This past Friday, something happened in our theatre that shouldn’t have. A guest—someone who came to share in the joy of live performance—was left feeling invisible and dismissed. She shared a video afterward that reflects her pain. Watching it was incredibly difficult, and it stayed with us and many of you.
We want to say this plainly: We’re so sorry. We let her down.
And we let others down too. Over the weekend we put out a rushed message to acknowledge the situation and to give us time to investigate. That message fell short.
Upon review of what happened, we learned the guest arrived after the show had begun and needed to retrieve her ticket from the box office. After she did, she returned during our standard late seating window. We have a long-standing policy to hold late seating until an appropriate break in the show, so we don’t disrupt the performers or audience. There were multiple latecomers in the lobby without a clear late seating line or designated point of contact. As a result, she was overlooked by a team member who was managing multiple entrances and guests arriving for another performance in our second venue. She was left standing there, feeling unseen in a space that’s supposed to be welcoming. There’s no excuse for that.
We take full ownership. What matters the most is how she felt. And that feeling—of being ignored or unwelcome—is something no one should carry into a theatre lobby.
We reached out to the guest and apologized. We also rightfully issued a full refund and offered free tickets for anytime she wants to return.
What Happens Now
We’re not just reflecting—we’re acting. And we’re committing to clear, specific steps:
- By June 11, we’ll complete updates to how we communicate our late seating policies—online, by email, and on-site.
- By June 16, we’ll complete a full review and update of our lobby flow and guest-facing protocols.
- Beginning June 20, our front-of-house volunteers will be provided the same inclusive workplace training we currently provide to our employees.
Theatre, at its best, is about connection. It’s about holding space for one another. That didn’t happen the way it should have last week, and we carry that with us.
If you’ve ever felt unseen in our space—we’re so sorry. You deserve better. And you have our word that we are immediately working to make it better.
If you have ever had an interaction at our theatre that has left you feeling unwelcomed, we would like to hear from you. We have established a dedicated email address at patronservices@phoenixtheatre.com.
Thank you for holding us to a higher standard. We need that. And we’re listening.
Michael Barnard, Producing Artistic Director | Vincent VanVleet, Executive Director
View this post as a pdf online here.
