Unprofessional work environment. The shows are mediocre, and honestly embarrassing to be a part of. The owner is sexist and money hungry. They cast based on personal relationships (usually family members or significant others). Shows have the potential to be good depending on the director, but usually are not. Without the season ticket holders (typically the elderly), the audiences would be empty. Not even worth auditioning for because the pre-cast people (same people who they have relationships with) won’t even be present in the audition room. They don’t take kindly to new talent. Oh, and they don’t pay you anything until the day the show closes, with usually over a month of rehearsal and a full month of shows. Only saving grace is the occasional talent that is probably hidden in the back row behind their “regular” performers.

The culture of the theatre was a detriment to the process. There was an incident where a cast member used the f slur in the dressing room. When brought to the attention of the production team, there was nothing done because the person who said the slur is very close with the theatre’s founder and producer of the production. The “Incline Regulars” were openly disrespecting to cast and crew. A specific incident is one a cast member said how his default setting was domestic abuser. The male leads of the show told our director that she was wrong and were blatantly sexist. Any time these issues were brought to the attention of any higher up, they were not addressed. The scene shop is directly connected to the wings without a door so the dust from the shop would make it into the wings in a very heavily off-stage sung show. Additionally, platforms were not secure and had nails and screws falling from them on a consistent basis, and when brought to the attention of the higher ups, nothing was done. Prior to a show, I was warming up in the wings to ensure that I can do the show without injury and the founder of the theatre approached me and said to me “How on earth do you think you can do this show if you are working out right now?” I responded with “This is my warm up sir” and he said “That’s still a lot”. My warm up consisted of laying on a yoga block, a quick set of crunches and some hip/leg stretches since I was having both knee and ankle problems during the run. I felt unsafe as a queer and young person in this space. Half of the men in the show would take 1 to 2 shots before and during the show which curated a lack of filter both physically and verbally.