Stage A
Change

About Stage A Change

Founded in 2017, Stage A Change is an organisation working to create more professional theatre opportunities for aspiring artists of colour throughout Australia. New in 2021, Stage A Change has developed an industry-focused consultancy program, specifically created for arts practitioners and theatre companies. This program enables independent artists, producers, creatives and organisations to initiate, develop, build and take action on best practices with regards to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, based on their project, vision, budget and goals.

For more information about Stage A Change and The ChangeMakers, please contact hello@stageachange.org.

Stage a Change has a 3 Spoke Plan to bring about this change. Artist Training, Community Engagement and Industry Standards. Our belief is that it is necessary to invest and make change in all three areas for the figurative wheel to start turning in the direction of inclusivity and equity in the theatre.

Training Stage A Change has and will continue to produce a training program to help artists discover and develop skills necessary for a career in the arts. Our first training program was in 2018 in partnership with University of Melbourne / VCA. A rotating roster of directors, acting coaches, music directors, choreographers, agents etc. facilitate these workshop style classes and professional actors supplement training by engaging with students as mentors. Through this elite training program, aspiring artists can begin to learn the skills necessary to be competitive in the industry at a professional standard.

Community Engagement By organically engaging culturally diverse communities, over time we can develop a new audience who are excited to see their stories told onstage. The first steps are to create ongoing discussions and experiences that welcome a new audience into live theatre and the accessibility of the arts as a career.

Industry Standards We will continue to facilitate discussion and action with industry stakeholders to implement ground and glass breaking industry standards with regard to sourcing and casting actists of colour. Through open, candid discussion, forums, and support to build a plan for change, we hope to help casting directors, artistic directors, producers, and creatives find solutions that result in truly authentic representations on stage, behind the curtain and in the audience.

About Cessalee Stovall

Cessalee Stovall is an artist, educator, and advocate who connects her theatre and performance practice, expertise as an educator, lived experience as a Black artist, and passion for arts outreach to deliver programming that serves artists and our industry on a global scale. With a degree in theatre from Florida State University, certificates in Diversity and Inclusion from Purdue University and Cornell University, and a Mental Health First Aid certification, she is uniquely qualified to support diversity, equity, inclusion and mental health in the performing arts sector.

Known for her open-minded perspective and knack for understanding the larger picture, Cessalee has earned the respect and support of theatre industry professionals globally. In addition to providing access to training, Cessalee believes that by discussing and implementing both ground- and glass-breaking best practices, we will continue to diversify our industry, both onstage, offstage, and in the audiences, making space to hear more voices, understand more stories, and engage more authentically.