In 2011 @Soulpepper did the musical #TheFantastiks under direction of then A.D. Schultz.

The longest-running musical in Broadway history (42 years), a charming story.
And sexist & racist af.

I know people in the SP show & love them very dearly. This isn't a comment on them.
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The play: Two neighbouring fathers want their children to get together so they pretend to hate each other, knowing the kids will rebel & date secretly, which they do. Cute.

The dads now need to reconcile. They hire actors to kidnap the daughter so the son can rescue her.
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The actors are old vaudevillians who decide to play off the racist archetype of an "Indian" kidnapping her (assumption: rape).

This played off racist depiction of Indigeneity, based on caricatured impressions not unlike this :
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The play's deeply problematic for the trope of the man rescuing the woman from violent abduction.

But, even if that horror were somehow justified, the play could certainly be done without adding heaps of racism into the mix.
It's not hard to change, really.

Schultz: No.
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@tara_beagan messaged she'd spoken with Schultz & he said she hadn't seen it so she couldn't comment.

Tara, I & others went. Schultz wouldn't comp tickets so we bought them at full price. The crowd were mostly older & White, almost a sold out show.
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Just before intermission, the caricature. We were furious. The audience laughed & applauded.
We didn't stay for the 2nd act.
Outside, we discussed.

I suggested getting a production promo photo of that depiction & printing a postcard of it with (sponsor) "Scotiabank presents".
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Cut them off at the money.

It was considered too radical. In the end, the show sold well, Schultz didn't care & was going to remount next season. Don't recall if they did.

But I was on his shitlist. Until @instantravi hired me for #39Steps, I was never considered.
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First, Schultz wanted to vet me. He invited me for a meeting, walked me thru the building & talked non-stop for 45 min.

Then he described SP's future plans. I said, "It's like the Perimeter Institute for culture".

His wide stare suggested he was thinking how to brand that.
8/

#39Steps was a massive hit & I was proud of my contribution, not only performance, but suggestions for design & staging.

Of the 4 of us in the show, Schultz had meetings after to discuss future work with the company with 3. Not me. He didn't reply to my emails.
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There are still leaders across the country who are gatekeepers, preventing marginalized artists from gaining access to work.

@CdnActorsEquity & PACT, set up an anonymous form for reporting.

Cut funding til they leave.
It's time.
@CanadaCouncil @ONArtsCouncil @TorontoArts
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