Leage of Independent Theater Announces Formation

LEAGUE OF INDEPENDENT THEATER ANNOUNCES FORMATION

New advocacy group to promote Off-Off Broadway’s economic and artistic interests

First membership meeting Dec. 7, 11AM, Barrow Street Theater, 27 Barrow Street

A team of prominent independent theater artists and producers proudly announce the creation of The League of Independent Theater, Inc. (LIT), a membership-based advocacy group and business league representing New York’s City Off-Off Broadway community. LIT’s website is www.litny.org.

The mission of LIT is to promote the economic and artistic interests of its members, ensuring that independent theater remains economically viable for its practitioners. The organization will advocate on behalf of the decades-old tradition of Off-Off Broadway theater.

Membership in LIT is open to any artist, company or technician working in theaters of 99 seats or less in New York City who can demonstrate participation in a minimum of three productions. Theater service organizations serving Off-Off Broadway are encouraged to apply.

Says LIT Executive Director John Clancy, an acclaimed director and Off-Off Broadway veteran who co-founded the New York International Fringe Festival: “I haven’t been as enthused and optimistic about an organization since the early days of the Fringe. Our members are entrepreneurs, business-savvy, and wildly creative. Our job is simply to harness that remarkable energy and effect real change in our territory.”

LIT’s priorities include:

1) Achieving substantive, meaningful changes to the Actors’ Equity Showcase Code to respond to the needs of the independent theater community.

2) Advocating for the establishment and preservation of Off-Off Broadway venues and rehearsal spaces, including lobbying for arts-friendly amendments to the building and tax codes and developing industry-enhancing relationships with real estate developers and interests.

3) Increasing funding from grant-giving organizations as well as supporting the campaigns of public officials who actively promote the independent theater community.

LIT is organized to qualify as a 501(c)(6) business league in order to engage in advocacy and lobbying for its members, without the lobbying limits applicable to 501(c)(3) organizations.

LIT’s Executive Director: John Clancy, Executive Artistic Director, Clancy Productions

LIT’s board of directors includes:

Paul Bargetto, Director, East River Commedia

Martin Denton, Executive Director, The New York Theatre Experience, Inc.

Shay Gines, Executive Director, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation

Michael Goldfried, Director

Robert Honeywell, Co-Artistic Director of Brick Theater

Leonard Jacobs, Theater Critic, New York Press

Abby Marcus, Managing Director, Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company

John Pinckard, Producer

Moira Stone, Actor

Erez Ziv, Co-Founder/Managing Director, Horse Trade Theater Group