Gainesville Community Playhouse hires investigators to probe 'serious allegations'
The Gainesville Community Playhouse has announced its board of directors has hired an attorney and two third-party investigators to look into allegations of sexual assault at the local theater.
The allegations of sexual assault by those involved with the playhouse were posted on social media in late July and early August. Others quickly sided with the victims and demanded in Facebook posts that the theater fix its issues.
The theater responded on Aug. 1 by announcing the cancellation of its season opener, "Assassins," which was scheduled to run from Sept. 15 through Oct. 7. The announcement, however, made no reference to the sexual assault allegations.
"The statement they released is inexcusable, and the silence following it concerns me," wrote Lauren Robinson, an actress who previously performed at the theater as a minor, in an Aug. 8 Facebook post. "One of the things community members are demanding from this organization before they participate (is that) there is transparency, and already the GCP is failing to provide it."
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The theater's most recent Facebook post on Friday vaguely alludes to the allegations against the theater, saying that there have been "serious allegations" and that support services for victims of sexual assault and reporting options are available anonymously at reportrapegainesville.org.
Attorney Stephanie Marchman of Gray-Robinson in Gainesville, who is representing the GCP board, said she didn't have anything to add beyond the theater board's Facebook post, but noted the board is taking the allegations "very seriously."
"I'm not going to get into what the allegations are, the specifics, just because I'm going to let the investigation run its course," she said.
A pledge previously circulating on social media sites following the allegations demanded that the Gainesville Community Playhouse (GCP) hold one of its directors accountable for “his abusive, predatory, and criminal behavior by immediately removing him from the theatre and cutting ties with him completely.”
The pledge also called on those who sign it “not to audition, attend, or otherwise participate in any GCP productions, and/or to support GCP in any way, financially or otherwise" until the theater takes action.
The form has since been disabled.
The theater's Facebook post also says that after its internal investigation is complete, "it is committed to taking any corrective action needed and considering community input in doing so."
"We have every confidence they (the investigators) will do so swiftly and fairly," the Facebook post says.
Those with any information regarding the allegations or who want to share their experiences or feedback, are asked to email the GCP board at feedback@gcplayhouse.org.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: GCP hires investigators to probe 'serious allegations'
