MISSION STATEMENT
The Latiné Musical Theatre Lab, LLC is an organization that develops and advocates for new Latiné-written works of musical theatre in order to radically change who gets to tell musical stories on stages across the country and the world.
VISION STATEMENT
We envision a world of equity in the theatre community for Latiné artists. Where our representation on and off stage matches our representation in the general population. Where our participation in the theatre community reflects the true contributions of Latinés to the fabric of this nation.
We see a world where audiences and producers embrace our stories as a fundamental, unalienable part of the art form - not simply as a way to check the box of diversity, or through a lens of cultural voyeurism.
We see a world where no actor is directed to be “spicier,” no composer told to make their music “more ethnic,” and no writer asked to change their plot or their characters to fit established cultural stereotypes of Latin people.
We see a world where Latiné artists have the freedom to express their Latinidad through their art without the lens of a white world telling them all the ways they’re doing it wrong. We see a world where Latiné writers have the same freedoms as white writers - to write about anything, any subject, any topic, and not be limited by their identity as “Latin” and the expectations that Latiné writers only write Latiné stories.
We see a world with robust opportunities to develop and deepen works of musical theatre, allowing our art form to flourish through unprecedented support of our writers. We see a world where the opportunity to be one of those writers, the ones who create the very stories that shape our culture, is not limited to those with the right level of wealth and privilege. Where Latiné artists - and artists of every group that’s currently sidelined by the structures of American theatre - have an equitable share and stake in the culture of our industry.
Lastly, we envision a world where organizations like this one are no longer needed - where providing support to musical theatre writers as a whole means that support is evenly shared across the wide and varied cultures and experiences of humanity, creating the robust, varied, and exciting world of theatre of which we dream.
***An organization of this nature cannot exist without acknowledging that Latinidad represents a large umbrella of cultures, experiences, and forms of privilege. As such, we stand firmly committed to elevating the works of Afro-latinx; female; trans and nonbinary folx; immigrants; those with indigenous roots; and the members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
OUR CORE VALUES
COMMUNITY
Bringing people in, because we're stronger together.
STEWARDSHIP
Championing our people and their work.
DIVERSITY
Decentering white supremacy in the musical theatre space. Embracing individual identities, as opposed to a monolith of Latinidad.
PLAY
Embracing mess, mistakes, and the creative process.
IMPACT
Measurably increasing the volume of Latiné work being produced nationally.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Though we don't own and operate a physical space of our own, the spaces we work in on the island of Manhattan are located in unceded Lenape territory. The name Manhattan derives from the Lenape word for Island, ‘Menatay’. We acknowledge the genocide and continuous displacement of indigenous people across this continent and beyond. We recognize our ability as an arts organization to perpetuate the erasure of indigenous peoples and their stories, and we are committed to honoring and championing the lives, experiences, and contributions of indigenous peoples past, present, and future.