Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2021 - 16

social media posts uplifting the importance
of theatre and why we need to
give back to our communities (i.e., donate
to their organization). But, as soon
as these same people are asked to share
some of their personal influence with
their community, an iron wall of defensiveness
comes up painted with words
about " doing their best " and " working
hard to get where they are today. "
This fear of losing power is a big
motivator for the defense response, but
we're not here to assuage anyone by saying
you don't have to worry about losing
power. Because you do. If you want to
create a more just world that is less reliant
on white supremacist culture, you
need to be willing to share your power.
Be generous, be collaborative.
Redefining theatre practices and doing
deep internal reflection is going to
be uncomfortable. There is no question
about that. But once you've broken
through this first wall and learned to
wade through these feelings of defensiveness,
rather than getting lost in the
rubble, you'll actually be able to address
the myriad other problems waiting behind
it.
Don't Rain on My Parade
Fear of Open Conflict and the Right to
Comfort
When this wall of defensiveness arises
in the rehearsal room or when addressing
instances of racism, ableism, transphobia,
and other aggressions, it is easy
to conflate comfort with safety. You grit
your teeth, power through, and try not
to make matters worse by speaking up.
Maybe you share a meaningful glance
with a coworker, or on occasion, pull
someone aside to ask if they're okay.
Still, in the face of conflict, people shy
away from taking meaningful actions to
address the aggressor's acts directly.
We've acclimated to the belief that
brushing conflict aside or quietly addressing
it behind closed doors is the
best option. It may feel right in the
moment, but the least disruptive option
is rarely the safest for the group
in the long run. This lack of transparency
broadcasts to other people in the
room this behavior is okay. And while
it soothes the aggressor and those in
power into comfort, it does just the opposite
for those being harassed-it tells
the people looking to you for support
IF YOU WANT TO CREATE A MORE
JUST WORLD THAT IS LESS RELIANT
ON WHITE SUPREMACIST CULTURE,
YOU NEED TO BE WILLING
TO SHARE YOUR POWER. BE
GENEROUS. BE COLLABORATIVE.
that you are okay with this behavior and
that you won't stand up for them if it
happens again. As we transition to this
new paradigm, we must get comfortable
being uncomfortable.
Keeping quiet also puts the burden
of speaking out on the shoulders of
BIPOC folks and the others who are
often the most vulnerable to backlash.
It furthers a narrative of BIPOC folks
being too " sensitive, " too " loud, " or too
" difficult " to work with. It is up to every
single one of us to call out racist comments
or jokes, even if it makes the person
who said it uncomfortable, even if it
makes you uncomfortable. Part of your
job as a manager is to ensure the safety
of everyone in the room. Your personal
comfort and the comfort of people who
are skinny, male, cis, white, or ablebodied
cannot come at the expense of
the safety of everyone outside of those
circles.
If you're someone who struggles with
confrontation or holding these uncomfortable
conversations, just like any other
skill or muscle you want to develop,
you've got to take time to practice speaking
up and moving through-rather than
around-discomfort. Otherwise, when
the moment comes, you won't know
what to do, and your body's automatic
adrenaline response will override your
intentions. You can practice scenarios
with a friend or, even better, sign up for
a workshop in bystander intervention or
conflict resolution.
For stage managers, in particular,
there is an idea that we are expected
to " set the tone of the rehearsal room, "
which is often similarly equated to ensuring
comfort for everyone within. But
in truth, the tone is also heavily created
16 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | SUMMER 2021
and influenced by the director, creative
team, producers, and broader systems
surrounding the production. That false
sense of control puts stage managers
in a difficult position that ultimately,
sets them up for failure. We're given
the expectation that we need to create
a safe work environment, even so far
as being listed as a go-to on the organizational
harassment policy. However,
producers rarely give us the resources,
training, and institutional power to follow
through in creating safe working
spaces.
The power we do have is to help chip
away at those walls of defensiveness
and build muscles to handle difficult
conversations by speaking up. Ask for
training when you see stage managers
listed in a company's reporting structure.
Speak up when the board member
mixes up the names of your show's
two Black actors. These moments feel
awkward to us now because we have
historically been taught to avoid them.
If we are going to be expected to set the
tone of a room, then let's set a safe tone
by actively asking if everyone is safe vs.
if everyone is comfortable. By asking
that, we can help distribute the power in
the room, so we're not helpless against
these aggressions.
Ten Duel Commandments
Worship of the Written Word
From emails and reports to prompt
books and paperwork-communication
is at the heart of the art of what we do
as stage managers. The documentation
process is crucial for keeping people
across teams on the same page and
aware of the many changes that occur
during rehearsal and performances.
Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2021

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