Safety

Lookingglass is a company founded and sustained by Chicago theatre artists, and we approach the wellbeing of our collaborators with great care and intention. Safety is not treated as a static checklist, but as an ongoing, evolving practice. The artists who have shaped Lookingglass’s physical and visceral theatrical language have, over decades, engaged in work that often asks the extraordinary of the human body. Along the way, the field has learned a great deal about how to support artists in performing this work responsibly.

When engaging in intensely physical theatre, Lookingglass’s practices include built-in workshops and training for performers weeks in advance of first rehearsal, designed to support confidence and security. We collaborate in thoughtful planning that anticipates a wide range of contingencies and layered safeguards in technical and production processes (ie, triple rigging checks, annual fall arrest training, “Circus B” routine modifications.) We work in accordance with union guidelines and strive to go above and beyond these guidelines because we understand that our brand of theatre is often physical. These physical acts are built in collaboration with each individual artist and with the skills they are excited to bring into the conversation.

If ever there is an incident, even one as minor as a papercut, we ask that an incident report be written. If someone chooses to seek treatment for the incident, we require written approval from a medical expert before a performer is allowed to return to the stage. We have a workers’ compensation policy in place to ensure that if someone suffers an injury at the workplace, they have the medical expertise and financial protection they need.

Because Lookingglass Theatre Company is a collective of artists, we regularly revisit and refine our approaches to move the industry forward for artists. Growth and evolution is happening in the industry, though not always at the pace we desire. Following every production at Lookingglass, we engage in post-closing evaluations with the cast, crew, production teams, and staff to review our protocols and find opportunities for adjustment, if present. We believe that every production comes with an opportunity for growth and change. Open dialogue and conversation with team members is essential to better understanding, and when a concern is brought forward, we address it immediately.

If you are seeking further clarity on our safety protocols, please contact leadership@lookingglasstheatre.org