rescripted.org: We write to you to share that we, the cast of Peter and the Starcatcher directed by Jeremy Aluma and produced by Citadel Theatre, concluded three weeks ago that due to persistent and pervasive problems with the production, our relationship with Citadel was no longer sustainable. Our production was scheduled to run from September 18th to October 20th, but after eight public performances and much deliberation, it became clear that in view of the circumstances, we could no longer continue in the production.
14 comments:
It is really disheartening to hear about actors who have been put in situations that are as difficult as this one appears to be. As a Technical Director safety of those performing is of the utmost importance in any project that is being undertaken. I was really appalled by the idea that a set could be expected to be worked on in such a dismal state and that it took so long to do notes that seem on a large scale simple (with the exception of re-doing the platform structure). After going to a summer stock that had major problems with their TD last summer I had a lot of comments about how this was the first time they felt safe on the sets/ stage while working for the company, which is concerning in the fact that everyone doesn’t believe safety is an integral part of the job itself. In terms of the actors and what they did I think it was important for them to take a stand against un-ethical practices of the theatre and their response to the situation was very measured and reasonable. It takes a lot to walk away even when you know things are extremely problematic in some ways I believe that this is the only way to have visceral repercussions for unacceptable behavior.
It is very sad to read and hear about things like this happening in an industry that claims to be forward thinking and a great influence when it comes to culture. Trust is very huge ingredient when it comes to doing collaborative work like theater and once there is a break in that, there is no coming back from it. Safety is a huge component of trust, you can't trust an individual, process or anything for that matter if it does not come with an assurance of safety. The safety of the actors in this production was not taken seriously and it was very evident in the way their complaints and grievances were reported and responded to. I am so glad that the actors came together, made a decision and spoke with one voice concerning the unfavorable conditions they were asked to work in. It is hard to let go of something that you have worked on and believe in but I am glad they stood up for themselves and put their safety (physical, mental and emotional) first.
I’m really concerned about things mentioned in the article. It seems like from the surface that the leadership of Citadel really were not paying attention to things happening behind the scenes. This is dangerous. There is a world of liability that could be opened here and the two actors who sustained injuries as the result of poor scenic construction have damage claims against the company. Moreover, this also speaks to, financially, the company caring more about the bottom line than the quality of the production and what happens when you use non skilled (read Union or properly trained) craftspersons to build sets. Also very concerning is that it took weeks in some cases to fix dangers on a set. I’ve worked for a company who had to stretch the dollar, so I know what it can be like in tight money situations, but we never compromised actor or crew safety and if something was in need of a fix, it was done immediately in some cases (for the more serious) or by the next rehearsal. It’s also concerning that even though they were under contract, they failed to follow AEA protocol. On the flip side, there is a tendency to blow things out of proportion. It would have been interesting to hear more from the TD who oversaw the building of the show. From the article, we only have the actors perspective and I’m sorry, but they are not the only voice that matters. Just my thoughts.
I think that this article, while written under unfortunate circumstances, is important as it reveals issues that may be persistent in other productions, but nobody is willing to speak out against them. I can understand that it must have seemed very isolating to have so many members of the production team— the people responsible for creating a safe production — make these actors feel unsafe and not try and do anything about it. It is very concerning the lack of professionalism that was taken into account by the people responsible for the list of issues that are included in this letter. I thought the structure of their letter was very effective and that suggesting pathways to rebuild trust is a very important inclusion in their letter. I hope that people who read this letter have a chance to reflect on how they conduct themselves within their work and will strive to avoid situations like these as much as possible.
The lack of response from nearly everyone on the management/technical direction team discussed in this article is wildly concerning. The nature of Peter and the Starcatcher is heavily movement based, with the actors doing most of the visual storytelling with minimal props and lots of collaboration in terms of how the stage is set and how locations and events are portrayed. The fact that it took effort to convince the management/technical team to install safety measures on the set, and to receive medical attention for the concussion received during technical rehearsals, is appalling and not at all how concerns should be received. In this case, Equity did the job it was meant to do, appealing for the actors and for safe working conditions. Walking out and refusing to continue the run of a show is a drastic move, and not one that should be taken lightly by anyone involved.
This article is nearly hard to read, given the way that stage managers here are trained to be advocates for themselves and for their rehearsal rooms. I found it particularly interesting that the actors place blame on the stage manager for being a part of the issue- which we as stage managers never want to be apart of- we're literally in the same union as the actors. I think that often times stage managers are caught in the line between the business part of theater and the artistic side, and our job security isn't always based on how well we can stage manage but rather who our friends are and the connections we make. The awkward thing here is that when there are such significant breaches of AEA protocol and just a simple lacking of rule following on part of the stage managers, there is a serious problem and it makes us all rethink the way this business works. A stage managers job should protect actors and rehearsal room folk far before bowing down to a producers or companies wishes.
I've barely worked half a decade in theatre, but this is easily the most egregious case of negligence and disrespect I have ever heard of. I have never known a cast to walk out on the production team before. It really illustrates the scope of Citadel Theatre's transgressions. Stage managers should be trained to advocate for themselves, those under their direction, and those in their rehearsal and performance spaces. Any stage manager like the one mentioned in the article should not be allowed in a position with as much responsibility as they have. Any member of a board that inhibits contact with higher-ups like artistic director Scott Phelps should not hold the position he does. I admire that the cast took a stand and took things into their own hands by walking out; it makes a very compelling statement and will not be easily ignored. I hope Citadel finds new leadership and rectifies their behavior.
This article speaks to one of the most important aspects of our jobs and our lives: looking out for ourselves and others. Too often we allow ourselves to be treated unfairly simply because we are afraid of losing work or gaining a reputation for being difficult in this interconnected community. But we all must know and recognize when we are being treated unfairly and unsafely. Most of us do not have the opportunity to jump straight into a union, so we are the first line of defense for our well-being, and even once we enter our respective unions, it is still up to us to decipher between wrong and right. This field can be so tricky to navigate, because it is so unique, but creativity and expression always, ALWAYS, has room for safety. There is no message powerful enough to warrant unsafe practice in its execution. We must know our limits and always keep our eyes out for ourselves and those working around us.
It's so strange that a theatre like this is even allowed to continue working in conditions like this. In every single form of theatre school or job I've been a part of, the importance of safety has been drilled into everyones head. The fact that it seems that everyone working on this production just didn't care about safety is really strange. Did they all not get taught the importance. Especially with equity involved, it's so important that actors are respected enough to keep them safe. The attitude of technicians toward actors Is sometimes a little negative, as they think actors work less hard or something, but in situations like this it's so clear that it's important for everyone to be aware and caring for each other. I think that this situation is a good lesson for all of us hoping to become technicians so that we will be more aware about how we treat our actors.
We always talk about how the show will go on and this is an example that it doesn’t always. It's horrible that two actors were injured due to what seems to be unavoidable measures. I’m glad that the cast was empowered to walk out when they felt unsafe and publish their grievances publically. Hopefully Citadel Theater is able to change their practices to reflect the cast members requests, Actors Equity’s rules, and their own mission statement. As someone studying Stage Management, I find it heartbreaking that the cast was not able to trust their Stage Manager. Stage Manager often walk a tricky line between production and cast, but it is crucial that a cast trust their Stage Manager to document rehearsals, especially when something goes wrong. Overall, I’m glad the cast chose to end the production after repeatedly feeling unsafe and dismissed by production. Hopefully Citadel can fix these problems for their next production.
My director in high school would constantly remind us of her most important rule. "Be your brothers and sisters' keeper". Theatre is about looking out for one another. It's about making sure everybody feels as though they are in a safe environment, physically and emotionally, in order to create the art they are there to create. For the Citadel to claim that they hold themselves to a professional standard yet still cause an excessive amount of issues for the cast of "Peter and the Starcatcher" is quite concerning. It's ridiculous the way situations described by the cast were handled. For the team at the Citadel to neglect to do so much as acknowledge the injury-causing safety hazards on the set. If you ask me, that is most certainly not being your brothers' or your sisters' keeper. It is important that the cast of "Peter and the Starcatcher" are speaking up about the unfair treatment they experienced at the Citadel in order to emphasize the importance of improving the working conditions of a place that claims to be professional when they're not.
Just an unthinkable incident to me personally. This is beyond unprofessional responds, this is neglecting the safety and wellness of your working colleagues. Even in my worst time, when builds in the scene shop was hopelessly behind and people were exhausted, we did not forsake the ideas of protecting others. Sometimes it is just several people’s unawareness that caused problem, but this seemed like a group decision that the actors’ safety was not a priority. I can not help but think what is the reason that made managing party of the company decide to not address the obvious issue that people were facing. There were just too many options to work around in order to avoid the stalemate we are seeing right now. But there is one thing that comforted me a lot. Readying through the comments from original blog, I felt encouraged. They delivered some hope and warmth within this society and showed us how to do it right.
This article was a little rough to read for me, and I am not sure why. I think I am conditioned to be defensive against these sorts of accusations, after several years of encountering a handful of entitled, combative performers. To be clear, I am not pointing fingers at any particular company, nor am I saying that anywhere near the majority of performers are like that, and I am certainly not accusing this cast of that sort of behavior--just analyzing my own reaction. Anyway, this article depicts Capital as a theatre that is new to professional standards and finds them unnecessary and ridiculous. I have often encountered people who have been working in a certain way for many years, and dismiss anyone who suggests that their methodology is not necessarily the best. Overall, this letter shows how important it is to have an attitude of listening and learning; the production team was clearly uninterested in the concerns of the cast, and ultimately made it impossible for them to do their jobs. At the end of the day (as we at CMU learned with many added railings last year), if the actors do not feel safe they cannot perform their craft, and we need to listen to their concerns and do something about them.
It's saddening to see such an obviously passionate cast be forced to walk out of a theater and a show that they dedicated so much time to. The negligence in the Citadel Theater was not something they should have had to deal with and it's good that their letter is being read and their grievances are being heard. My favorite part of the letter is the section headed "Suggested Pathways to Rebuild Trust." Despite how badly they were treated and misguided by the directors, production team, and stage manager their number one focus didn't stray from addressing the issues and creating a safe and secure work environment. It would have been easy for them to walk out and do nothing. Not care, not try and fix anything, just be done. But they chose to speak out about what was going on in hopes that it would better their futures and those of any actor or production member to come. It takes a certain type of person to put aside the ways in which they've been neglected for the sake of the bigger picture.
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