Acting Reflections: Dirty Politics

Hey. Sorry I was MIA for a while. A couple of weeks ago was Halloween and I had a LOT of baking to do - dirt pudding, mini apple cheesecakes, apple cheesecake, pretzel wands, popcorn hands, and witches' brew lemonade. Not to mention I was the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella, so that can also account for all of the magic I was spreading all throughout the land! There were plenty of smiles to go around, even a selfie with a former Cinderella from Disney World (true story!). It was a good Halloween, one of the best in a long time. As for last week... Well, it was plenty stressful for all of us, and it ended in one of two ways. For many of you, it didn't end well. For another many of you, it ended spectacularly. Either way, our country is going through some massive changes in the next four years that can bring good to many people, but it's also going to bring fear, frustration, and sorrow for others. No matter what side of the aisle you're on, someone you know is going to be impacted by what happened by this most recent election. And it called for a lot of self-care, navigating through feelings, drinking, managing relationships (even in divided households), therapy, journaling, hitting the gym and the punching bag, and a lot of things just to get it out of your system. Or celebrate it gloriously. I think the part that gets me personally is how one side, or both sides, are demonized for their beliefs and thoughts. For many of us, we want our country to feel safe for women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA+, transgender individuals, underrepresented people, interracial marriages and relationships, and low-income individuals. We want accurate history taught in schools and books made accessible to everyone without fear of persecution. We want women's healthcare to be made accessible and criminalized for having an aboriton, especially if the life of the mother is at stake. We want rights and safety for transgender individuals. We want a leader who understands the rights and needs of others, and cares about being respectful to all races and cultures without stooping so low to criticize others. For others, we want the country to not have to teach history that shames one particular race, or have sports be designated specifically for girls and boys (heterosexually speaking), or have abortions be banned and criminalized, or have gay marriage be banned and criminalized, or have the rich have all of the money and the middle income and lower income individuals pay the price, or even have people of color be deemed a threat because of the color of their skin. We want a leader who is a dictator and doesn't care about respecting others or being an actual leader. Either way, it's looking like things are going to be quite bumpy, even frightening, in our country for a while, and the idea of celebrating the holidays is not exactly something plenty of people are looking forward to right now. Or for others, it may be the best holiday season in a long time. How do I feel about it? Well, honestly I'm terrified. And while I may not go into politics as much, I'm scared for a big reason. The arts are going to be negatively impacted, and I have all sorts of horrid suppositions about what it may look like as an artist living in my region for the next few years. Actors may not have the chance to make a living anymore, union or non-union. Certain shows or topics for shows may not live to see the light day. Our safety and regulations against illnesses and COVID may be obliterated. Theatre companies and organizations may no longer be accessible to the people who need the arts the most. And those who identify as transgender or LGBTQIA+ may be in danger without a safe outlet or a safe place to be themselves. Our art will be heavily scrutinized and even destroyed if it doesn't satisfy the administration or sees it as a threat simply because of who did it and why it was made. It may even come down to making art just to please the administration without any creativity or joy or a meaningful mission, which is not what we're all about. I don't know exactly how my career will be impacted by the results of this election, but there's a ton of fear... And also outrage. Which is why I did a ton of self-care - which may continue for the rest of the year - and even more reflecting. And what I came up with may just surprise you. Do you know what I think about all of this? There seemed to be some dirty politics involved in this election... And the dirty politics that happen in the theatre industry are no more different than what we find out about our politicians. Think about it: Money for projects are funded by billionaires and people with the resources, though where the money comes from may seem unscrupulous. Certain actors, directors, and producers who are very talented and may have quite a bit of clout are also child molesters, rapists, sexual assaulters, and more. Those very actors, directors, and producers who are those things and more often have the power to ruin another actor's, director's, and producer's career simply because they have the money and they are often the only ones who can make the show a success and wouldn't want their fragile egos ruined by some little nobody. Or even in my case, which you can find in my previous blog, someone in the industry who uses guilt tripping, shaming tactics, and abuse to get what they wanted. And then when someone does speak up, they lie and try to get the other person to forget what has ever happened. Some people in the industry who have the power and money can get away with saying just about anything, even if it's controversial, because their fans are so numerous and nobody would ever leave their side and actually agree with what they're saying as right. And the thing that sickens me the most about this? They all get away with this, in spite of people speaking out against the perpetrators of these crimes. You see where I'm coming from? Somehow, money and status can bring out the absolute worst in people, especially if it's for their own selfish gain. And the sad thing is that these people are still working despite the outcry, protests, and fury from fellow artists, families, patrons, and more because theatre companies and organizations need their money and status to help make a show successful. Because if they don't have those people involved with their project... Well, heaven forbid, it could be the end of their theatre company or organization as they know it. There's a serious downside to "it's not what you know, it's who you know," and like it or not, it plays a big theme in this week's post. Before I go too far, however, I want to say something important. This week's post may be triggering for individuals who've been abused, assaulted, mistreated, and even ruined by someone else's actions in the performing arts industry. My intention is never to harm anyone, but instead to shed a light on an alarming issue that doesn't seem to be going away, and my personal reflections on this. If you are at all triggered by what you read, by all means, don't read this week's blog post. Be sure to take care of yourself - Seek professional help from a therapist or psychiatrist. Have a good cry. Hit a pillow or a punching bag (but NOT another human being, no matter how tempted you may feel!). Sing at the top of your lungs. Treat yourself to junk food and Netflix binge watching. Go for a walk and be out in nature for a while. Immerse yourself in art. Do whatever is necessary to make sure that you're okay and you're in a safe place, or at least work up to both of these things to ensure your health and well-being are taken care of.

However, if you're sure of continuing on to read this week's blog post...

Here we go.

I'm pretty sure you find your acting opportunities on social media, like a Facebook group or an Instagram post.

Chances are you see the name of the production, the rate of pay (if there is one), the creative team, what to bring and what to prepare for the audition, and the location of the the audition and callbacks.

And then, you decide whether or not you want to submit for the project, or ask questions about whether virtual submissions are acceptable, or the age range of people allowed for auditions, or even tag other people to see if this opportunity is right up their alley.

But then, every once in a while, you get all of this information, and then you come across some information that is... well, alarming.

It turns out the people who have worked with this company or organization have some not so nice things to say about certain people on the creative team.

It could be that the director is abusive.

Or the musical director is a rapist.

Or the entire organization mistreats their actors to the point of not giving them breaks for important events like funerals or weddings, forcing them to perform while being sick with COVID or another illness that could impact the rest of the cast, or even push their actors to the brink by these degrading actions and more.

But what happens when more and more people speak up, and call for the organization to remove that individual from the creative team? Or replace the actor with someone else who has better character than what's been shared within the community?

Silence.

No one from the theatre company or organization says anything about this, but instead chooses to continue on with the auditions, callbacks, rehearsals, and projects with the very people others are trying to tell them to not work with because of what they've done that was so harmful to others.

If I can tell you the number of times I've seen posts or emails or suggestions/warnings from others to not work with this person or organization, I'd be rich.

And yet, they always surprise me greatly.

These places seem like great opportunities for my career to grow and possibly flourish.

These people are very nice. I would never think of them to be harmful or have a lack of character.

I've always wanted to do this show/project! What's wrong with working with this company?

Somehow, the truth always comes out, and it's not pretty. Especially if these people had actual encounters and experiences with the very organizations, company, or people they're warning us to stay away from. There have been plenty of stories about organizations, company, or people whose reputation precedes them in a not so nice way, and no matter how hard you try, you can't totally stay away from them forever. These people and places always find a way to bounce back and keep going, no matter how hard others out there tell them to not work with that certain individual or remove this board member or fire this director or even shut down the organization. And the silence they have towards hiring people who have a not so good reputation is practically deafening to me. Think about it: There's a reason many artists, stage crew personnel, and patrons are calling you out for hiring this person or having harmful behaviors within your organization, and it's not for putting on a great show. It's because people genuinely concerned, terrified, even, that you would put the money and prestige over the safety and well-being of others. I mean, you wouldn't hire a child molester or rapist for your babysitter if you knew their background right away, whether that's from the background check or from word of mouth, would you? HELL NO! You'd want your family to be protected and have the right person watch over your children. And looking the other way and being silent is not the way to go about it. It's pretty much the same thing with the performing arts. If there are people out there who have bad reputations for mistreating cast members to the point of abuse, assault, or even inappropriately touching someone, you shouldn't hire them to work with artists. Especially if they are school aged children and teenagers. And looking the other way or coming up with excuses doesn't help matters, not one bit. So why do it? I think I have an idea: "They are the only individual qualified enough for the job." "They have the most followers on TikTok, so we need them to bring in the social media influencers to drive up ticket sales." "We don't have any other men or women that age or type that can fit into this role." "They just were bad that one time. I'm sure it won't happen again this time." "We don't have enough money to hire a new person or write a new contract, so we'll stick with him/her/them and save money." "He/she/they are a well-known name in the community, so we have to cast them in order to get our patrons to come to our theatre." Sounds like a bunch of excuses to me... Or even avoiding the problem like an ostrich - you hide your head in the sand and hope it would go away altogether. And the best way you hope it would go away? High ticket sales. Rave reviews from the major newspapers or media outlets. Increased social media presence via social media influencers who attended the show. Or just simply not talking about it publicly. Avoiding the problem, as it were. Because let's face it: You can't afford to have a scandal like this ruin your theatre organization's or company's reputation. It would surely mean the end of the organization or company as we know. So, you turn to another way to keep it from blowing up or even ending your legacy. Money. Times are hard for us economically right now, and we need every dollar and cent to help us get by, let alone keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. And when there's accusations of someone mistreating fellow artists, especially on places like Google reviews, Facebook pages, and more, chances are some people will stoop to bribery to keep it quiet. Or in some cases, "look the other way." They can give you a certain amount of money to simply "forget that this has ever happened," or "satisfies both sides," or "so we can agree about this new arrangement." Or, in the worst case scenario, someone who has both the money and the power can do next best thing. Or next worst thing, however you look at it. They can ruin your career by spreading lies about your poor character to all of the major theatre companies and organizations, important casting directors, and big studios so that you would never work in this business ever again. Or sometimes resort to using brute force to shut someone up and wipe it under the rug. And sadly, that has been known to happen to people. I've heard about it firsthand. I guess in cases like this money is the root of all evil, especially if it's used to silence others, manipulate them into being on your side, or simply force things to go away to keep a theatre company organization in good standing with the community. Even if it takes a number of voices speaking up against these atrocities going on behind the scenes, there are still ways to shut people up and make them regret ever speaking up. As I stated in earlier posts, theatre companies and organizations are still struggling four years after the pandemic to get their audiences back, and oftentimes they are clinging onto old habits and ideologies that can help make a show successful, no matter how scrupulous or even horrifying they are. Somehow, those changes that was promised in the midst of the pandemic never came to fruition... Even the ones that assured everyone that those who mistreated others, abusers, assaulters, molesters, and others will never work with their company or organization ever again. Because, as they say, "the show must go on!" But it comes at a terrible cost... One that does more harm than good. I don't need to be an actor to tell you how outraged I am that this is still going on decades later, especially after a global pandemic when there were promises to address this issue among many topics that were meant to bring change and accountability in the performing arts industry. The fact that the rapists, assaulters, molesters, abusers, and those who mistreat others are able to get away with this due to clout, money, or a mixture of both, and get all of the praise is baffling to me. What baffles me even more is why theatre organizations and companies choose to stay silent or look the other way or even become an ostrich when things get scary. Or a healthy mixture of all of the above. Even with all of the proof written in black and white, or actual video, pictures, or even proven testimonies from others, the people who shouldn't be working ever again are still working. And those who spoke up and advocating for change are the ones that have to pay the price. Most times, their careers are what ends up suffering the greatest. It's enough to make one's blood boil, doesn't it? It's sort of like what's going on in politics, isn't it? The people who have the power, money, and clout who have the absolute worst character imaginable are the ones who are leading the towns, cities, states, and even the nation. No matter how many people rise up against them and call them out on their behavior and insist on accountability, even jail time, there's always someone out there who is using money or force - or both, in some cases - to shut them up just so they can remain in power and have their way. No one seems to care about character anymore in both politics and the performing arts industry. It's all about money, money, money... And power, power, power. It's keeping those who got you to where you are close and your enemies who want to bring you down closer. And no matter what it takes to bring them down, they always seem to find a way back to the top or even escape the absolute worst punishment imaginable. As Dwayne Pride once said to Christopher LaSalle in NCIS: New Orleans: "Don't ever go into politics, Christopher. All of the sudden, your definition of good and evil gets defined by how many votes it gets you." Somehow, right and wrong gets warped in politics, and all that matters is how much money and power can get you the most votes, and not care about those who get hurt along the way. It's a shame that this very thing is still happening in the performing arts. And with this new administration coming in, it may not be going away anytime soon. Which breaks my heart even more. (It's no secret that there's a level of uncertainty, fear, and even a little bit chaos going on in this country at the moment. And no one is sure how things will go from here on out. But one thing is certain: I will keep on writing for you on every topic under the sun, whether it's related to my career or on something entirely different. That being said, let me make myself clear: these are MY thoughts and observations, and you are welcome to disagree with anything I've written in this or previous blogs. What I absolutely will not tolerate is any disrespectful language, harmful comments, or divisiveness. We need to learn to agree to disagree and understand one another despite our differences. If you cannot do a simple thing like that, I will block you.)

For those of you who read this week's blog post, thank you for sticking with me and letting these words sink in for a bit. I hope this wasn't triggering for you. I know this moment is a scary time for a lot of people. For others, it's the best time of your lives and you can't wait to see what happens in the next four years. One thing I will ask for people on both sides of the political spectrum is to take care of yourselves - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Doing a lot of self-care is beneficial at this point. And making sure your mental and emotional wellbeing are in check is vital. You may have to take a step back from the news permanently, save for the weather and sports. You may have to distance yourself from friends, family, or coworkers who don't share your same beliefs or ideologies. And that sometimes means praying for them from a distance. You may have to take advantage of going outside in nature and not be cooped up in front of a computer or look at your phone all day. You may have to listen to your favorite songs and sometimes sing at the top of your lungs. You may have to have a good cry to let it all out. Or several, for that matter. You may have to get into journaling to let your thoughts and feelings come out on paper and out of your system. You may have to limit what you see on social media, or even what social media platforms, followers, or people you follow share that may be harmful to you. Or, in some cases, you may just have to advocate for yourself and those you love so that no one else gets hurt, ignored, or mistreated. And I get the feeling that this will be going on for the next four years, I highly encourage you to raise your voice and take a stand for what's right and fight for what you believe in. Do whatever is necessary to make sure you're okay. And also know that I will be praying for you all. Yes, even those who don't share my beliefs or ideologies. I will make every attempt to love and understand every single person, even if it's from a distance because I still believe there is goodness and good people in the world. I will stay away from hot button topics because I still have a tendency to react as opposed to listening and thinking before I speak, and that is something I'm sure many of us can relate to. I will find moments of joy in all of the chaos and uncertainty, no matter how small it may be. Because as a wise grey wizard from Middle Earth once said:

It will be okay, my friends. It will. All we have to do is breathe, and be brave... One minute at a time, if need be. Stay safe out there.