Theatre Draws the Best People… And a Few of the Worst

I have met many of my favorite people in the world through theatre. I love performing, telling stories, making people laugh, and creating art. I could find other ways to do those things—and I do—the reason I love theatre most of all is the people, because theatre draws my favorite kind of people.

Theatre draws creative thinkers. And I love having conversations with creative thinkers. These are the stimulating conversations that can keep me awake deep into the night, where most social conversations tend to have me pining for bedtime.

Theatre draws philosophers. I like surrounding myself with people who think about life and love and what it means to be human, and how to navigate the complex situations we find ourselves in daily. Theatre gives us a place and a medium to explore those questions.

Theatre draws misfits. People who have trouble belonging places often find the acceptance that has eluded them in a theatre community. When they finally find that acceptance, they are so loyal and committed to that community. And therefore, the friendships I make in theatre are life-long, even when we go a long time without talking.

Theatre draws the open-minded. And that’s a big reason the above misfits feel safe in theatre—most of the people there will accept them as they are, and even be curious to learn from them.

Theatre draws the brave. It takes so much courage to be an actor, director, playwright, or designer. There’s a lot of failure on the path to a successful show, and it takes bravery to push through that.

However, theatre also draws abusers. It’s an easy place to find victims, like the loyal misfits I love so much. Due to the abundance of open-minded people, abusers will get the benefit of the doubt for a long time, and find forgiveness for initial misdeeds. Theatre artists are used to being uncomfortable, and have developed the bravery to push through that discomfort, so abusers can test boundaries to audition potential victims without seeming out of place. The theatre is an excellent place to fuel narcissism—put on a good show and you’ll be told by many strangers how great you are. It’s a job that sometimes involves intimate contact with your co-worker, or watching intimate contact between co-workers, so the usual standards of appropriate behavior are inherently muddied. Hierarchies are clear, so abusers know who to befriend and who they can victimize, knowing their friends will protect them. And if they can get to the top of the hierarchy, the whole theatre community is their meat market. Actors will line up to be abused by them, so that they can add a line to their resume.

I think it’s important to acknowledge this. To understand that there will be abusers around. Therefore, it’s important to recognize the signs of an abuser. And if you’re in a position of power, to recognize that an abuser won’t show you their dark side. Have policies in place, know what you’re going to do if there’s an accusation that happens on your watch, and follow that policy no matter how sweet the accused has been to you. For the rest of us, all we can do is educate ourselves on the early signs of an abuser, and try to steer clear, and set clear boundaries and see who respects them.