PROFESSIONALISM: Broadway SM arrested

[Rebelsw/oapplause]

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/south_peep_cific_voyeur_rap_rwyQ0Z6CJmonw1ka5bOVbP

[thankyou5]

This is just appalling.  As stage managers, much of our job is about trust and discretion.  To even think someone would do something like this turns my stomach.   

[MatthewShiner]

Ah, come on . . . stage managers are just humans.  We aren't super human, and we are subject to the same follies as other people.  Still, it's a pretty bad thing to do.

[missliz]

Yep...heard about this today at work. I'm appalled. SMs, in my mind, are the trusted confidante of the cast, and the liason to the crew and beyond...disgusting.

[maximillionx]

Have to agree to all 3 responses...it is an incredibly untrustworthy thing to do, but I'm sure it happens a lot more than is publicized.

[NomieRae]

I couldn't wipe the shock off my face when I heard this...that poor cast and crew to have this happen and have that trust broken.

I would really like him to step up to the plate and take responsibility (and apologize) to the cast and the union for his gross misconduct.

What frustrates me most is that the only widely seen press stage managers usually get is "The SM of this show was injured.." and now "This SM was a peeping tom..."

[megf]

I agree this would be a horrible breach of professional conduct.

I agree that the South Pacific company has a lot to work through, as a company and all as individual artists, brothers, sisters, etc.

NomieRae - he turned himself in for questioning, per the NY Post article. What else can he do to take responsibility at this point? The legal process currently in motion would, I think, strongly discourage any aggressive public action on his part.

And why does this thread read like we view him as guilty until proven innocent?

[loebtmc]

I am curious, given the SMs resume, if this is a first time, is he a victim of a misunderstanding or has a history of misbehavior that went unreported until now - before I assume guilt, I'd like to know more abt his rep among the actors he worked with for so many years -

[KMC]

I don't think anyone should be assuming guilt.  Let the courts of law pass judgement prior to the court of public opinion.

[nmno]

Apparently his employer thinks he's guilty...

From Playbill: "Lincoln Center Theater has terminated the contract of South Pacific stage manager Michael Brunner after he was charged with videotaping a cast member in her dressing room."

[centaura]

Before that last post was put up, I was going to say that questioning the stage manager would be the most logical thing to do if anyone had any questions, but that doesn't mean that the stage manager would be inherently guilty.  Even being fired - that could just be the theatre reacting to the bad publicity.  It'd be sad if it turned out to be true.

-Centaura

[lesliedcole]

Wow!  I wish I could say it was surprising - but nothing surprises me anymore!!

[loebtmc]

well, considering that in some venues, we have no choice but to waltz right in to chorus (and other) dressing rooms while folks are changing, I am very curious as to the outcome (altho this is certainly not that kind of circumstance - I think - I want to hope that somehow it was an innocent leaving behind of the phone with someone holding a grudge rather than icky harrassment, our jobs are hard enough...)

[nmno]

well, considering that in some venues, we have no choice but to waltz right in to chorus (and other) dressing rooms while folks are changing,

At my current show, company mgmt has had to make a rule that if you leave your dressing room you MUST put on a robe (many of our cast were just wandering around in their underwear.)

Again, the fact that he was outright fired so quickly (and not put on leave for example) leads me to believe that the producers are not open to the possibility that it's a misunderstanding or accident. (chose my words carefully there - doesn't mean he did it, but there must be some reason the company didn't give him the benefit of the doubt.) It's very hard to fire someone. And expensive, especially if you were wrong.

Interestingly, I haven't heard a peep of this from my cast or crew - and I'm sure some of them know people on that show... 

[nystagemanager26]

Yes, as stage managers we do walk into chorus dressing rooms while they are in various states of undress, but the charges against this stage manager is for unlawful surveillance...which is not the same thing.

I pray he is innocent...