STAR Initiative

March 5, 2020

To: The Pentacle Theatre Community

From: Pentacle’s 2020 Governing Board and Executive Director

Re: Our STAR initiative

Last year, our governing board and executive director sat together to discuss how to respond to our volunteers’ evolving needs and expectations. We celebrated the fact that Pentacle provides a collaborative opportunity to create and experience theater in an atmosphere of respect, support and enjoyment.

We also saw that Pentacle Theatre needs a more effective structure to communicate and reinforce that mission throughout the organization.

We found it right in front of us: our STAR.

Why STAR?

A star has represented Pentacle Theatre since its beginning. Your board has adopted the shorthand—the STAR initiative—to describe this work because it is a powerful and universal symbol.

When we find our STAR, we know where we’re headed. If we get lost, it points us in the right direction. When we all aim toward our STAR, we have a stronger sense of community and greater creative opportunities. We can take more risks because our STAR will always be a beacon.

The letters that spell STAR also reflect some of the key characteristics of this work.

S: Supportive

T: Transparent

A: Accountable

R: Respectful

The STAR is a set of shared expectations and principles that guide us in all we do as a theater community.

Background

Pentacle Theatre has a strong history of evolving and growing in response to a changing environment. In 2017, we adopted our Casting Best Practices to address concerns regarding nepotism and other perceived conflicts of interest. Last year, we issued a statement about sexual harrassment and created a pathway to respond and report instances of all kinds of harassment at Pentacle Theatre. A new Code of Conduct describes the behaviors that keep our community strong. The STAR initiative seeks to increase consistency and give us tools to hold each other accountable.

What can you expect?

Our STAR initiative will clarify roles and responsibilities of the board, staff and volunteers. You can expect to see this in our Directors’ Handbook, in how we address differences of opinion at Pentacle, the composition of the Governing Board and in expectations for volunteer behavior. Of course, in the spirit of the STAR initiative, you will be an important part of these conversations.

Qualities of the STAR

accountable, appreciative, celebratory, consistent, empowering, engaging, forgiving, helpful, honest, inclusive, mindful, reliable, respectful, safe, supportive, transparent, welcoming