Mission Statement

Theatre Exile is a nonprofit theater company committed to sparking dialogue that strengthens our community through the development and staging of timely and provocative plays. Our productions explore the complexities of the human condition with a sense of Philadelphia grit and passion. We strive to raise the social well-being of our community by creating a supportive and creative environment where artists, audiences, and our entire community can experiment, grow, and find their voices.

COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY

Theatre Exile stands in solidarity with those fighting with the Black Lives Matter movement to make their voices heard.  At Theatre Exile, we produce plays that focus on people grappling with the truth of the world around them. We try to make change through the stories we tell. But there is so much more that needs to be done. We encourage our community to take action to make our world a more just place to live.

How is Philadelphia working toward racial equity?

In January 2020, Mayor Jim Kenney signed Executive Order 1-20 to mandate that City government embed racial equity as an explicit governing principle. Executive Order 1-20 required all City departments to complete an initial racial equity action plan by the end of 2023. As of August 2023, 32 City department teams have completed an initial racial equity action plan. These plans identify department-specific goals to reduce racial disparities through changing policies and practices.

Click here to read the city’s action plan per department as of 2023

Where can I donate and who can I support in this effort?

• Philadelphia chapter of Black Lives Matter

• Bread and Roses Community Fund

• The City of Philadelphia’s curated list of diversity and implicit bias trainings

• Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alyssa Klein’s compilation of Anti-Racism Resources for White People

• Campaign Zero, which works to limit police intervention, improve community interactions, and ensure accountability.

• NAACP’s online actions you can take today

• Participate in the annual International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21st

CORE VALUES

• We are committed to creating quality theater.

• We believe that to live as an artist is an honor and to be an artist means that you have a responsibility to make the community that you live in a better place.

• We respect the dedication and talent of artists who are committed to our philosophy and style of performance.

• We are committed to Philadelphia’s artists and audiences, and to supporting local artists while reflecting the unique character and diversity of our city within our artistic work.

• We believe that the stronger and more daring the artist’s voice, the more the artist is able to engage in dynamic dialogue.

• We seek to inspire conversation and excitement among our audience members.

• We believe discourse with diverse perspectives helps uplift any conversation.

• We choose plays that are high quality, challenging, daring, and appeal to an adventurous audience.

• We live by the collaborative process with all of our many and varied artists and staff.

• We are part of a community and will contribute to the well being of that community through all of our programs.

Artistic Statement

Theatre Exile has proven to be a place where local artists can take their biggest risks. We match challenging scripts with Philadelphia’s top talent, continually bringing immediate and dangerous performances to our audiences. The stories that Exile brings to our audiences demand that our actors live in a moment of truth, despite the peril and vulnerability that such honesty demands. Our artists and technicians collaborate continually. This working style is imperative to creating the intimacy that the audience feels. Armed with our bare-knuckled acting style, bold designs and forceful direction, Exile attacks stories; digging deeper into our desires and psyches.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Theatre Exile creates, produces, and operates on the indigenous land of the Lenape Nation, specifically that of the Lenapehoking tribe. We acknowledge that we are on stolen land, colonially known as Philadelphia, acquired by William Penn via the Walking Purchase of 1737. Theatre Exile recognizes the responsibility we all now owe to the original stewards of the land, and the role we must play toward reconciliation, decolonization, and ally-ship. 

This includes helping bring awareness to the Lenape Nation’s efforts to gain federal recognition with the State of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania does not currently recognize any indigenous tribe as the first people of this land. Federal recognition makes a tribe eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. “Federally recognized tribes are recognized as possessing certain inherent rights of self-government (i.e., tribal sovereignty) and are entitled to receive certain federal benefits, services, and protections because of their special relationship with the United States. At present, there are 574 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages.” (US Department of The Interior Indian Affairs) 

to grant The Lenape Nation federal recognition in the State of Pennsylvania.

about the Lenape Nation