Spotlight Center
- Performer, 1-3 years ago
I can't caution people against this theater enough. I could write an essay, but I'll just give a brief overview: - The woman in charge is absolutely hemorrhaging money, and pays you a paltry sum per week. She will also cheap out on housing, and isn't past putting you in a sketchy hotel to save a buck. During my time there, everyone had to walk on eggshells with this woman, due to her threatening to cancel the show weekly. She was absolutely prepared to run her theater into the ground to be right. She would play fast, and loose with the contract depending on her mood. - The theater itself is incredibly shoddy... a converted events space with a stage in the middle. Be prepared to run outside in the rain to make entrances, and have audiences members awkwardly pass by you while sitting in the "wings". There are no dressing rooms attached to the theater. You will be changing in this empty store front with tinted windows, and have to awkwardly walk through a parking lot while people gawk/ holler at you in costume. Again: I can't stress enough how rich this woman is, and she puts zero money into the upkeep of the theater. - "Politics" were not allowed to be discussed in the theater. What that meant was: Politics the owner disagreed with. LGBT issues were considered "politics", so a largely LGBT cast couldn't talk about issues important to them at the theater. - Food was cooked in a ghost kitchen, and transported to the theaters kitchen. The owner (see a pattern here?) would often stick her hands in the food while preparing it, directly after chain smoking menthol cigarettes our front. No hands washed. We caught this on video, and sent it to a Food Safety Admin but never heard back. - The Director/ face of the theater is a very nice guy, and I can tell he wants the theater to thrive, but he's really handicapped by a very problematic owner. There's very little he, or anyone can do, and I got the very clear sense he was in a very difficult position keeping the peace. - The cast was great, but morale was very low. I wouldn't say there was much cast bonding, and it all felt very fragmented as a result of many issues out of our control. Which is a bummer... trauma bonding is often essential in situations like this. Anyway... I don't even think they take out of town actors anymore, but be very wary as a local: this theater has myriad issues. Maybe you can live with them as a local, and not being housed by them etc...but it's important to be aware of this.
Anonymous - 01/26/2024