“A community theatre in Arizona is facing backlash today over canceling a show due to a complaint of racial discrimination over the removal of a non-Mexican-American performer cast in a role written for that heritage.”

“Folks, most of us in community/school theatre know this, but please be honest when letting a director know that you’ll accept any role. It can be a huge help in casting a show and throw an enormous kink into it if someone is lying about that.”

“This Thanksgiving, I am overwhelmingly grateful for all of the wonderful artists I’ve worked with this year, most of all those who have donated their time and talents to the pursuit of making art. Don’t forget to give thanks for everyone who makes community theatre possible.”

“In such situations, theatres might find themselves at the mercy of political decisions that may not necessarily align with their artistic and community-driven goals. This vulnerability compromises the artistic integrity of local theatres.”

“In a world that can often be divisive and chaotic, you remind us that the stage is a place where differences are celebrated, where stories are told, and where hearts are opened.”

“A community theatre in Utah is facing outrage after it was discovered they had cast a convicted sexual abuser in multiple shows with minors in the ensemble. To make matters worse, the parents of the minors were never notified a sex offender would be in close contact with their children.”

‘Leavenworth Summer Theatre is ultimately a great success story for theatre. I hope it sparks some great ideas all over the country.”

“A local theatre community in Wisconsin was rocked last week when the director of their upcoming production of Cabaret abruptly resigned from the production just days before it opened. The resignation was apparently in response to multiple allegations against the director.”

“I see theatres take pride in saying how inclusive and welcoming they are toward many people, I couldn’t help but notice something: Many of them also cast the exact same people in the lead roles of nearly every show that they do.”

“Theatre creates something that wasn’t there before, and those of us who share in the beauty of that experience must live through the loss of letting it go.”

“Theatre touches something deep within me, and that happens whether I’m working on a show or am an audience member watching one. Just being around art, in all forms, is a satisfying experience for me.”

“As many of us prepare to return to in-person theatre, there’s been an emphasis on safety like never before. While COVID precautions are vital, we must also take precautions to keep our casts safe from dangerous people. Simply put, predators appear anywhere people gather. But over time I’ve found person after person who somehow thinks that we theatremakers are immune from incidents happening in our communities. The truth is, we’re not.”