Toronto theatre director resigns
TORONTO — The renowned cofounder of one of the country’s leading theatre companies resigned Thursday, just days after four actresses alleged in lawsuits that he had sexually harassed them with impunity for years.
In a statement, the board of directors of Soulpepper Theatre Company, which previously said it had relieved artistic director Albert Schultz of his responsibilities pending an investigation, said it had accepted his resignation effective immediately.
“Mr. Schultz’s resignation will allow Soulpepper to focus on its core mission: to provide a safe community for its exceptionally talented group of professionals,” the statement said.
Neither Schultz, who had said he would defend against the allegations “vehemently,” nor his lawyer have responded to requests to comment.
The resignation came hours after the four actresses — Kristin Booth, Hannah Miller, Diana Bentley and Patricia Fagan — held a news conference to lambast Schultz and Soulpepper, saying the company’s failure to deal with their repeated complaints had prompted them to go public.
“Albert Schultz is the face of Soulpepper. He had the power to cast or not cast an actress,” said Tatha Swann, a lawyer for the women. “There was fear to make a complaint. The power dynamic was extreme.”
In their four statements of claim filed this week in Ontario Superior Court, the women allege Schultz groped them, exposed himself, pressed against them or otherwise behaved inappropriately.
None of their allegations has been tested in any court and neither Schultz nor Torontobased Soulpepper has filed a statement of defence.
The lawsuits also prompted Schultz’s wife and company executive director, Leslie Lester, to step down, the directors said on Wednesday.
The allegations against Schultz and the theatre company’s alleged failing to deal with them came after Soulpepper revealed in October that it had severed ties with longtime guest artist Laszlo Marton, who, it said, had engaged in sexual harassment.
Miller said working conditions at Soulpepper are not safe for actors whose jobs lead them to be open and vulnerable.
“There’s a sanctity of the theatre that is being violated,” Miller said. “For women out there who are young actresses who are at the start of their career, have the strength to deserve what you deserve, and that is a safe work environment and a safe place for you to make art.”
The allegations prompted four other artists to say on Thursday they had resigned as a show of solidarity with the complainants, and they would not work again with Soulpepper unless Schultz was fired.
The lawsuits come as the entertainment industry reels from a growing list of sexual harassment and assault allegations that followed accusations against Hollywood giant Harvey Weinstein last year. Weinstein’s spectacular fall from grace sparked a social media outpouring of women speaking out about what they had endured.
“The #metoo campaign has showed us that for the first time people are listening and that people care,” Fagan said.
Soulpepper bills itself as Toronto’s largest not-for-profit theatre company and Schultz has played a key role in its repertoire. He is also executive producer on the hit CBC TV series, Kim’s Convenience, a television actor with roles on shows including Street Legal and Alias Grace, and was honoured with an Order of Canada in 2013.
Soulpepper also provides training for aspiring actors and theatre artists.