Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS KCTSI?​
Kansas City Theatre Safety Initiative (KCTSI) refers broadly to three things: the community agreement document, the committee of volunteers, and the social movement.
​
The community agreement document is, first and foremost, a resource and a living document.  It is not a legal document, and should not be treated as such.  The document provides is a set of standards and best practices for the production of safe, effective, and well-considered theatre.  

KCTSI is not a reporting agency, nor the arbiter of personal grievances. While we appreciate and respect feedback that comes from personal experience, we are not in a position to provide mediation between two parties, or to contact individuals or institutions on another's behalf. The sole purpose of this initiative is to provide public standards in a community-led agreement.
​
WHO WROTE THE DOCUMENT?
The document was written by the original 7 members of the KCTSI committee. It was largely derived from existing documents in cities like Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis. The primary inspirational source was Not In Our House Chicago. 

WHERE CAN I FIND THE DOCUMENT?
The document is available in PDF form on our website on The Agreement page. It's also linked on our Facebook page and Instagram bio.

WHAT CAN I EXPECT WHEN READING THE DOCUMENT?
The current draft is 46 pages long, divided into 3 large sections and 18 subsections. We'd love if you sat down with it and approached it the way you'd approach any other rough draft, red pen and highlighter style. This is the result of over a year's worth of research, built on by other people's research, combined with personal experience, intended to remain logical and straightforward. It's a lot of information to digest and build from, and we want you to place your best eyes on it. Good analysis will require a lot of intellectual focus, and a way to take notes. You can send us notes as you go if you like, we just ask that all feedback be submitted via the Google Form.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The January 2025 draft of the KCTSI community agreement was constructed over the past year by the committee. Now, we're seeking public feedback notes, recorded via Google Form. We're also planning our first public event for community feedback, details TBA. Notes will be processed by the committee for revision. The agreement will eventually be sent to all KC theatre companies, where we will seek their signatures as a public declaration of responsibility and attention to the community agreement. It will remain a living document, with transparent recordkeeping.

HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
The January 2025 draft of the document is now public, and ready for your perusal and feedback. You can find the document and more information about how to contribute on The Agreement page.

We are always seeking donations in the form of event space, snacks/drinks, and print copies for public events.

We invite you to join us at any of our public forum events, where we discuss the major points of the document.

Please follow our socials, contribute feedback to the document, and email us with questions, comments, or to join our email list.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "SIGN" THIS DOCUMENT?
Throughout the next phase (2025-2026), the committee will be developing a signature process. The big picture: all local theatre companies will be sent the the document as it stands after public feedback and revisions are applied, with an acknowledgement/signature request added at the end. We encourage all companies to return a signed copy to the KCTSI committee, publicly declaring responsibility and attention to the community agreement. 

IS THIS A REALISTIC ENDEAVOR?
This is the first time an effort of this scale has kicked off in KC, and the committee is well-equipped for a responsibility of this magnitude. The answer to this question will truly come from community engagement. KC is full of passionate theatre artists who care deeply about paving a better path forward, and KCTSI provides a concrete resource to aid that journey. We ask you to help us make this vision a reality.


“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."
                                            -William James