DEAR EDITOR:

I’m writing to speak on the epidemic that has been plaguing community theater companies across the country for far too long.

It has become apparent to myself and others that the excusing of inappropriate sexual behaviors, toward minors and adults alike, has gone on long enough. It’s time to put an end to it.

In the history of the performing arts industry, many jokes have been made about casting couches or sleeping with producers or directors to get a part. However, they stem from true stories.

How many times have we seen stories about performers being sexually assaulted or groomed by a director, producer, board member, etc.? Just recently, the documentary, “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” revealed that Drake Bell of “Drake and Josh” was sexually assaulted by a dialogue coach.

The fact that it took this long to speak about it, what does that say about our society and the film and theater industry?

Too often in this country is the victim blamed or gaslit into retracting statements or not reporting at all, and not just in theater. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 63% of sexual assaults go unreported and only 2% of child sexual abuse is reported. In theater, this takes the form of theaters refusing to work with the victim because the abuser has cemented themselves and created a narrative that works in their favor, often leaning on the friendships with higher-ups in the organization. Those friends say things like, “They would never” or “That doesn’t sound like them,” or even “You just didn’t understand what they were saying / doing.” Abusers also hide behind the fact that sometimes, there are intimate scenes in musicals and plays that require kissing, hugging or even simulated acts of a sexual nature. Just because someone is in a kissing scene does not give them the excuse to be inappropriate with their scene partners, neither does it give the director carte blanche to force stage directions that can make their actors feel unsafe.

What can the community do? Many things. Demand that local theater boards tighten the vetting process of their participants, including paying attention to their social media presence, which can be very telling if you know what to look for.

We can also demand proper investigation and reporting of any allegations and refuse to patronize or donate to those organizations until those abusers are removed / banned.

Enough of the victim shaming. Enough protecting the abuser. Enough putting friendships above your duty to protect those you’re in charge of. It needs to stop now.

KATHRYN STANTON

Youngstown