Welcome to the Theatre, Unless You’re Not Part of the Clique
Hannah Crawford, Guest Editorial
If this title confuses you, rest assured we will dive into why theatre isn’t as welcoming as it should be due to the prevalence of cliques. However, let me preface this all by saying that one of the reasons why I love theatre so much is because of how welcoming and at home it makes me feel, which is why it pains me to write about how cliques can ruin this for many.
Coming out of college, I yearned for a place to call home and be myself. I suffered severely from depression coming out of school, and I was quite literally so lost. I joined The Moonlight Players Theatre in Clermont. I call them out by name because I attribute so much of who I am not only as a theatre professional…but as a human being accepting of all I come across.
Sadly, many theatres are not like this.
The Reality of Cliques in Theatre
As someone who has spent most of my adult life working gig to gig, I am quite familiar with how cliquey some theatres can be. Sometimes, being cliquey is the fault of those who run the theatre; at other times, I don’t think there is evil intent in mind. I think theatergoers just form very close bonds, and sometimes, they may not realize how cliquey they are.
Regardless, no ill intent is not an excuse. I feel that theatres often use that as an excuse. “Oh, we had no idea we were being cliquey.” And to that, I would ask the following questions:
Do you cast the same people in every show?
Are you hiring new tech help?
Are you retaining the same talent every show?
When new people join you for a show, do they ever come back?
I can ask about a million other questions, but these always come to the forefront of my mind.
How Cliques Hurt Newcomers
As someone who has done gig work from theatre to theatre, I know what it feels like to be the “newcomer.” Visions of Mean Girls come to mind, and “you can’t sit with us” comes to mind because I sure didn’t feel like I could.
I was so excited to get involved with one theatre in particular a few years ago. Getting in was easy for me because of my experience and portfolio. It didn’t take long for me to realize that there was a certain clique that I clearly wasn’t a part of. One particular person was an integral part of the theatre and made sure I felt I wasn’t welcome.
I stayed on through the next two shows, hoping things would improve. But it was very clear I just wasn’t welcome. It was just a mess. From the stage manager, they favored being unwelcome at post-rehearsal dinners to issues with the owners.
After that, I was guaranteed to be the stage manager for the following show. I never heard back, and then suddenly, I saw they started rehearsing with a new stage manager. There was no conversation or apology that what was promised didn’t happen, which spoke volumes to me.
I didn’t burn that bridge, but it was clear to me I wasn’t welcome. So, I just took a step back and stopped asking for opportunities.
I’d love to give you all some advice here: Don’t beg to be involved. Just as it is common sense not to beg someone to stay with you in a relationship, don’t do it in the workplace, either. Even if they were to let you stay on, you would feel resentment, which is 10 times worse than just not being involved.
The Discouragement for Young Performers
I worked on this show a few years ago, and one of my theatre friends didn’t make the cut. They said they weren’t surprised because “they always cast the same people over and over again.” Hearing them say that truly broke my heart.
A few weeks ago, I reunited with the mom of one of my theatre students from years ago…let’s call her Maddy. It was great reconnecting and hearing about what Maddy has been doing in theatre for several years. I’m just so proud of how she has grown. She was my best student (yes, every youth theatre teacher has a favorite…even if we say we don’t!).
It was disheartening, however, to hear Maddy’s mom tell me about a theatre I know of in the area that she did a show with and that after the show was over, Maddy said she never wanted to perform there again.
As a young performer, Maddy was discouraged because she felt the clique in the theatre. She knew she wasn’t welcome with the other youth performing. So, the sad reality is that this young performer has this view of community theatre and decided to just go back to school theatre.
Encouraging an Accepting Environment
As theatre organizers and professionals, we need to do regular checks. Are you constantly hiring the same talent? Do your newcomers feel welcome? Are new artists applying to your show? Are your directors constantly casting the same talent every show they do? These are simple ways to do checks and balances.
The other side would be checking in with your new artists who come for a show. Don’t take their talent for granted. While doing an “icebreaker” would be super awkward because we’re not in high school, ensuring our teams are celebrating together is a great step towards being inclusive of newcomers. Perhaps this looks like a group rehearsal dinner, pre-show warm-ups, or post-show drinks.
Thank them for choosing to be a part of your show. And yes, be blunt sometimes and ask them how it has been for them. Be prepared to listen to real feedback, though.
Personally, I know that if I had been asked, I would have been very honest about it. And perhaps I would still work with that theatre if I had been.
At the end of the day, we who run the theatre or are an integral part of the organization are responsible for if newcomers feel accepted and want to stay on.
Let’s foster a welcoming environment where artists feel safe to stay with.