How Can Theatre Fandoms Be Less Toxic

by Chris Peterson

Theatre fandom can be one of the best parts of loving theatre, right up until it becomes one of the worst.

At its best, fandom is a place where people get to be joyfully obsessive. We can talk about a cast album for hours, debate a replacement casting, celebrate an understudy going on, or lose our minds over a regional production no one else seems to be talking about. That kind of passion is fun. It is also part of what keeps theatre alive between performances.

But lately, some of that passion has gotten ugly.

A casting announcement drops and suddenly people are tearing an actor apart before they have sung a note. Someone admits they did not love a popular show and the replies treat it like a personal attack. A performer makes a choice people disagree with and, within minutes, the conversation turns cruel. What started as enthusiasm for theatre too often becomes a contest over who can be the most outraged the fastest.

There is nothing wrong with having opinions. Theatre would be boring if everyone walked out of a show feeling the exact same way. One person’s life-changing musical is another person’s long night in a cramped seat. A performance that wrecks one audience member might leave another completely cold. That is fine. Disagreement is part of the fun when people can handle it like adults.

The problem is when criticism turns into harassment. Actors, writers, directors, designers, crew members, and yes, other fans, are actual people. They are not online punching bags because you did not get the casting choice you wanted. If you would not say something to someone’s face outside a theatre, maybe do not type it while sitting on your couch.

Spoilers are another place where fandom could use a little more restraint. I understand the excitement of seeing something big and wanting to talk about it immediately. But blasting major plot points online five minutes after curtain is inconsiderate. A spoiler warning takes almost no effort. Let people have the chance to experience the moment for themselves.

The same goes for shipping. Have fun with fictional characters. Make the edits. Write the theories. Enjoy the fandom of it all. But dragging real actors into fantasy relationships and then getting angry when their actual lives do not match your version of events is where it stops being fun and starts getting weird.

What I wish we saw more of is celebration. Hype the swing who saved the show. Talk about the ensemble member who made a small moment unforgettable. Share the local production that surprised you. Recommend the cast album you think deserves more attention. There is plenty to critique in theatre, but there is also plenty worth championing.

And when the online noise starts making you miserable, step away from it. Watch a show without checking reactions. Listen to a cast album without scrolling through arguments. Talk about theatre with a friend like a normal person for once. You may remember why you loved this art form before the comment sections got involved.

Fandom should make loving theatre more fun, not more exhausting. So before jumping into the next pile-on over a casting rumor, a spoiler, or someone liking the “wrong” Elphaba, take a second. Ask whether what you are about to say adds anything worthwhile.

Theatre gives us enough drama onstage. We do not need to manufacture so much of it everywhere else.