A Shameful Moment at Phoenix Theatre Company
by Chris Peterson
It should go without saying, but apparently it still doesn’t: every patron deserves to be seen. Not just nodded at. Not brushed past. Seen.
That basic dignity was denied to a Black woman at The Phoenix Theatre Company recently, when she was allegedly ignored by a staff member stationed in the lobby, greeting guests as they arrived. Let that sink in. Ignored. Not welcomed. Not acknowledged. Not treated with even a sliver of the warmth that theatres love to brag about when touting their commitment to “diverse audiences.”
Daven Drew was feeling extra wonderful last week, as she put it on an emotional TikTok, talking about the incident, “having a whimsy week.” She decided to take in Into the Woods at the Phoenix Theatre Company in AZ. Upon arriving at the theatre, she encountered a staff member who was greeting everyone warmly who entered the theatre, except for Daven.
Daven just stood there, visible and invisible all at once. Because to some people, being Black, being different, still makes you unworthy of eye contact, of kindness, of basic human regard. And it happened not in a back alley or a corporate skyscraper, but in a place that calls itself a sanctuary for empathy and storytelling.
To their credit, Phoenix Theatre Company publicly acknowledged the incident. They posted on their Facebook page that they were taking this matter seriously, investigating what happened, and are committed to “listening and learning.” But words, especially social media ones, are easy. They’re curated. Controlled. Safe. What’s not easy is being a Black woman who loves theatre enough to show up to a space that doesn’t always love her back.
Let’s not sugarcoat this. Theatre spaces, especially nonprofit institutions, love to post slick graphics during Black History Month and Pride. They want the grants, the photo ops, the clout. But when those same institutions fail to train or hold accountable the people at the literal front lines of guest experience, all those words become wallpaper. Performative. Hollow.
This isn’t about one employee. It is about a culture that allowed her to think she didn’t have to try. It is about who feels ownership of a space and who is reminded, subtly or overtly, that they’re just visiting.
And to those saying, “Well, maybe it was just a misunderstanding” or “Don’t assume racism” — no. Stop. If the patron says she felt unseen, believe her. If you’ve never had to walk into a theatre wondering if your body, your hair, your skin color might affect how you’re treated, then congratulations on your privilege. But don’t gaslight those who have.
Let’s be honest. If this had happened to a white patron, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. There would have been immediate apologies, a comped drink, and someone rushing to assure them that their experience matters. But when it's a Black woman, the instinct is to question, to downplay, to deflect. That double standard isn't just telling. It's enraging.
Phoenix Theatre Company, your next move matters. Not just for this one patron, but for every person who now questions whether they’re truly welcome in your space. Fix it. Publicly. With action, not platitudes.
That means more than “looking into it.” It means real staff training. Not once. Not annually. But continuously. It means diversifying who works your front-of-house and who’s in your boardroom. It means listening when people tell you where you’ve fallen short and refusing to center your discomfort over their lived experience.
And to the patrons watching this unfold, especially white ones, this isn’t someone else’s fight. If you say you love theatre because it opens your heart and broadens your worldview, then prove it. Stand with those who are told in quiet ways that they don’t belong. Say something. Say it out loud. And don’t wait until it’s trendy.