American Theatre’s #TheatreToo Issue

American Theatre Magazine devoted much of its September issue to the theme “#TheatreToo,” exploring “abuse, harassment and sexism in the the theatre.” American Theatre is published by Theatre Communications Group, a national organization to which most major regional theaters — including Hartford Stage, Long Wharf and Yale Rep — belong. The Long Wharf figures prominently in an article by Diep Tran: “When Damage Is Done: How three large U.S. theaters have dealt with allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse and/or sexist cultures.” While most of the reporting on the Long Wharf’s dismissal of longtime artistic director Gordon Edelstein in January mirrors what has been reported in the Courant, the story’s summation argues that much work remains to be done: “Even when culprits are eliminated and lines of communication officially opened, the culture of silence can be formidable. Former actor Nicole Lowrance, who said she endured harassment and unwanted physical contact at the hands of Long Wharf’s Edelstein, knows people who are still afraid to tell their stories about him, even though he’s gone and the company has taken steps to restructure their human resources. … Some survivors clearly still feel that to speak out would put their livelihoods on the line.”

Another story in the magazine, “Theatre’s Silence Breakers,” profiled “six people who came forward with stories of harassment at the theater, and where they are now.” Among them: Kim Rubinstein, whose allegations of sexual assault were a major part of the New York Times story which led to his dismissal, and Emily Trask, a Yale School of Drama grad who made allegations against Greg Boyd of Houston’s Alley Theatre.