussed without our knowledge felt unacceptable. We are directly affected, we should be involved in the conversations from the start.

The consistent micro and macro aggressions committed by members of senior staff against junior staff of color. (Jokes about Juneteenth are NOT funny. It is unacceptable to refer to someone as “housekeeping”, and then make it a joke- even if it was a “slip of the tongue”.)

The Juneteenth “celebration” was disrespectful and deeply offensive.

The use of they/them pronouns by some staff members as a blanket pronoun when individuals have expressed their identities beforehand (ex. If someone uses she/her, they/them pronouns shouldn’t be used as it feels invalidating for individuals who use they/them).

Watching individuals we love, care about, and admire who are in positions of power be excluded, humiliated, overworked, and unthanked.

Lack of access to quality, thoughtfully coordinated educational opportunities that are a part of the work day rather than in addition to the work day. Additionally, not having a protected class day to participate in Theatre Makers classes available to apprentices

Exclusion of the TheatreMaker Apprentices from the listening circle even though they were active participants of this program this summer and were harmed. They should have been given the invitation to join via Zoom if they so chose despite their departure from campus. A previous check-in is not sufficient; there is strength in numbers and they should have been included in the group.

Overlooking the time, energy, and mental health of apprentices. Expecting the status quo, affirming the status quo, and making guilt and silence the status quo.

Negating the fact that what we are doing is a job. Yes, an apprenticeship is also an educational opportunity, but we do important work for this institution and having that invalidated is harmful and hurtful.

Apprentices and Writer’s Assistants work 60 hour weeks and provide crucial, necessary work, without which this institution would not function.

The “healing” circle did not seem to be created with the true intention of healing but created to appease. The fact that the circle was held nearly two weeks after the publication of the open letter (and therefore the start of these conversations) made it feel like an afterthought. Furthermore, the last minute invitation to the circle was not thoughtful of our time.

We acknowledge the steps forward offered in the email sent Friday, July 16, titled “Campus Updates.” Yet at the same time, this email perpetuates a further harm of ending conversation without continued action. The low-hanging fruit of what can be done in the immediacy does not serve the long term systemic issues at the core of the apprenticeships. And therefore, below we outline our further demands for continued change.

And we demand the following, again in no particular order:

To be paid a living wage — The upcoming Connecticut minimum wage is $13/hour, as of August 1st, 2021. The current minimum wage is $12/hour. During the first three weeks of the summer, production apprentices worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week. Based on this, they worked 72 hours/week, and their hourly rate amounts to around $2 an hour (given that our weekly pay is currently $150/week). The calculation is similar for other apprentices/writer’s assistants. Also, for the Theater Maker, Producing, and CoMa apprentices, this does not include on-call hours.

The upcoming Connecticut minimum wage is $13/hour, as of August 1st, 2021. The current minimum wage is $12/hour. During the first three weeks of the summer, production apprentices worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week. Based on this, they worked 72 hours/week, and their hourly rate amounts to around $2 an hour (given that our weekly pay is currently $150/week). The calculation is similar for other apprentices/writer’s assistants. Also, for the Theater Maker, Producing, and CoMa apprentices, this does not include on-call hours. For all summer staff to get a regular weekend day off. Saturday or Sunday — can be staggered.

No twelve hour days (10 hours or less). This is in special consideration of production apprentices, who are expected to take on hours of manual labor. There should be respect, awareness, and generosity when considering all physical abilities.

Free laundry or a laundry stipend for all staff living on campus, for everyone.The current cost of laundry on campus is $2 for wash, and $2 to dry per load.

Mandatory, consistent, anti-racism training for all staff on campus. This should be conducted by a professional, third party, anti-racism educator. All staff and apprentices involved in the O’Neill must be required to attend and BIPOC individuals should have an affinity group within this training.

Every member of summer staff should receive at least one free item from Gene’s General Store.

All summer staff be required to clock in and out/monitor and log work hours, in order to create pay and hour transparency. This will also remedy both the apprentice and senior staff culture of overworking. Both parties deserve healthy work/life boundaries.

TTTP (Technical Theatre Training Program) programming to be created with care and intention put into it. This programming should also occur during work hours and not in addition to them.

All supervisors check-in with their respective apprentice(s) regarding emotional and overall well-being at least once a week.

Decent, respectful treatment by senior staff.

Transparency in communication. Meetings pertaining to any department should include all staff from that department.

Planned and subsidized special events and excursions for apprentices.

Clarity on the job title of the writer’s assistants (i.e. apprentices vs. staff).

A third-party individual as part of the HR team. This individual should not be a member of year-round staff or faculty, and ideally identifies as a person of color.

A meeting with the Board, wherein we are able to meet the individuals on the board, and ask questions.

Cost of special events should be covered for apprentices. For example, the post- Monte Cristo Cottage tour Fred’s Shanty meal should have been subsidized.

Please respond, addressing each of our bullet points, within 72 hours — Tuesday, July 20, at 5:30 PM EST. In your response, we require transparency and/or an explanation at minimum.

Signed, the Apprentices and Writer’s Assistants of Summer 2021, with the support of artists on campus

On July 20, at 5:30 PM EST, we had only received a short response that did not address any of our points. We sent a followup email asking for a clearer response by 9 AM EST on July 21, 2021.

At around 7:36 AM EST on July 21, 2021, we received an email response from Tiffani Gavin, executive director. This email response was patronizing in tone, closed a conversation rather than opened one, and did not provide sufficient specific, transparent action plans.

We share this information with the hope that you will join us in holding the O’Neill accountable and building a better path forward.

We are being exploited. We asked for an explanation as to why are we being exploited. We asked for a timeline of if and when we can expect to be exploited no longer. We have not received a response.