The Unwelcome Committee: A Problem Community Theatres Need to Address
by Hannah Crawford, OnStage Blog Columnist
I think the common conception in the arts is that it's a community. A welcoming and inviting space for all. A place where anyone and everyone are welcome.
Sadly, this is not the experience in every space. It is unfortunate, and in my mind, it is nothing short of grotesque. Theatre is meant to bring people together and provide a sense of belonging that so many do not have outside of the arts.
So, if you're out there searching for a new home because you moved or your community theatre shut down, please do your research and don’t set your expectations too high when you’re trying out new theatres. You can do this research by speaking with people who have worked at that theatre and by looking up what you can find online about the theatre. Protect your heart by guarding your expectations until you know for sure.
As we move into the myth that all arts are welcoming, we need to internalize this piece for our own sake. We need to ask ourselves whether we are being inviting or part of the unwelcome committee (More on this later).
The Myth of Every Theatre Being Welcoming
So, then how come when we think of the arts, we immediately assume it will be a welcoming environment? I think this is because the arts, in general, market themselves as community-driven spaces that are both inclusive and progressive.
But let’s take a step back and realize that theatres are run by who? Humans. And are humans perfect? Absolutely not.
Wait, theatre people aren’t perfect? If you thought so, let me break the news to you that everyone has biases and prejudices, whether we think we do or not. And this will inevitably show in how we respond to “outsiders” finding their way in.
I don’t think there is anyone who helps run a theatre that sits down with everyone and is like, “Okay, we have to make sure we don’t welcome new people and make people feel like outcasts.”
I think that people get away from the fundamentals. We’re so busy creating the show and starting the next one that we soon forget the reason we are doing it in the first place.
However, I think when theatres are exposed to unwelcoming behavior, they are quick to use the defense: “We absolutely were not trying to be.” That’s not an excuse for learned bad habits. Let’s be accountable when we do, and strive to turn it around.
My Experience with Acceptance
When I moved away from my hometown, one of the hardest things I had to leave behind was my community theatre. That place still holds a very special place in my life. It is, to me, the epitome of what a theatre should be and what it means to be truly welcoming and accepting.
To this day, whenever I think of community theatre, I think back to the first one I was ever a part of. They had no reason to take a chance on me. A kid straight out of school, with little real-world theatrical experience.
I wanted to learn how to run the soundboard, and I knew nothing about tech. It takes time to teach someone something new like that. Oftentimes, it’s just easier to do it yourself. Or hire someone with experience you know will do it right.
But, they didn’t do that. They had their sound guy meet with me outside of hours to teach me how to run it. Was he getting paid for it? No, he wasn’t. But, from that moment on, I knew how to run a basic board, and then eventually the lights.
I didn’t just do that there. I went on to do that at every theatre I’ve been at since. And that’s all thanks to the theatre that took a chance on me.
But, wait, that’s not it.
I have a real passion for youth theatre. And the only opening they had was for their youth improv. That was something I never learned before. It would have been so easy for the Improv coach to tell me no. But, he didn’t. He welcomed me as his “co-director” and taught me while teaching the students. And guess what? I went on to start improv troupes after that, once I moved.
This theatre welcomed me and invested in my growth. But, they did more than that. They gave me a place where I felt like I belonged when I was going through one of my lowest points in life. You know, one of the points in life, you aren’t sure you’re worth being alive.
They didn’t know that. And they probably never will. But, I do. And it changed my life.
Looking Inward
So, now this is where we look inward to see if we are a part of the solution in helping to support great artists or are we contributing to the problem?
Well, I know there may be many reading this wondering how to determine which side they are on. Because, again, I don’t think there is anyone out there intentionally desiring to be a part of the problem where artists don’t feel welcomed.
Check yourself by asking yourself some questions like the following:
When is the last time you gave a new stagehand or technician a real chance to contribute to your show?
Are you inviting new directors and creatives to contribute to your season? Or are you relying on the same familiar names you always do?
When a newcomer makes a mistake or “doesn’t do it the way you do it,” are you teaching and guiding them? Or are you dismissing them?
Are you evaluating your team to see if there are cliques or patterns to identify?
When is the last time someone new joined your team and has stayed on for other shows?
Even writing those questions out, I see areas I can improve on.
Holding Ourselves Accountable
Now, I’ll be the first to say I understand using your own people. I get being comfortable with the artists you work with consistently.
But when we don’t give other artists a chance, we miss out on potentially having someone who would have been a committed supporter of our theatres.
Let’s hold ourselves accountable and look inward. When was the last time you accepted a new stagehand? Or looked for a new director outside your usual selection? Or gave the new kid a chance?
It seems everywhere I look, theatres are closing left and right. If we want to survive, we have to learn to make room for others. Theatre won’t stay alive if we continue using the same names and making the same choices over and over again.
