Shocking Video of Director Stirs Debate in San Diego Theatre Community
This past week, a teen theatre community has been rocked by disturbing video clips of a director berating his cast of A Chorus Line.
The clips involve the Off Broadway Theatre Company(OBTC), a teen theatre company in San Diego, CA. The video clips capture director Kyle Adam Hawk yelling at his cast with a expletive-filled rants a day after their opening night performance. They were posted on Facebook, deleted, but now posted on YouTube. I should warn you that they are graphic in nature.
Those videos are tough to hear, especially the first one which ends with a cast member leaving the room crying.
The include f-words hurled at the teenagers. At one point Mr. Hawk tells them, “You think you’re good? Well you’re not. You’re not that f*cking good.”
He bemoans having to sit through their terrible performance, wishing he could’ve stood up in the theatre to stop it.
Mr. Hawk also mocks other area theatre productions such as Junie B. Jones.
There is no argument that this is verbal abuse. I’ve been both an actor and a football player and I’ve never been spoken to like that by a director or coach. From the professional to educational ranks of theatre, it’s rare that I’ve heard a director speak like that to their cast. There’s no room for it, it’s unacceptable. And had Mr. Hawk not already resigned from the production and taken a hiatus from the company, I would have demanded he be removed.
Harsh criticisms and tough coaching are norms in professional theatre and aspiring performers need to be ready for that. But no one can prepare for what Mr. Hawk did. BFA programs don’t feature classes on how to deal with verbal abuse.
However, in the days since the videos went public, questions have been raised over the method the videos made their way to be publicized and the motives behind it. I spoke to several people involved in the situation to others in the community. Some believe this was a single mistake that is uncharacteristic behavior of the director, while others believe this was the inevitable result of an ego running wild.
~~~
“That’s someone I don’t know.”
I spoke with two mothers of teens involved with OBTC for the past couple of years. One told me that Mr. Hawk has always been an honest and transparent director. The other said that while his honestly can be blunt, it was never malicious and was always constructive.
The video clips show a man that neither mom recognizes.
“That’s someone I don’t know,” one said. “That’s someone I don’t want to know. But that’s not the Kyle my child has worked with for years.”
Some parents of teens in the show told me that while what Mr. Hawk yelled to his cast is unacceptable, they’ve never seen anything close to that behavior in the past. But others aren’t so sure.
I also spoke with a parent involved who told me that this was a long time coming and that Mr. Hawk’s ego has been a problem for years.
“It saddens me, but it doesn’t surprise me,” they told me. “Kyle’s ego about his productions has been an issue in the past. Thinking he can say those things to his cast and get away with it, proves that.”
~~~
“You have to wonder what their intentions are…”
When it comes to how the videos made their way online, here’s what I know from sources: The videos were recorded by the parent of a teen in the production. I have tried to find out who that parent is, so I can ask them questions but no one will tell me who they are.
The videos were not first distributed to the rest of the parents in the cast or even local media. They were first shared directly with other local theatre directors who posted them on Facebook. Courtney Corey seems like she was the first to post the video. Ms. Corey is the founder and director of the Theatre Arts School of San Diego.
In the comment section of Ms. Corey’s post, some have questioned her motives in posting the videos in the first place.
“Kyle’s productions often attract top talent and many performers choose to audition for his shows than others,” a parent told me. “With other San Diego theatre directors sharing this, you have to wonder what their intentions are.”
I have my questions too. Why was the video only shared with other local theatre directors? When Mr. Hawk began ranting at the cast, why didn’t a parent kick open the door and put an end to it before it got out of control? Not for nothing, but if my son was in that room and someone spoke to him like that, you better believe I’m going to make a presence known.
The people I won’t question are the teenagers in the production. I’m not going to blame them for not walking out on the production. I’m not going to tell them that speeches like this are part of the business, because they’re not.
~~~
“These kids didn’t ask to be involved in a fiasco and we need to show them how much we care.”
Thankfully, the parents of the cast have acted swiftly. They not only removed Mr. Hawk from the production but also implemented a safety plan to ensure this type of behavior never happens again. They have released the following statement.
We are the parents of the teens involved in the Off-Broadway Theatre Company’s production of A Chorus Line currently on at The Lyceum Theatre. We are aware that a video has been circulating of Director Kyle Hawk negatively interacting with the cast before last Sunday’s performance and want to address concerns and make clear what steps have been taken to support our children.
We have been overwhelmed by a social media backlash after the video was shared and firstly want to publicly state that in no way do we condone the behavior of the director in this video. We are painfully aware of the impact his words and behavior have had on our children and our only concern is to support these kids as they work through understanding what happened and how to move forward in a positive and constructive way.
The children are devastated that they have unwittingly been embroiled in controversy and it has been the most stressful, emotional experience for them. It is the desire of this young cast to complete the run of the show, starting with our amazing Understudy performance last night and continuing through this weekend. A Chorus Line is an incredibly difficult musical, these pre-professional actors have worked extremely hard to get here, and they deserve to be able to perform if they choose to.
Last night the parents of the cast met and have taken over management of the show. We have removed Director Kyle Hawk from the production and put a carefully vetted industry professional in his place to guide the kids through the rest of the performances. In addition, we have a safety plan in place and have a team of volunteer parents and professionals backstage and at the front of the house. We will ensure that our teens have a safe and appropriate space to process complicated emotions while also getting their opportunity to shine on stage in this beautiful show.
We’re are asking the entire San Diego community to show our kids how much they are loved and supported and how much we recognize and appreciate them. These kids didn’t ask to be involved in a fiasco and we need to show them how much we care.
~~~
“I have had to really look at myself and realize I am not okay.”
Mr. Hawk, through OBTC’s Facebook page, has also released a statement apologizing for his actions and offering the reason behind it.
Over the course of the last five days, I have had much time to reflect on my actions. Some of you know shortly after the incident I started trying to make amends with the cast, crew, parents. I am continuing down that road of ownership and acknowledgment.
I decided to take a step back from my duties and responsibilities with A Chorus Line. This is to not only give my theatre families time to heal but for me to focus on my health. I in no way have been taking care of myself, which has greatly impacted my ability to manage stress for the last few months.
I have had to really look at myself and realize I am not okay. Everything that has transpired was a reaction to me not caring for myself, not a reaction to anything relating to A Chorus Line. I am now taking that step back from OBTC to seek help and treatment. It has become painfully clear that refusing to ask for help earlier is what caused Sunday’s devastating blowup. This is a mistake I cannot and will not ever make again, but I know I need tools, help, and guidance.
Most people don’t know my story. I am currently living at home with my family in Valley Center, taking care of my niece and incredibly sick dad. I work a full-time job at a hair salon and teach dance to afford Off-Broadway Theater Company, of which I have run every aspect and job within since day one. Unfortunately, the stress of it all finally became too much for me to handle on Sunday. In fifteen years of teaching children, this has absolutely never happened. I simply snapped. I had a horrible, raw, and real human moment that I am left utterly devastated over. I love my cast of kids more than anyone could ever understand, and knowing how I affected them breaks my heart. I have always prided myself on my ability to connect with my students, to be there for them when they need me, and knowing how to not tear them down as a performer but instead to build them up better and stronger than they have ever been. That has been my legacy until recently; I fully realize it is not what I showcased on Sunday. That video displays nothing but a teardown, plain and simple. I would like to emphasize that not a single one of those young artists deserved anything that came to them during that talk; this I know.
To my friends and families that know me: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love, support, and well wishes over the last week. It has helped me in more than I can express.
For my cast of A Chorus Line: I am so moved that in spite of seeing me at my worst, you each chose to continue on with your roles and showing the world just how fabulous, talented, and professional you truly are. My heart is with you in this final weekend.
And to social media, I am aware what happened is never ok and should never be accepted as normal. That is a given. I will say that the amount of death threats, verbal abuse and cyberbullying I have received since the video was uploaded online is more than a person can take. I am human. I absolutely messed up and have taken complete ownership of my actions with everyone affected in OBTC
OBTC will continue! I am seeking help so I can come back and continue to do what my life’s passion is when the time is right. DOGFIGHT will still move forward as expected, the schedule for the show has not been affected. Off-Broadway Theater Company’s board of directors have put together an amazing artistic team for this production. More info to come soon. Thank you.
~~~
In the end, this whole situation is a mess. Do I think Mr. Hawk made an egregious mistake? Yes. Does he deserve to be removed from the production? Yes. Does he need help? From his own admission, yes. Do I think he needs to rebuild trust with people before he’s ever allowed to work with teens again? Absolutely.
But I think this issue brings up important topics that need to be discussed in youth theatre companies. How directors communicate with young people is more important than ever before. While some might think they’re being constructive, they may be perceived as being destructive. While Mr. Hawk’s comments are somewhat unprecedented in my experience, I have heard that other directors have said similar things in the past. No young performer deserves that and the damage it can do beyond the stage can be permanent.
When a director treats their performers like this, it usually comes from two places: Personal issues with the director or a toxic ego. Given Mr. Hawk’s statement, the first is true, while the second seems to be up for debate depending on who you talk to.
Either way, it’s the teens in the production who have felt the brunt of this. They were verbally abused by their director and now they’re being verbally abused by online commenters questioning their integrity and strength for not quitting the production. Neither are helpful in the development of young performers.
Their show closes this weekend. I hope everyone who can, shows up to support them.