The Chicago Inclusion Project: A Timeline (2015–Present)

2015 — Founding & First Public Action

  • TCIP is founded by Emjoy Gavino and collaborators in response to longstanding inequities in Chicago theatre hiring, casting, and access.

  • The project launches with a clear mission: expand inclusion in Chicago theatre by removing barriers to entry and broadening who gets seen, hired, and supported.

  • Their first major public action is the Chicago Inclusion Auditions, designed to give actors from historically excluded communities direct access to casting directors and theatres.

2016–2017 — Expansion of Auditions & Visibility

  • The Inclusion Auditions become an annual or near‑annual anchor event.

  • TCIP begins partnering with more theatres, directors, and producers to normalize inclusive casting practices.

  • Workshops and conversations around equity, access, and representation start to appear as part of their programming.

2018–2019 — Deepening the Mission

  • TCIP shifts from “access to auditions” toward systemic change, emphasizing:

    • equitable hiring practices

    • inclusive rehearsal rooms

    • anti‑bias training

    • community‑centered conversations

  • They begin collaborating with institutions seeking to overhaul internal processes, not just casting.

2020 — Pandemic Pivot & Equity Reckoning

  • With COVID‑19 shutting down live performance, TCIP pivots to virtual programming, resource‑sharing, and community support.

  • During the nationwide racial‑justice uprisings, TCIP becomes a key voice in Chicago’s theatre‑equity conversations, helping institutions confront internal inequities and commit to structural change.

2021–2022 — Infrastructure Building

  • TCIP expands its offerings beyond auditions:

    • workshops on inclusion, anti‑racism, and equitable practices

    • consulting for theatres revising hiring, casting, and leadership pipelines

    • community conversations centering marginalized artists

  • The organization begins formalizing its internal structure to sustain long‑term work.

2023–2024 — Strategic Reorientation

  • TCIP continues to refine its mission toward facilitating inclusive experiences and hiring practices across the entire Chicago theatre ecosystem, not just casting.

  • The Inclusion Auditions remain a signature program, but the organization increasingly focuses on education, consulting, and systems‑level change.

2025–Present — New Website, Slow Deliberate Growth

  • As of the most recent public update, TCIP is rebuilding its website “slowly, deliberately” to reflect its expanded mission.

  • The organization emphasizes:

    • supporting diverse voices

    • equitable hiring

    • creating welcoming, inclusive experiences for artists, audiences, and staff

  • Their public messaging suggests a continued commitment to long‑term structural change, not one‑off events.

Overall Arc (2015–2026)

TCIP has evolved from a casting‑access initiative into a systems‑change organization shaping how Chicago theatre hires, trains, supports, and welcomes people. The through‑line is consistent: equity, access, and inclusion as baseline conditions—not afterthoughts.

The Chicago Inclusion Project: A Detailed Timeline (2015–Present)

2015 — Founding & Mission Launch

  • Founder: Emjoy Gavino, along with a group of Chicago theatre collaborators, establishes The Chicago Inclusion Project in response to longstanding inequities in casting, hiring, and access across Chicago theatre. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

  • Mission: Expand inclusion by removing barriers and broadening who gets seen, hired, and supported in Chicago theatre. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

  • Initial Program: The first major public action is the creation of the Chicago Inclusion Auditions, giving historically excluded actors direct access to casting directors and theatres. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

2016 — First Major Partnerships & Staged Readings

TCIP begins a series of high‑profile staged readings with major Chicago theatres.

June 2016 — After the first successful reading

  • The previous summer’s staged reading was William Saroyan’s The Time of Your Life, in partnership with Victory Gardens Theatre and The League of Chicago Theatres. Broadway World

July 11, 2016 — Saint Joan (George Bernard Shaw)

  • Partner Theatre: Writers Theatre, Glencoe, IL.

  • Director: Michael Halberstam (WT Artistic Director).

  • Stage Manager: David Castellanos.

  • Cast includes:

    • Charin Alvarez

    • Joseph Anthony Foronda

    • Nathan Hosner

    • Anish Jethmalani

    • Dan Lin

    • James Vincent Meredith

    • Jeff Parker

    • Julian Parker

    • Michael Perez

    • Adam Poss

    • Phillip Van Lear

    • Dominique Worsley

    • Avi Roque as Joan
      Broadway World

August 9, 2016 — In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) (Sarah Ruhl)

  • Partner Theatre: TimeLine Theatre, Chicago.

  • Casting: Not yet announced at the time of publication. Broadway World

2016–2017 Season — American Theater Company

  • TCIP collaborates with American Theater Company on an inclusive casting process for the entire season.

  • Supporting Partner: The League of Chicago Theatres. Broadway World

2016–2019 — Expansion of Auditions & Visibility

  • The Chicago Inclusion Auditions become an annual or near‑annual anchor event. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

  • TCIP partners with more theatres, directors, and producers to normalize inclusive casting practices.

  • Workshops and conversations around equity, access, and representation begin to appear as part of programming. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

2018–2019 — Systemic Change Work Deepens

  • TCIP shifts from “access to auditions” toward systemic change, including:

    • equitable hiring practices

    • inclusive rehearsal rooms

    • anti‑bias training

    • community‑centered conversations

  • TCIP begins collaborating with institutions seeking to overhaul internal processes, not just casting. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

2020 — Pandemic Pivot & Racial‑Justice Reckoning

  • With COVID‑19 shutting down live performance, TCIP pivots to virtual programming, resource‑sharing, and community support. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

  • During the nationwide racial‑justice uprisings, TCIP becomes a key voice in Chicago’s theatre‑equity conversations, helping institutions confront internal inequities and commit to structural change. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

2021–2022 — Infrastructure Building & Victory Gardens Partnership

Staffing (as publicly listed):

  • Emjoy Gavino — Founder, Executive Director, Casting Associate

  • Stephanie Díaz — Grant Writer / Casting Associate

  • Elana Elyce — Business Manager

  • Adelina Feldman‑Schultz — Facilitator, Casting Associate

  • Arti Ishak — Facilitator

  • Abhi Shrestha — Community Organizer / Literary Manager

  • Jessica Vann — Facilitator
    Victory Gardens

Season‑long collaboration with Victory Gardens (2021–2022)

TCIP handles inclusive casting for the following productions:

  • Queen of the Night

  • In Every Generation

  • cullud wattah

  • Ignite Chicago Reading Series

  • 20/50 Play Festival
    Victory Gardens

2023–2024 — Strategic Reorientation

  • TCIP refines its mission toward facilitating inclusive experiences and hiring practices across the entire Chicago theatre ecosystem, not just casting.

  • The Inclusion Auditions remain a signature program, but the organization increasingly focuses on education, consulting, and systems‑level change. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

2025–Present — Slow, Deliberate Growth & Website Rebuild

  • TCIP begins rebuilding its website “slowly, deliberately” to reflect its expanded mission. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

  • Public messaging emphasizes:

    • supporting diverse voices

    • equitable hiring

    • creating welcoming, inclusive experiences for artists, audiences, and staff

  • TCIP continues evolving from a casting‑access initiative into a systems‑change organization shaping how Chicago theatre hires, trains, supports, and welcomes people. thechicagoinclusionproject.org

Overall Arc

Across a decade, TCIP has moved from: Access → Representation → Structural Change.

Its work now spans:

  • inclusive casting

  • consulting

  • community organizing

  • education

  • partnerships with major theatres

  • sector‑wide equity conversations

And it has done so while collaborating with:

  • Victory Gardens Theatre

  • Writers Theatre

  • TimeLine Theatre

  • American Theater Company

  • The League of Chicago Theatres

…and dozens of Chicago artists across disciplines.