{"id":540650,"date":"2021-05-25T20:06:40","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T00:06:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=540650"},"modified":"2021-05-25T20:06:42","modified_gmt":"2021-05-26T00:06:42","slug":"artistic-director-who-called-l-a-lgbtq-theatre-a-queer-safe-space-fired-over-sexual-misconduct-allegations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/artistic-director-who-called-l-a-lgbtq-theatre-a-queer-safe-space-fired-over-sexual-misconduct-allegations\/","title":{"rendered":"Artistic Director Who Called L.A. LGBTQ Theatre A \u2018Queer Safe Space\u2019 Fired Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fartistic-director-who-called-l-a-lgbtq-theatre-a-queer-safe-space-fired-over-sexual-misconduct-allegations%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=540650&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/AB2030A2-D283-445B-9127-6B2CA7580459_1_201_a.jpeg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p class=\"p1\">Celebration Theatre, a major LGBTQ theater in Los Angeles, announced Tuesday that it has fired its artistic director, Michael A. Shepperd, after an investigation discovered that allegations of misconduct made against him were credible, according to reporting by The Los Angeles Times.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The Los Angeles Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/entertainment-arts\/story\/2021-05-25\/celebration-theatre-fires-artistic-director-michael-shepperd-sexual-misconduct-allegations\"><span class=\"s1\">reported<\/span><\/a> that the accusations made against Shepperd came to light in an April 14 Facebook post by Andrew Diego, an actor who had performed with Shepperd in a 2019 production of \u201cThe Producers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cDuring our cast warm-ups pre-show, many would often take to the stage to stretch, vocalize, etc.,\u201d Diego wrote in his Facebook post. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t uncommon for Mr. Shepperd to put his hands around my waist from behind, or loom over me and breathe onto my neck while touching my torso.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">In an interview with The Times, Diego also reportedly said Shepperd would grope while backstage during performances and said he made a graphic sexual proposition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cI think there needs to be space created to have an open and ongoing conversation among queer theater executives about this theme of how we use sexuality amongst each other in our work and our work spaces,\u201d Diego told the outlet, \u201cand how we end up in ways big and small bringing repulsive behavior into our spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">After Diego came forward with the accusations in the post, the theater hired Susannah Howard from the O\u2019Melveny &amp; Myers law firm to carry out an investigation. \u201cThe theater also posted an artist survey on its website to allow anyone involved with Celebration productions to comment anonymously,\u201d per the outlet.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The final report of the investigator \u201cincluded other credible accounts of misconduct,\u201d the theater reportedly said in a statement, noting that Howard recommended Celebration \u201cimplement additional policies and procedures to enhance artist safety, increase accountability, and clarify standards of conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Shepperd served as artistic director or co-artistic director at Celebration Theatre from 2008 to 2011 and then again from 2013 to the present. He denied the allegations and in a statement called the investigation \u201ca secret report that Celebration Theatre has refused to share with Michael or even provide details thereof.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cMichael categorically denies any and all allegations of misconduct and laments the absence of due process that led to Celebration Theatre\u2019s decision,\u201d read the statement from Shepperd\u2019s lawyer, Jordan Susman.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The outlet added that in \u201can interview with [sic] The The Times, Shepperd called Celebration a \u2018queer safe space\u2019 where flirtation and bawdy innuendo were common, and he said any behavior of a sexual nature between him and Diego was consensual.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">A detailed description of Shepperd posted on the Geffen Playhouse <a href=\"https:\/\/www.geffenplayhouse.org\/people\/michael-a-shepperd\/\"><span class=\"s1\">website<\/span><\/a>&nbsp; describes his career, noting that he is a \u201cProud member of Actor\u2019s Equity and frequent drinker of vodka.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Celebration Theatre\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.celebrationtheatre.com\/about\"><span class=\"s1\">website<\/span><\/a> explains the history of the company, stating that it \u201cis an award winning theatre company dedicate to telling the stories of the LGBT community. The theater was founded in 1982 by gay rights pioneer,&nbsp;Charles Rowland, one of the original founders of the Mattachine Society.\u201d<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Noting its dedication to equity and inclusion, the site goes on to say \u201cbecause of who we are and all that we represent to so many, we refuse to simply play Follow the Leader and pay lip service to the notions of cultural equity and inclusion. We have to be a firebrand, an early and often practitioner in creating opportunities that defy traditional programming, casting, hiring and audience development practices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cHence, our policy of&nbsp;Radical Inclusivity. To celebrate the individual and embrace the All. All races, ethnicities, national origins, genders, sexual identities + orientations, ages, religions, classes and disabilities. All working together to make theatre a transformative experience for both the makers and the audience.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It <a href=\"https:\/\/www.celebrationtheatre.com\/history\"><span class=\"s1\">added<\/span><\/a> that Celebration \u201cremains the only professional theatre with the mission of creating an outlet for LGBTQQIA voices in Los Angeles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Shepperd has denied any and all allegations of misconduct.<\/p>\n<p><i><span>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><span>member<\/span><\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Celebration Theatre, a major LGBTQ theater in Los Angeles, announced Tuesday that it has fired its artistic director, Michael A. Shepperd, after an investigation discovered that allegations of misconduct made &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2313038,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/AB2030A2-D283-445B-9127-6B2CA7580459_1_201_a.jpeg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Artistic Director Who Called L.A. LGBTQ Theatre A \u2018Queer Safe Space\u2019 Fired Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-540650","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/AB2030A2-D283-445B-9127-6B2CA7580459_1_201_a.jpeg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Artistic Director Who Called L.A. LGBTQ Theatre A \u2018Queer Safe Space\u2019 Fired Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=540650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/540650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2313038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=540650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=540650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=540650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}