Matilda Bully!

Posted: 1/23/14 at 9:16pm

http://nypost.com/2014/01/23/outrage-after-bully-broadway-director-torments-child-actors/

Oh, my!

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 9:29pm

Oh my indeed! o.O

[Matt1]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 9:31pm

If this is true, it is very wrong, but as a former child actor, directors yell all the time and are not always very kind, even to children. I kind of wish for the children's sake this writer did not use specific names.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 9:33pm

It's still no excuse to lose your ****e like that at cast members. Of any age.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 9:36pm

Michael Riedel's headline about "tormenting" the children seems a little much to me.

[delongpre]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 9:59pm

When animals are used they need to have a rep from the Humane society. Why don't they have someone from Child Protective Services on every stage show with kids?

Updated On: 1/23/14 at 09:59 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 10:01pm

Keep in mind that The Post is only slightly a notch above those tabloids you see at grocery store checkout lines. It's owned by Rupert Murdoch, the same idiot who owns Fox News Network, so that should give you a sign of how unreliable it is in terms of credibility. In short, it's a total rag.

And, on top of that, I find Riedel to be unreliable for two reasons. One, is that his track record in terms of being right is 50/50. For every story he gets right, I can easily think of one or two stories where he gets his facts wrong. And, furthermore, it's not his paper has any prestige to it. You wouldn't see this sort of thing in a Pulitzer Prize winning paper like The New York Times, simply because The Times is above a poorly run theatre gossip column.

And, delongpre, I think you're missing the point on what Child Protective Services does. They don't deal with kids in a work environment. Nor could they really.

Updated On: 1/23/14 at 10:01 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 10:13pm

When animals are used they need to have a rep from the Humane society. Why don't they have someone from Child Protective Services on every stage show with kids?

Even better. Just let the Humane Society deal with it!

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 11:30pm

That's so ironic. I just read this!

Like Matt said, there's no excuse to scream at kids like that. Yes, they're professionals, but they're 12. They don't know any better

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 11:43pm

The theater I used to work at, whenever something wasn't right vocally with someone and the problem wasn't getting resolved, the music director would just go off at the entire cast. And I hated it.

Of course, it wasn't just because it was verbal abuse, it was also 'cuz it was his fault for okaying the casting of people who just could not sing!

But still, the excuse was, "He gets frustrated because he wants the best out of people." To which I say, there' wanting the best out of people and then there's straight up verbal abuse.

And he's still working there.

I only hope that this is Riedel spreading lies and being a ****-stirrer. 'Cuz every time I watch Lesli Margherita's backstage blogs on Broadway.com, it really looks like those kids are having the time of their lives! I would hate to think things are going so badly for them.

Updated On: 1/23/14 at 11:43 PM

[Tag]

Posted: 1/23/14 at 11:54pm

Unfortunately, the child wrangler will be the one who loses in this situation. So sad, because she's probably telling the truth. Reidel shouldn't have named her.

[RW3]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 12:01am

If there was video evidence, that could be damning as well.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 12:59am

If you go by the producers' statement, it sounds like the issue has been resolved. If it's making its way into Riedel's hands now, it perhaps suggests that someone connected with the production wasn't satisfied with that resolution. And if Riedel's exaggerating on either front -- I know, heaven forbid Riedel stretches the truth -- he's really playing with professional artists' reputations. Nothing new there, I suppose.

Oh, and DISNEYBROADWAYFAN22? No, it's actually not, quote, "ironic" that you were just reading the regular Broadway gossip column in the NY Post and then happened to see a thread about that very article on a Broadway themed messageboard.

[jdrye222]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 1:40am

I think this is probably a true story, as a lot of theater people simply do not know how to deal with kids.
However, unless this wrangler were the "leak" that sent the info to Reidel, he should not have named her. The way this goes -- she will never be hired again. And I wouldn't be surprised to hear if she is let go for some "other reason".

[Tag]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 1:53am

^Exactly.

She'll be gone and the associate director will be back in rehearsals. Everyone is always too afraid to call out the creatives on their treatment of cast AND crew for fear of reprisal. 'Creatives can do no wrong' it seems.

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 6:36am

I can't believe he printed her name, but on the other hand, those involved would know who the child wrangler is on "Matilda" and could easily figure out her identity.

Even if the AD is reprimanded or fired for his bullying, I think this will come back on the wrangler as a "tattler," and it could cost her future work.

EDIT: And the reason there is a rep from the Humane Society for animals is because they can't speak for themselves, unlike humans.

Updated On: 1/24/14 at 06:36 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 8:52am

I think that naming the child wrangler was sloppy journalism at its worst.

Besty, you're right. Those who are in the know would know who she is regardless of if she was named or not. I think that that is a natural reaction from the story being printed in the post. However, I think that it's totally different ball of wax to actually name her. I feel that by doing so that was sloppy on Riedel's part.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 9:03am

I wish someone at Matilda would bully the sound designer. The worst sound I've heard at a Broadway show in many years.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 9:09am

At the risk of sounding Helen Lovejoy-esque, I really hope the kids come out ok in all of this.

[Wickedmonkey332]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 9:19am

Very surprised to hear this considering how tirelessly Dir. Matthew Warchus works to protect the children. (Not allowed to stage door, very tight contracts) He makes sure that the experience doesn't take over the children's lives, so I can't beleive he would let them be bullied like this!

[Patash]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 10:04am

I've heard of animal wranglers in the business, but "child wrangler" was a new term to me! Can I hire one to accompany me to restaurants and on airline flights?

[Theater'sBestFriend]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 10:27am

I'm curious about a few things. In no particular order:

1. If the wrangler didn't hear what the Associate Director was saying, how does anyone know that's why the children were crying? Was another cause ruled out?

2. Did anyone else ask the children themselves why they were crying, to corroborate the wrangler's perception?

3. How exactly was the crying handled when it was noticed? Is there a protocol? Was it followed?

4. The article suggests that many parents also thought the Associate Director made their children cry, but that only the wrangler spoke up. That makes it seem as though the wrangler cares about and is willing to protect the children more than their parents. Why were no parents quoted in the article for balanced perspective, even anonymously if necessary?

5. Does Actors' Equity have a role in following up on these questions? Why were they not quoted in the article?

6. If the children were afraid of retribution, and the article is writing to protect them from abuse and as potential sources for follow-up, why were two mentioned by name in the article?

It seems to me that any serious consideration of this story would have to include these issues. Otherwise, it seems like rumor-mongering that is hardly worth dwelling on.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 10:33am

When animals are used they need to have a rep from the Humane society. Why don't they have someone from Child Protective Services on every stage show with kids?

Even better. Just let the Humane Society deal with it!

They just may be called in!

In 1874 Henry Bergh of the NYSPCA was instrumental in saving the life of poor Mary Ellen Hughes - "Ms. Wheeler located several neighbors who were willing to testify to the mistreatment of the child and brought written documentation to Mr. Bergh. At a subsequent court hearing, Mr. Bergh stated that his action was “that of a human citizen,” clarifying that he was not acting in his official capacity as president of the NYSPCA. He emphasized that he was “determined within the framework of the law to prevent the frequent cruelties practiced on children” (Mary Ellen, April 10, 1976, p. 8 in Watkins, 1990)."



The NYSCPA Has Helped Children in Need Updated On: 1/24/14 at 10:33 AM

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 10:37am

"Child wrangling" has been going on for at least two decades, to my knowledge.

Probably longer than that. My guess is it's been going on "unofficially" since children were first on stage. "Officially" (and as a job) for a good long while, still.

The thing that's stupid about publishing this is that these are very serious "alleged" accusations. They could cost both parties their jobs and potential future employment. It could even end up in a slander or libel lawsuit. All he did was add fuel to the fire.

Even if the "wrangler" has parents willing to go on record, this may hurt her career. Then again, she's not the one who went public with the accusations.

Good ol' Riedel did. Such a class act.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/24/14 at 10:48am

If these kids were in a rehearsal then there was a stage manager present who would have witnessed any wrongdoing and hopefully that stage manager would be responsible enough to report abusive behavior to Actors Equity. From the production contract:

Neither the Producer, nor any personnel under the Producer's supervision or control, shall intentionally intimidate, harass or humiliate any Actor at any time, including, but not limited to, all communications to Actors in connection with artistic notes. However, it is understood that there is no intent to interfere with the original Director's or original Choreographer's ability to critique Actors in connection with artistic notes.