MISSION
Smith Street Stage is an actor-led company that explores the works of Shakespeare with regard to their examination of character, human conflict and personal and institutional power structures. We believe this way of working renders Shakespeare’s plays clear and accessible to all audiences without sacrificing their complexity or human dilemma. Smith Street Stage is committed, through classes, workshops, and its rehearsal process, to the ongoing artistic development of its actors and early career theater artists.
As You Like It
Our Process
Our rehearsal process centers on human interaction as it is presented in Shakespeare’s text and portrayed in our actors' work. In our workshops and rehearsals, our artists are encouraged to bring their own viewpoints and experiences to bear in rendering the relationships of their characters. It is a process defined by artist empowerment, collaboration, and rigor.
We believe the diversity of viewpoints strengthens the work. The resulting productions are clear in their presentation of relatable human dilemma, and reflect the diversity and concerns of our audience. Marginalized people existed in Shakespeare's time and we believe they occupy his plays, and that diversifying the voices that bring life to these characters is a form of reclaiming classical literature.
Smith Street Stage has featured Broadway actors over twenty times, and the strength of our performances has been registered in multiple acting awards and nominations. The company has become an artistic home for early and mid-career actors to enrich their work and hone their craft. We foster a sense of community among these artists through our company classes, in which actors gather to practice scenes and monologues from the play we’re preparing to produce. Sometimes loosely facilitated and other times guided by more formal instruction, the classes are an opportunity for our artists to practice their skills while the company begins investigating the central questions of the play.
OUR Values
Smith Street Stage is committed to creating and maintaining a work environment in which all people are treated with dignity and respect and where creativity can flourish. Such an environment is characterized by mutual trust, physical and emotional safety, and the absence of oppression.
Smith Street Stage is dedicated to fostering an anti-racist workspace, free from harassment and discrimination of all kinds, where every member of our community can thrive. We do this by honoring the beliefs, cultures, identities, interpersonal styles and values of all individuals.
The Tempest
Policies that we've implemented to actualize this commitment include a Statement of Values that establishes no-tolerance policies for racism and harassment; updating our contract language to more specifically articulate expectations and not rely on culturally assumed practices; recruiting and hiring BIPOC artists in linchpin leadership and organizational roles like director, assistant director, stage manager, producer, and lead actor(s); the EDI training of white leadership; instituting free classes for early career artists from underrepresented communities; exit interviews in which artists can register anonymous feedback; a committee casting process intended to foster color conscious casting and minimize blindspots; maximally staggering rehearsals calls and accommodating conflicts to respect artists’ time; choosing shows through collective artist engagement; and hiring a production Ombuds to broker conflict resolution and provide an anonymous reporting structure for our artists.
This work is ongoing, and Smith Street Stage remains committed to this work, and to using our position in the industry to exemplify conscientious, rigorous, and inclusive productions Shakespeare’s plays.
Lear: That Old Man I Used to Know
Our Future
After over a decade of successful Shakespeare in Carroll Park productions, Smith Street Stage is establishing a second annual production, hosted at the Mark O’Donnell Theater in Downtown Brooklyn. Additionally, the company intends to continue increasing artist fees, expand our administrative support staff, and work towards longer development of our productions.
To this end, we are seeking potential Board members. Our Board of Directors includes pillars of our Carroll Gardens community, as well as actors whose plays have won Tonys and writers whose movies have won Oscars. Now, we want to invite to this group collaborators who can help us fundraise, procure angel donors, and strategize our development.
If you, a friend, or family member has enjoyed our work and has experience in fundraising, development, or non-profit management, please reach out to us.
Artistic Director
Jonathan Hopkins
Company Managers
Theodosia Arcidiacono & Dominick Degaetano
Development Associate
Isabella Gomez Giron
Leadership BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Wendy Bellus, Gary Dolan, Joby Earle, Jonathan Hopkins, Ben Horner, Glenn Kelly, Beth Ann Leone
Honorary Board
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Smith Street Stage respectfully acknowledges that we gather on Lenapehoking, the traditional homelands of the Lenape people. We pay respect to the Lenape peoples, elders, and their ancestors past, present and future. *US Department of Arts and Culture Honor Native Land Guide *https://thelenapecenter.com/lenapehoking