Let’s not sugarcoat this. Theatre spaces, especially nonprofit institutions, love to post slick graphics during Black History Month and Pride. They want the grants, the photo ops, the clout. But when those same institutions fail to train or hold accountable the people at the literal front lines of guest experience, all those words become wallpaper. Performative. Hollow.
This isn’t about one employee. It is about a culture that allowed her to think she didn’t have to try. It is about who feels ownership of a space and who is reminded, subtly or overtly, that they’re just visiting.
And to those saying, “Well, maybe it was just a misunderstanding” or “Don’t assume racism” — no. Stop. If the patron says she felt unseen, believe her. If you’ve never had to walk into a theatre wondering if your body, your hair, your skin color might affect how you’re treated, then congratulations on your privilege. But don’t gaslight those who have.
Let’s be honest. If this had happened to a white patron, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. There would have been immediate apologies, a comped drink, and someone rushing to assure them that their experience matters. But when it’s a Black woman, the instinct is to question, to downplay, to deflect. That double standard isn’t just telling. It’s enraging.
Phoenix Theatre Company, your next move matters. Not just for this one patron, but for every person who now questions whether they’re truly welcome in your space. Fix it. Publicly. With action, not platitudes.
That means more than “looking into it.” It means real staff training. Not once. Not annually. But continuously. It means diversifying who works your front-of-house and who’s in your boardroom. It means listening when people tell you where you’ve fallen short and refusing to center your discomfort over their lived experience.
And to the patrons watching this unfold, especially white ones, this isn’t someone else’s fight. If you say you love theatre because it opens your heart and broadens your worldview, then prove it. Stand with those who are told in quiet ways that they don’t belong. Say something. Say it out loud. And don’t wait until it’s trendy.
