Theatre Aquarius admits system that 'perpetuates barriers' to diverse artists in buried Facebook post

After a summer away from its online platforms, and announcing the retirement of its artistic director, Theatre Aquarius has broken its social media silence on criticism of the theatre's lack of diversity and treatment of BIPOC artists. 

In a new comment on its Black Lives Matter Facebook post on June 5 — its last online engagement — Theatre Aquarius said it recognizes its history of exclusion and, going forward, will empower unheard voices. 

"We acknowledge that we have had a system that perpetuates barriers of access to Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC)," they wrote in the Aug. 25 comment. 

CBC Hamilton's Samantha Craggs spoke with artists of colour this summer on why Theatre Aquarius's Black Lives Matter message didn't land. Hamilton artists said the company lacked diversity and the shows were predominantly white, with male-centric offerings that catered toward an older, white audience. 

LGBTQ playwrights and artists of colour followed up with testimonials to Theatre Aquarius in July about their negative experiences. 

Aaron Jan, who has directed at Toronto's Tarragon, Annex and Factory Theatres, was part of the team of artists and 82 signatories that have been pressuring the theatre to make a statement. 

He said the admission left him "pleasantly surprised," though he takes issue with the way it's being delivered. 

"The way you actually commit to change is admitting you've done something wrong, and the fact that they're doing that is amazing" he said. 

While the statement "wasn't fantastic" — Jan called it vague, saying it left out aspects like a history of misogyny — he said he appreciates the "beginning of transparency."

Anna Chatterton, two-time finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Drama, who has lived in Hamilton for nine years, said the acknowledgment is a "huge step forward."

But she can't believe the statement didn't address issues of sexual harassment and how unsafe it feels for women. The space, she said, is far from welcoming. 

"I've never felt so ignored and undervalued as I have by Theatre Aquarius," she said. 

Chatterton said that she's only had more access there because she's an established, white artist with a "resume that they trust."

She said it's hurtful that BIPOC artists can't feel like they belong in the city's theatre, which receives federal funding. 

"I never felt welcome there...but [I'm] also very aware of how many artists in the city, BIPOC and non-BIPOC, have not been given any access," she said. "And also, if given a little smidge of access, not felt safe or welcome in that building."

Comment found under Black Lives Matter post

At the time of publishing, Theatre Aquarius's comment isn't on any other social platform. And to find it, you have to look under the original Black Lives Matter post. 

Jan said posting on social media, instead of only speaking through media outlets, proves they're taking some degree of public accountability. It would have been stronger, he said, if it wasn't "buried" in a Facebook chain.

"It implies that they're still trying to conceal it from certain people because not everyone has access to that," he said. "That being said, I think this is a very positive step forward for the company." 

Chatterton also stressed how important it was for the theatre to speak directly to the community, who is the theatre's future, and not hide their admissions. 

Theatre Aquarius wrote it recognizes it has an "important role to play, with an obligation to ensure the elimination of any systemic justice."

The theatre says it is finalizing a contract with an Equity/Diversity/Inclusion consulting team, who will undertake an audit to look at "issues related to system racism, oppression, lack of diversity, and lack of inclusiveness."

"As part of this process," the theatre writes, "We will listen to, and empower, the voices that haven't been heard."

Award-winning Radha Menon, founder of Red Betty Theatre, says the admission doesn't surprise her, since she's spent years feeling locked out. But it does leave her with questions. 

"How are they going to do that?" she asked, "Are they going to let us speak? Are they going to hear our voices and not defend themselves? Are they actually just going to listen?"  

She also is skeptical of how the comment on Theatre Aquarius's account came to be. 

"Who wrote that post?" she asked. "Who wrote that and why didn't they write it on their page as a new comment so that all of their thousands of followers could read their admission?"

This summer, the artistic director of the theatre Ron Ulrich announced his retirement, though the company said it was unrelated to the fallout. Ulrich said it was COVID-19 that changed his plans. 

The outgoing artistic director was quoted in a Hamilton Spectator opinion article, saying that a "cancel culture movement" was afoot and that people are always looking for someone to blame. 

"If people are calling you out...you can respond to them by chastising them, or you can open yourself up [for dialogue]" Jan said.

The job is posted online now with a six figure salary, ranging from $106,000 to $140,000.

The company previously said it was going to strike a search committee at its annual general meeting on Sept. 28.  

In part, the job posting says the artistic director will have a network of artists gained through "engagement and collaboration with diverse theatres" and will help the theatre move toward becoming a place where "relationships between diverse populations are built." 

The posting also admits focusing its energy on providing "classic and contemporary productions" for the past 50 years — which is perhaps a nod to Eurocentric critiques of its programming  — but acknowledged Hamilton is "changing" with an influx of new artists. 

Menon hopes for a BIPOC artist, or a woman "at least" —  she says there's been the same perspective in leadership for long enough. 

"If they bring another white male...my God. Haven't we had enough?" she asked.