Circle Theatre Cancels Production of Israel Horovitz Play OUT OF THE MOUTH OF BABES

Circle Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas has issued a statement stating that they have pulled the play "Out of the Mouth of Babes" by playwright Israel Horovitz from their upcoming season following sexual assault allegations against Horovitz, which came to light earlier this week.

The company statement reads:

"Circle Theatre was horrified yesterday to learn about the inappropriate sexual behavior towards multiple women by playwright Israel Horovitz. In response, we could not in good conscience produce his play, Out of the Mouth of Babes, in our 2018 season. A new play will be announced at a later time.

Circle will be as transparent as possible when discussing the issue. We are saddened by this development, but encouraged by the stories of these brave women."

Circle joins other arts organizations who have decided to pull the playwright's work following nine allegations of sexual misconduct which were leveled against Horovitz an in-depth article published in The New York Times.

The women have come forward with stories of alleged inappropriate advances, sexual assault, and even rape, some of which occurred when they were just teenagers.

The Times reports, "Each woman's story was corroborated independently by people in whom they confided."

Horovitz told The New York Times that while he has "a different memory of some of these events, I apologize with all my heart to any woman who has ever felt compromised by my actions, and to my family and friends who have put their trust in me. To hear that I have caused pain is profoundly upsetting, as is the idea that I might have crossed a line with anyone who considered me a mentor."

His son, Adam Horovitz, commented: "I believe the allegations against my father are true, and I stand behind the women that made them."

This is not the first time Horovitz has been accused. In 1993, The Boston Phoenix published an exposé in which 10 women accused him of sexual harassment and assault. Barry Weiner, at the time the board president of Gloucester Stage - where Horovitz served as founding artistic director - disregarded the allegations and described some of the women as "tightly wound." Weiner recently stepped down from an advisory panel at the theater.