Queer Theatre Kalamazoo (QTK) was founded in 2013 by then-graduate student Laura Kay Henderson as part of her thesis project. Over the next six years Laura devoted endless hours to QTK acting as both executive and artistic director. As time went on a Board of Directors was formed to provide necessary oversight as QTK became a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in 2018.
Since our founding we have produced at least 50 new plays written by local queer playwrights—a core precedent set by Laura—providing opportunities to hundreds of people in the queer community, and the greater Kalamazoo area.
In 2019, Laura stepped away from Queer Theatre Kalamazoo to pursue other interests (in fact, she founded a production company called SHE Films Media). The board hired both an executive and artistic director to take over Laura's responsibilities.
In the second half of 2020 the board adopted a system of governance called Policy Governance. They were led through the process by a consultant with Columinate, who define Policy Governance as "an operating system for boards of directors" and policies as "the proactive articulation of values or principles that guide action."
One such policy that was created is an Ends Policy. Ends are defined by the board and outline the "effects/benefits to be produced, intended recipients of those benefits, and (if desired) the intended cost-benefit or priority of those benefits" (as explained by Columinate).
Queer Theatre, Inc. exists so that:
