Celebration Theatre, a major LGBTQ theater in Los Angeles, announced Tuesday that it has fired its artistic director, Michael A. Shepperd, after an investigation discovered that allegations of misconduct made against him were credible, according to reporting by The Los Angeles Times.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the accusations made against Shepperd came to light in an April 14 Facebook post by Andrew Diego, an actor who had performed with Shepperd in a 2019 production of “The Producers.”
“During our cast warm-ups pre-show, many would often take to the stage to stretch, vocalize, etc.,” Diego wrote in his Facebook post. “It wasn’t uncommon for Mr. Shepperd to put his hands around my waist from behind, or loom over me and breathe onto my neck while touching my torso.”
In an interview with The Times, Diego also reportedly said Shepperd would grope while backstage during performances and said he made a graphic sexual proposition.
“I think there needs to be space created to have an open and ongoing conversation among queer theater executives about this theme of how we use sexuality amongst each other in our work and our work spaces,” Diego told the outlet, “and how we end up in ways big and small bringing repulsive behavior into our spaces.”
After Diego came forward with the accusations in the post, the theater hired Susannah Howard from the O’Melveny & Myers law firm to carry out an investigation. “The theater also posted an artist survey on its website to allow anyone involved with Celebration productions to comment anonymously,” per the outlet.
The final report of the investigator “included other credible accounts of misconduct,” the theater reportedly said in a statement, noting that Howard recommended Celebration “implement additional policies and procedures to enhance artist safety, increase accountability, and clarify standards of conduct.”
Shepperd served as artistic director or co-artistic director at Celebration Theatre from 2008 to 2011 and then again from 2013 to the present. He denied the allegations and in a statement called the investigation “a secret report that Celebration Theatre has refused to share with Michael or even provide details thereof.”
“Michael categorically denies any and all allegations of misconduct and laments the absence of due process that led to Celebration Theatre’s decision,” read the statement from Shepperd’s lawyer, Jordan Susman.
The outlet added that in “an interview with [sic] The The Times, Shepperd called Celebration a ‘queer safe space’ where flirtation and bawdy innuendo were common, and he said any behavior of a sexual nature between him and Diego was consensual.”
A detailed description of Shepperd posted on the Geffen Playhouse website describes his career, noting that he is a “Proud member of Actor’s Equity and frequent drinker of vodka.”
Celebration Theatre’s website explains the history of the company, stating that it “is an award winning theatre company dedicate to telling the stories of the LGBT community. The theater was founded in 1982 by gay rights pioneer, Charles Rowland, one of the original founders of the Mattachine Society.”
Noting its dedication to equity and inclusion, the site goes on to say “because of who we are and all that we represent to so many, we refuse to simply play Follow the Leader and pay lip service to the notions of cultural equity and inclusion. We have to be a firebrand, an early and often practitioner in creating opportunities that defy traditional programming, casting, hiring, and audience development practices.
“Hence, our policy of Radical Inclusivity. To celebrate the individual and embrace the All. All races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, sexual identities + orientations, ages, religions, classes and disabilities. All working together to make theatre a transformative experience for both the makers and the audience.”
It added that Celebration “remains the only professional theatre with the mission of creating an outlet for LGBTQQIA voices in Los Angeles.”
Shepperd has denied any and all allegations of misconduct.
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Source: Dailywire
