About ESP
MISSION
The Endangered Species theatre Project officially began on May 1, 2018, and presented our first summer programming with "Ten by Tennessee" - a production of ten short plays by Tennessee Williams which played at Sky Stage in July and August of that year.
ESPtheatre’s mission is to bring enjoyment and understanding through live theatre that proactively focuses on diverse representation. We do this by: a) giving voice to forgotten plays and playwrights; b) producing and sponsoring local artists who stage/promote/celebrate productions that increase representation of women over age 40 and other historically excluded artists on the stage; and c) making vital connections between people of all generations.
Our goal is to engage our artists and our community in the universal human experience.
We aim to:
a) Hire at least 50% CIS or TRANS women both on our stages and backstage,
b) educate ourselves on anti-racism and be actively involved in color-aware and anti-racist casting, and
c) open roles to actors of all genders, abilities, and ages -- and to actively work and train to be as inclusive as possible.
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At ESP, we believe that art can provide a way for engaged citizens to better understand and more competently navigate difficult times such as these. We will continue to tell the stories that need to be told as a part of an ongoing struggle to make this society all that it can and should be.
"Peace produced by suppression is neither natural nor desirable." -- Anna Julia Cooper 1919
#BlackLivesMatter
ESP is working on creating a fully accessible performance space and building Staff Capacity by hiring a Managing Director, Director of DEI Programing, and Director of Youth Programs. Progress is slow and costly. If you would like to support ESPtheatre, please consider making a charitable donation by clicking the button below.
Our Team
Christine Mosere - Artistic Director
Deanna Kinzie - Associate Artistic Director
BIOS
Christine Mosere, Founding Artistic Director
Director, producer, and actor, Christine was the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of NYC’s “Woman Seeking... a theatre company” (with the mission of breaking stereotyping of women in casting) for over 15 years where she won an OOBR Award for her direction and garnered rave reviews in The Village Voice and New York Times. She was a founding member of the Lucille Lortel award-winning Off-Broadway theatre “Peccadillo Theatre Company.” She performed at LaMaMa (with Arthur French & Barbara Montgomery) at BAM!, Westside Theatre, and Center Stage NY. Regionally, she performed at ACT Theatre, the Phoenix Theatre, and Theatre 9/12, among others. She is a member of Actors Equity Association and SAG/AFTRA. She formed the Endangered Species theatre Project in 2018 and co-founded the Frederick Shakespeare Festival. ESPtheatre's production of Romeo & Juliet received a DCMetro Staff Pick Award for Best Performance under Christine's direction.
Deanna Kinzie - Associate Artistic Director
Deanna joined ESPtheatre as part of the Crew in early 2019 supporting "A Midsummer Night's Dream". A year and a half later, she was Director of our Teen programs (directing all our teen productions.) She began Assistant Directing numerous productions in late 22. In 2023 she not only Co-directed our spring production of "The Awakening," she became Associate Artistic Director of the company.