Soulpepper Releases Statement Following Misconduct Allegations Against Artistic Director Albert Schultz

"On behalf of Soulpepper Theatre Company's Board of Directors, we want to speak to our community of artists, staff, patrons and supporters. We are all deeply distressed by the alleged conduct of former artistic director Albert Schultz. The conduct as described is completely antithetical to the values of Soulpepper. Consequently, we requested and accepted Albert's immediate resignation.

All of us on the Board take our oversight responsibility very seriously. Unfortunately, we did not know that Albert Schultz was alleged to have engaged in any harassment. No such complaints ever made their way to the Board. After the Laszlo Marton issue came to light, the Board made extensive enquiries about any other potential issues of harassment, or whether any other harassment concerns had been expressed. We were assured that there had been no other harassment of any kind by anyone at the company. After an independent review by a workplace policy expert in the fall of 2017, we were further assured that we had the right policies and procedures in place to maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

That said, this situation has brought home to us that policies alone do not create such a culture. We understand why many artists in the Soulpepper community felt that raising concerns about the safety of the Soulpepper workplace was very difficult.

We are committed to a process of reflection, renewal and change. We have today severed our relationship with Executive Director Leslie Lester. We have also, by request of our artists, cancelled the production Amadeus. In the coming days and weeks, we will be taking additional steps to ensure not only that our policies are as strong as possible but that the culture is one that encourages the respect and dignity of all our members. We will also be examining our management structure to ensure the strongest workplace culture possible.

It is very important to recognize that Soulpepper is a leading theatre company in Canada because it has been built not by one person, but by a broad community. It has a huge breadth and depth of talent, which each and every one of us on the Board is fully committed to supporting. The Board would like to thank the community for their support during these challenging times.

We are confident that, together, we can steer Soulpepper through this period and remain a place where enormously talented individuals can share their art."

"The Soulpepper Artists listed below acknowledge there has been an unhealthy workplace culture for a long time. Unequivocally, the behaviour described in the allegations is not acceptable and has no place at Soulpepper.

Soulpepper Theatre Company has been in dialogue with the artists of Amadeus and has made the decision to support their recommendation to cancel the production.

The actors and designers of Soulpepper's production of Amadeus say the following: "We reached a consensus to recommend not to continue with the show. Amadeus was directed by Albert Schultz. We believe Diana Bentley, Kristin Booth, Patricia Fagan, and Hannah Miller, and stand with them."*

Members of Soulpepper are experiencing profound anger, hurt, and confusion, both on a personal level and on behalf of all victims of harassment.

We have a lot of questions and a lot of uncertainty. But we are determined to reimagine the future at Soulpepper by grappling with where the company has come from, facing difficult questions, in order for healing and transformation to take place. We are committed to making art at Soulpepper in a safe, respectful and professional environment."