Participant Bill of Rights

Adapted from a document developed in collaboration between Pam Victor and the “Improv Teachers’ Support & Collaboration Group” Facebook group, inspired by a question from Jill Bernard of Huge Theater

• You have the right to be and feel safe during performances, rehearsals, and workshops.
• You have the right to be treated respectfully and with compassion.
• You have the right to set boundaries regarding physical contact and subject matter that might trigger a negative emotional response.
• You have the right to dictate what kind of physical touch you will receive.
• You have the right to immediately step out of any scene, performance, rehearsal, or class in which you feel unsafe, uncomfortable or overwhelmed.
• You have the right to excuse yourself from any scene, set or exercise at any time without explanation.
• You have the right to inform your teacher, captain, or facilitator of anything you want them to know ahead of time, including but not limited to physical or emotional conditions that might make executing exercises difficult or uncomfortably challenging.
• You have the right to speak to any teacher, captain, facilitator or any other company member or guest regarding behavior by any person that you feel infringes on your rights.
• You have the right to have this discussion held in confidence or to be shared in the manner agreed upon by you and the person to whom you make a report.
• If you are personally aware of any conduct that would have been a violation of your rights if directed toward you, you have the same right to report that conduct as if it had been directed at you.
• You have the right to define what feels fun and what feels comfortable (and uncomfortable) for you without judgment from others.
• You have the right to determine your own level of challenge.
• You have the right to love your work.