Theatre Advocacy Project
TAP Mission
To create safe and equitable working conditions for all theatre professionals.
TAP Vision
A future where all theatre professionals are safe from discrimination, harassment, and abuse, allowing for the advancement of braver, more collaborative, and exploratory art-making.
What started as a research project inspired by first-hand experiences, turned into an opportunity to create meaningful and measurable change.
The Accountability
Gap in Theatre
85
of theatres have no dedicated HR department
Many theatres outsource HR to firms with no expertise in the performing arts
Leadership often juggles HR duties without proper training or resources
How TAP Fills The Gap
TAP provides theatre-specific HR solutions designed for the unique needs of performing arts organizations. Whether through membership, consulting, or training, we help theatres establish clear policies, support their teams, and build workplaces where safety and accountability come first.
Membership
Join a community working collectively to set a new standard for the theatre industry
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Service bundles
Bundle two or more services for a discount and level up your workplace with the tools you need
Our resources
Through in person events, surveys, and interviews, TAP is building collective knowledge on workplace culture in theatre
Theatre professionals thrive in safe, supportive workplaces — and TAP member organizations are leading the way.
Based on 40 respondents working with TAP membership organizations
98
of workers report they would work with that member theatre again
98
of workers report they would work with that member theatre again
This was an amazing experience, one of the first jobs I’ve had where not only was I respected and able to work in a field I love, but also I felt if something was wrong it could easily be solved or handled before it even became an issue.
Artist
Shared anonymously to TAP's workplace survey for a TAP member organization.
Meet the passionate theatre professionals, HR experts, and advocates leading TAP’s mission for change.
Meet the Team
Caylin Waller
Executive Director and Co-founder
Caylin Waller
Executive Director and Co-founder
Caylin Waller (she/her), Executive Director and Co-Founder of Theatre Advocacy Project (TAP), has led award-winning research on building accountable practices in theatre. She holds an M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from NYU Steinhardt, was selected Distinguished Graduate for Outstanding Contribution to the Field of the Arts, and currently serves as an inaugural Expert in Residence for her former program. She has recently been featured on the A.R.T./NY podcast What's Off, in HowlRound Theatre Commons, and as a panelist at the inaugural RISE Summit, for her work with TAP. She was a 2022 grant recipient of the Mark & Debra Leslie Fellows grant through the NYU Female Founders Fellowship program.
Colette Gregory
Director of Programs and Co-Founder
Colette Gregory
Director of Programs and Co-Founder
Colette Gregory (she/her) M.A. M.Ed is Director of Programs and Co-Founder of Theatre Advocacy Project. A writer, educator, and mental health advocate based in Chicago, Illinois. She has her Master’s of Education in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University - New York, and formerly served as the Director of the Violence Prevention Research Team at DePaul University’s Center for Community Psychology. Her experience in executive coaching, organizational consulting, and professional development includes work with startups, Fortune 500 companies, universities, theaters, presidential campaigns, and the US military. Colette is passionate about research-based interventions for behavioral change and has designed and led transformational programs on innovation, collaboration, change readiness, burnout prevention, storytelling & pitching, DEI & inclusive leadership, communication, and sexual assault prevention. Also an award-winning comedian, Colette serves on the faculty of The Second City and Theatre School at DePaul University - Chicago.
Rocío Pérez
TAP Administrator
Rocío Pérez
TAP Administrator
Rocío Pérez (she/they), TAP Administrator, is a Salvadoran-American dramaturg, theatre artist, and educator based in New York City. As a theatre artist, she is guided by work grounded in justice, community, and the belief that we all must care for one another. Rocío holds a BFA in Theatre Education and Performance from Emerson College with a minor in Sociology. While at Emerson, Rocío was an ArtsEmerson Cutler Fellow, a year-long program designed to nurture emerging theatre producers. Soon after graduating, they decided to take a well-deserved break, and returned home to Portland, Maine. After a year of rest and exploration, Rocío returned to theatre and spent her summer in Western Massachusetts at Williamstown Theatre Festival as a Development Assistant. Currently, they are a supporting artist at People’s Theatre Project in Washington Heights and a Parent Coordinator with NYCPS.
Meet the Board
Bliss Griffin
Board member at TAP,
Principal at BG Consulting.
Bliss Griffin
Board member at TAP,
Principal at BG Consulting.
Courtney Allison
Board Secretary at TAP, Chief Academic Officer at EdReports.
Courtney Allison
Board Secretary at TAP, Chief Academic Officer at EdReports.
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Crystal Williams,
Board Vice President at TAP, Director of Marketing at Madison Energy Investments
Crystal Williams,
Board Vice President at TAP, Director of Marketing at Madison Energy Investments
Karmen Paley
Board President at TAP
Karmen Paley
Board President at TAP
Stephanie Alvarado Prugh
Board Treasurer at TAP
Stephanie Alvarado Prugh
Board Treasurer at TAP
We were so grateful to share a program of this quality with our team, and we've heard fantastic feedback. We especially appreciated that the session invited everybody into the dialogue no matter where they were starting on the topic - from folks in their first conversation to those of use who have facilitated DEI before - we all had much to learn.
Andy Eninger
Co-Founder, Head of Creative
Your guidance throughout these few years have been instrumental in guiding Theo in significant and positive ways. Every conversation we have with the TAP team have been extremely helpful and enlightening in moving Theo forward in becoming a more equitable and inclusive organization. You are trailblazers and we look forward to our continued partnership.
Fred Anzevino
Artistic Director and Founder, Theo Ubique
TAP is providing essential resources, tools, and community necessary for dismantling the long replicated and normalized harmful practices in theatre making.
Katharine Manness
Producing Artistic Director, Shakespeare in the Woods
I'm very satisfied with the Harassment, Abuse, and Bullying Intervention Training. It’s great to see that our employees will be engaging with content that’s relevant to both our industry and their roles—it’s exactly what I was hoping for.
Gabriel Vazquez
Director of EDI and People Operations, Dallas Theater Center
Your partnership has been invaluable to us over the years. Your dedication and expertise have played a significant role in helping us grow, and we deeply appreciate all the support and commitment you’ve provided.
Travis Knight
Associate Artistic Director, A Red Orchid Theatre
We build bridges of access with community partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our mission at TAP is to make sure everyone has access to safe and equitable working conditions, and we recognize that cost can be a barrier to entry for some. That is why we created our Pay it Forward Fund, which allows those with a financial constraint to apply for services they need for low or even no cost.
We want to grow alongside your organization over time, offering incremental service price increases that allow you to grow in a financially sound and sustainable way.
Joining TAP means joining a movement for change. We are seeking to change the entire theatre ecosystem. We do this by empowering workers with education of their rights and advocacy tools, organizations with accountable structures, policies, and practices, and the field with data, standards, and community care practices.
We offer a wide range of bespoke consultative services, including facilitating difficult conversations. However, TAP does not provide formal mediation services, guarantee specific outcomes, or enforce agreements between parties.
We do offer independent, equity-centered support for addressing workplace complaints and conflicts. We serve as a neutral third party, facilitating voluntary conversations focused on harm reduction, restorative justice, and culture repair when appropriate. If formal mediation is needed, or if TAP cannot act as a neutral third party, we will refer participants to independent, qualified mediators aligned with equity-centered practices.
We understand your skepticism and it's not misplaced. Historically, human resources departments function primarily to limit company liability, not to advocate for individuals. This can make individuals less likely to report harm, leading to organizations unknowingly or knowingly upholding harmful practices, and individuals feeling disempowered in their workplace.
So how is TAP different?