by Chris Peterson
The Arts Club Theatre Company says that it has suspended an employee and is offering support services to potential victims as the Vancouver Police Department continues a sex-crime investigation into alleged voyeurism at the company’s changing-room facility.
According to the VPD’s Sex Crimes Unit, the investigation began in late August after concerns were raised that a 33-year-old male employee had secretly recorded cast members in a private changing room at the Stanley Theatre on Granville Street. Police arrested the suspect. He was released with conditions as the investigation remains active.
Police say restrictions now prevent the suspect from contacting victims or anyone associated with the theatre company.
In a statement, the Arts Club’s Executive Director, Peter Cathie-White, said the organization is “aware of an ongoing police investigation into serious allegations against an employee of our organization. The alleged actions, if true, are deeply troubling and run counter to everything we stand for.” Cathie-White added that the employee was “not actively working” during the investigation and emphasized the company’s focus on “the well-being, safety and privacy of our employees and freelance artists.” Support resources have been made available to anyone affected.
The theatre company declined to provide additional comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case. No charges have yet been laid.
The developing case raises broader questions about safety in performing-arts environments, where cast and crew regularly move through shared backstage spaces that rely heavily on trust. Industry observers expect that this incident may prompt policy reviews at other theatres in the region.
For anyone who has ever worked in a theatre, this story hits a nerve. Backstage spaces are built on trust — the kind that grows quietly, almost automatically, because everyone understands the vulnerability of getting ready, changing, and creating together. When that trust is broken, even allegedly, it shakes the entire ecosystem.
My hope is that companies everywhere take this moment as a reminder that safety isn’t just about what happens onstage or in the lobby. It’s about the private, unglamorous corners of the building that artists have to feel safe in if they’re going to do their jobs. This story is unsettling, yes, but it’s also an opportunity for theatres to double down on protecting the people who bring their work to life.
