big daddy and the homophobe

[EricMontreal22]

Nah, Anton Troy/Brick seems pretty legit in his comments on FB. (Of course he also seemedhappy that The Advocate's coverage of the story had a picture of him shirtless in the play that got many complements on his abs.)

And man that Cat poster is so wrong...

[choitoy]

I swear that poster posted is for some weird porn version of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", instead of an actual production. This production photo on Rep East's twitter doesn't help things (notably, the Rep East FB page isn't there). Anyway, an awful thing that happened that shouldn't have happened.

Sat night 5/24 is SOLD OUT!!! For Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. pic.twitter.com/24nRLNVgC7

&mdash>http://t.co/24nRLNVgC7">pic.twitter.com/24nRLNVgC7

— The REP (@repeast) May>https://twitter.com/repeast/statuses/468852842896564224">May 20, 2014

[Michael Bennett]

Yeah, I think people aren't realizing this is a very small community theater in the desert an hour outside of Los Angeles. Outside a few volunteer ushers, I'm pretty sure there was no house management or anyone on site who could handle this with any authority..

[EricMontreal22]

But they ARE professional, aren't they? Anson Mount (some actor from Hell on Wheels) seems to think they are in his pretty spot on statement: http://www.whosay.com/status/ansonmount/916712?wsref=fb&code=Lrz8uSQ

[Michael Bennett]

It's a non union (ameateur) theatre company.

[EricMontreal22]

Ah I thought pro companies could be non-union... Amateur makes me think they weren't getting paid.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Not to thread-jack, but if actors are paid, it's technically a professional production, regardless of whether or not AEA is involved. "Professional" is a spectrum, it's not black and white.

[EricMontreal22]

That's what I thought. I know of regional (paying) copanies--some pretty great ones that always have to make a note of when they DO have Equity actors in the cast.

[Michael Bennett]

My point isn't really about what qualifies a theater as professional ---but more to point out that when this story broke and was spreading like fire throughout the internet, I think many who were outraged that House Management didn't step in before the actor took action, were not taking into account that this is essentially a volunteer theater with little to no salaried support staff. This didn't happen at a major company like the Geffen or South Coast Rep with a house staff who could have easily addressed the issue. And I'm sure that's one reason why the actor felt he needed to take matters into his own hands. And I don't blame him. I can only imagine the horrific behavior that happens in amateur theater companies around the country that we never hear about.

[ukpuppetboy]

**This may well be true but is it really relevant to what occurred here during the production or since? Should ANY cast have to deal with a drunk, bigoted audience member with no respect for his fellow patrons or indeed anyone else?**

>>sorry Michael, your last post makes this redundant. Guess I hadn't refreshed the page for a while.

[EricMontreal22]

Michael Bennett--*absolutely* and I had the same thought when I looked at the theatre's (apparently now gone) FB page. It's TINY, and knowing that type of theatre well, besides a SM and I hope a separate lighting board operator in the booth, there was probably nobody else there. Except, I guess the people who apparently sold booze at intermission, but they were probably cashing out (and probably should have known not to serve the guy again--if he was as drunk as it sounds he was, but then again with no proper front of house maybe they had no idea.)