I worked for the company last year in the summertime. Was one of the few female diversity hires for the season because they needed people of color for a biopic musical, in which they only hired three black women to portray a girl group when historically there were four members, and the company had a history of already hiring scarcely any, if at all, people of color for this repertory. (Which was a red flag from the start when I got there, but I didn't think much of it. Because that is usually how it is in the industry.) During the first week of rehearsals, on our off day, (the only one we had that week, mind you), the actors were told by the directors we would have to come to a introductory meeting with the board members, because: "This is showbiz, sometimes you have to suck up and kiss face with others when you don't want to in order to maintain funding." So far sounding great. Only gets worse. I was put in housing with three other women, who unfortunately were all leads or understudying a leading role. These girls already knew each other, which was the story with most in the company. (They either went to the same school, or worked in a previous contract together.) They loved to gossip and talk crap about others, and as someone who was formerly bullied, I asked them to please not talk about others in my presence as that was a trigger to me. The first weeks, It started off with cold shoulders from these girls, I had offered to walk with one of my roommates (we'll call her the understudy to make sure nothing gets lost in translation) to the store close by because she didn't want to walk alone, and Understudy smiled and said we could go together after she picked something up from the house. When we arrived back, our other roommate (Lead two, we will call this person) went with us. Understudy and Lead two started to brush me off and talked amongst each other, and when we all walked out of our shared cabin, Lead two glares me down, and turns back to Understudy, saying: "I didn't know SHE was coming with us," and then Understudy looks at me, then says: "Oh, are you coming with us?" Knowing full well, I had offered to walk with her. I eventually saw they both didn't want me to come, and said I would just stay behind. This would continue to happen, I tried to make conversation with Understudy, Lead two, and Lead one, and they would get awkward when I entered the house or joined the conversation. They were frequently moving my stuff around in the fridgerator, (we had divided our shelf room and cabinet spaces to prevent this) and even when I had asked if they would ask first to touch my stuff, I was met with angry countenance. This expanded to rehearsal. Understudy would try to correct me on blocking and notes that were set by the directors, and when I pulled her aside to address this, she acknowledged that she wouldn't do it again...only to do the same thing countless times after. Eventually, I was able to hear Lead One, Lead Two, and Understudy talking crap about me outside my room since I was located by the living room. This problem spread throughout the cast (not all, but most) were close with everyone in my house, and started to talk with me less and less. I had no one in the company, to the point where I was the only one not invited to hangouts, and left on read when I asked if I could come and hang with everyone. I was even locked out of the hang out house by people attending when I stepped outside to talk to my mother, which they all denied doing. It was very clique-vibes, and cast members would yell, wouldn't interact with me on stage (to the point one of the traveling directors for the show had to point out and make a note to the actors to interact with me onstage), and physically shove me during rehearsals. Wanting this resolved, I address this to the stage manager, who arranged a meeting with director M. He provided me a package about harassment in the company, the which their was legal action (court/ police involvement) informal resolution, and formal resolution. Director M then offered me "some professional advice," since I was "a young actress in the industry." He told me that "If legal action or the formal resolution was taken, someone would be fired, and that would be bad for the company." I broke down in tears, feeling peer pressured to go the informal route. And then he tried to compromise with me, he told me that he would move me out of the housing I was in, if I could wait it out until all the shows were open and we were in rep. I broke down crying again, because I was going through so much hell at that point, but ultimately, I agreed. I asked if he could write this down so I could have a written contract about this arrangement, and he manipulated me into not signing, saying: "A verbal agreement was the same as a written one." Call me stupid, but I agreed to that, thinking that this was true. The stage manager, A, and Director M, tell me to keep in touch and update them about my decision and if the cast does anything else. Few weeks go by, and we are about to open our last show. The bullying gets worse, and I try to bring up about my decision, ultimately going the informal route, and bringing up the toxicity that happens on stage (physical and verbal) to A. I get no response from both of them, and finally, after we are about to open our last show. I talk to stage manager A after rehearsals, and ask if she had received any of my messages, to which she replied she was "busy." I bring up the issue of what has been happening onstage. Stage manager A tells me, verbatim, "She's not a counselor," and if the cast is treating me horribly, I should "talk to them." Upset that the stage manager told me this, after telling me to keep her inform, I go talk to Director M who is with the other director. (Jeff Duke is great and kind, go to him for anything in the future!) I explain how the mistreatment is affecting my mental state, and that it isn't being taken seriously. I then say I will have to leave for my own safety soon if this is kept up becayse I was starting to become in a life-threatening mental state, and Director M calls me "selfish." Director M says I am extremely "ungrateful" for this opportunity I was given, "difficult," and "inconsiderate," despite me waiting for all the shows to open, like told to. I guess me caring about my well-being was "unprofessional." Seeing that I am two seconds away from leaving, the other director intervenes, saying he will make Stage manager A send out an email to the company about behavior. Stage manager A sends it begrudgingly, after using flowery texts of praisal to the company, and then one sentence of reprimanding. Officially in rep, things get worse. Now, I have even been sexually harassed by a member of the crew, who had kissed me unconsensually, with tongue, after puking in his drunken state. Everyone who is friends with Understudy, Lead One, and Lead Two, won't even talk to me. It gets to the point where I have to send a message in the cast chat asking that if anyone had a problem with me, to please bring it up so we can come to a resolution. (Of course, no one did.) Understudy had even claimed I had "stole her undergarments and head pieces," from her goody bag when she had lost it, to the point in which when I already checked my bag, one of the crew members had to check my goody bag again just to confirm I did not have her stuff. When I talked to Understudy about this via text messages, I told her upfront how that made me feel, and that I wished to not speak to her outside of cordially through a professional setting. My attempts to make things better, only worsened the issue. After I told Understudy this, everyone started to treat me like scum of the earth. And as my depleting mental state was worsening, I brought up the fact of me moving out again to Director M, after seeing other people (primarily men) being moved out. That is when they rushed to have a meeting arranged with Understudy and I, to which I agreed to. Looking back, I should've had someone I trusted in my life to come with me. The night prior was hushed hush, Director M had talked to a select group of people who were all friends with Understudy before our meeting. The next day, Understudy and I went to speak, I sent Stage manager A and Director M an itemized list of times, dates, and events of the bullying from members of my cast, to which they opened up the conversation, saying: "There was always two sides to every story..." During the conversation, Understudy, of course, denied her mistreatment of me and accused me of being rude and unprofessional to her. Stage Manager A and Director M allowed her to berate and degrade my character, and everytime I tried to explain, Director M would cut me off, asking if I may have "Overreacted" or "misjudge" the situation. Nothing of course was reached to a conclusion, and after they dismissed Understudy, Dir. M and Stage Manager A told me they weren't going to rehouse me...after saying weeks in advance they would. Director M then added. "since I didn't have a written agreement" he couldn't rehouse me since it wasn't in my contract. When I called him out on this regarding how he said a verbal agreement was the same contractually, he then claimed to "not remember this." I continue to stand up for myself, as Stage Manager A and Director M said they weren't "Inhumane," and "Cared about my well-being." Dir. M further went and tried to offer me more "professional advice." He told me I needed to be more "reasonable in this industry, especially with my age, being so young and not having alot of industry credentials." (I was one of the youngest in the cast.) He then further said I needed to "Suck up, because I had been provided one of the best housing in the company." Of course, I left, immediately ending my contract. I had offered to stay inbetween to make it easier for the company to find a replacement for my role, but they agreed to terminate the contract immediately. I was not even given 24 hours to move out, having to get all my stuff because I made my housemates "uncomfortable." I had worked for the company for nearly two months of the three month contract, and wasn't even allowed to move out with a decent time frame. Fortunately, I had family to come and get me, as I had been in communication with them regarding my mistreatment that entire summer. The company made everyone put in a security deposit, and because of them kicking me out, their wasn't a chance I would get the security deposit back, or the check that was delayed because the company, also has a delayed week of checks. They also denied me images from the pictures taken for the production, even though they still used my likeness to promote the shows. (I tried emailing them to get pictured for my portfolio, since, I still played the roles and did the work for my website, and of course, they made me talk to Dir. M, who told me to never contact the company again.) In a sense, from my personal experience, this company only sees their actors as a product, and nothing more. Dir M, in my professional opinion based on experience, is a deceptive snake who lies and uses his title as a director to wave his power over those who challenge him. Stage manager A is just as deceptive. This was my first experience as a non-equity actor working in repertory theatre, and this experience nearly made me quit acting. I lost confidence in myself, my mental health went to crap, and I barely wanted to audition anymore. But I got back on my feet and started back at it. I know I am not the only one with a terribke experience with the company either. Even though I was mistreated by this individual, Lead One had to leave for a medical emergency out of state, and Director M had ridiculed her for having to leave, saying he was upset with her for a medical emergency out of her control. Many crew members explained as well how he yelled at them for mental health, telling them to "get serious" or leave. Dir. M, in my opinion based on experience, is a literal monster. I know I was only treated like this because I am a non-equity member and the company thinks they can take advantage of us. Everyone who had difficulties with the people in charge were non-equity actors/crew as well. Please think about your contract, and make sure you have a special clause beforehand specifying what you need and expect. I hope everyone who is non-equity moving forward with this company is safe and protected. (edited)