About Near West Theatre

Mission

Near West Theatre builds loving relationships and engages diverse people in strengthening their sense of identity, passion, and purpose, individually and in community, through transformational theatre arts experiences.

Philosophy

The soul of Near West Theatre is belief in the healing, transformative power of the theatrical arts. The personal and communal growth possible when participating in an acting, singing, dancing ensemble is most fully realized with both skilled leadership and loving collaboration.

Ordinary People Creating Extraordinary Theatre

There is no cultural arts program in Greater Cleveland like Near West Theatre (NWT). Based in the Ohio City neighborhood, it has a unique identity as a grassroots, intergenerational theatre with an emphasis on serving youth.

Values

Love

Building personal, professional, and artistic relationships in which mutuality, trust, authenticity, forgiveness, compassion, understanding, growth, and gratitude inspire and motivate committed investment;

Inclusion

Fostering an open and affirming environment; maintaining affordability; acknowledging disabilities and special needs; honoring differences in race, culture, economic background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, spirituality, age, skill, mental health, physical ability, experience, education, and size;

Integrity

Striving and learning, diligently; setting goals to consistently exceed expectations;

Creativity

Producing something new through imaginative skill: new solutions, methods or devices, or an artistic object or form. An originality of thinking. An appreciation for the apparent chaos, contradiction, void, and imbalance out of which new things are born;

Activism

Being vigorous advocates of healing and social justice to create a world and community where all voices are valued and welcomed;

Continuity

Facilitating personal and professional growth with unfailing reliability; providing an enduring home away from home, always welcoming at any stage of life and career.