The Cleveland Play House is making changes to address issues raised by creatives involved in the halted production of 鈥淚鈥檓 Back Now.鈥�
Playwright Charly Evon Simpson pulled the rights to her play weeks before its February premiere in response to CPH鈥檚 mishandling of a reported sexual assault and allegations that CPH leadership mistreats artists of color.
In a shared on its website Tuesday, CPH apologized again to all involved in the production of 鈥淚鈥檓 Back Now鈥� and stated the organization 鈥渕ust show, not just talk about, how we are determined to do better.鈥�
At the top of the list of actions the century-old institution shared is new housing for out-of-town artists. In mid-January, an actor in 鈥淚鈥檓 Back Now鈥� reported a sexual assault in the elevator of the nearby Reserve Square apartment complex where artists had been housed by CPH reportedly for the past 11 years. Artists have also complained about safety there.
Molly Hern谩ndez, a cast member of another CPH show, 鈥淎merican Mariachi,鈥� said she too raised issues about the safety and poor conditions at the artists鈥� housing last fall and that no one should have to stay there. Hern谩ndez also said she was drugged at a nearby bar CPH recommended to visiting actors.
鈥淚'm certainly not interested in returning to Cleveland Play House,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 did not feel safe out there. It was not a good experience.鈥�
Other steps CPH said it is taking include sexual harassment training for all employees, compliance reporting training for management staff and establishing a committee for Collaborative Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Access (CEDIA).
CPH also will fully compensate all artists involved in 鈥淚鈥檓 Back Now,鈥� which was to be the world premiere of a play set in Cleveland about a woman learning of her family鈥檚 past as slaves. Grievances were filed with the national theatrical union Actor鈥檚 Equity Association about the nonpayment of creatives for lost work due to the stopped production. A union spokesperson said Tuesday the grievances were resolved.
鈥淲e intend to make those payments as quickly as possible. We are not, however, in full control of when those payments will be made,鈥� CPH stated in its letter to the community, signed by Interim Artistic and Managing Director Mark Cuddy and board Chair Michael Meehan.
CPH declined 海角破解版's request for an interview about the changes shared in the letter.
Former CPH Managing Director Collette Laisure said these changes feel 鈥渓ike too little, too late,鈥� but that she is 鈥渉oping they live up to it.鈥�
Laisure was surprised, she said, the statement didn鈥檛 acknowledge any discipline or the termination of staff involved. The issues run deeper than problems raised during the production of 鈥淚鈥檓 Back Now,鈥� she added.
In October 2022, Laisure left CPH after she said it had become too stressful working for better equity at the organization.
鈥淚 really started to feel that I wasn't appreciated, my experience wasn't valued, and that it was time for me to move on,鈥� she said.
CPH staff, Laisure said, resisted instituting equity in hiring practices, for instance, and she was disheartened by negative comments from audiences.
鈥淭here were people that walked out of certain productions and wanted refunds, or, you know, said they don't want to be subscribers anymore,鈥� Laisure said.
Ultimately, she said the 鈥渨hole company needs healing.鈥�
