top of page
.png)
Blank Page: Text
“Bernard would go around to dressing rooms after an opening to congratulate actors on the evening. This was often not something actors (specifically female identifying) felt comfortable with. I was pulled aside by multiple actors asking if I could inform them when Bernard was near to ensure they were fully dressed. He would knock and turn the door handle at the same time without waiting for the “all clear” signal.
It was kind of a well known fact that he did this, and the lack of an HR department made me feel like there wasn’t a safe space to bring it up.
I didn’t feel like I could go to anyone.
Everything about the environment is toxic. I think the worst part is there is no safe space to talk about issues. Aside from Bernard, the entire theater exploits non-union employees (including apprentices) both in pay and treatment.
I have a very vivid memory of going to an apprentice lunch where he stated that the theater wouldn’t be successful without the cheap labor."
“Working as an apprentice at the walnut left me with post traumatic stress symptoms and it has taken me years of distance to begin to trust myself as a professional and as a creator again. In the first week of my contract it became clear to me that the walnut operated like a parody of an old-timey theatre, but I was young and did not realize how this would trickle down through company culture and be used to exploit and abuse their most vulnerable workers such as myself. The red flags were apparent when, during an introductory lunch, the managing director began complaining about how the disability advocacy group that they had been consulting for their upcoming production of the curious incident of the dog in the night-time (a show with a main character heavily implied to be on the autism spectrum) had suggested that the theater should hire an actor with a disability rather than the artistic director’s son. He then proceeded to make jokes about individuals on the autism spectrum. My own brother is on the spectrum but I knew not to speak up because unfortunately it is built into the American theatre culture to stay quiet and amiable in order to protect your career. As the season continued, my experience only worsened as I was forced to navigate an antiquated management system with inconsistent standard operating procedures (which has not been applicable in any of the arts organizations I have worked with since), as well as daily berating for extraneous details such as not adequately presenting baked goods or properly stirring cream cheese during meet-and-greets for first rehearsals. I soon noticed a pattern: the only way to avoid verbal abuse for the day was to engage in gossip about other employees’ performance, who were mostly women. Since this culture of intensity is so expected as part of American theatre and because I truly believed at age 22 that this was my “dream job” and my ticket to get any position I wanted in the industry, I tried to stick through the abuse to no avail. I was so anxious in the mornings that I would throw up any breakfast I attempted to eat. If I had a morning with no yelling I would maybe be able to eat a small lunch, but oftentimes I was too anxious to digest anything. I quickly memorized the best parts of the building to cry in without anyone finding me because I knew “the walls have ears”. Soon the small mistakes I was making became larger ones because I began having post traumatic stress reactions such as dissociation. I tried to communicate that I was going through a difficult time to my supervisors but it was clear that they saw me as a liability and not an investment, despite the “educational opportunity” of the apprenticeship program. Since our office served as the HR of the building I knew that the only other outlet I had for voicing my frustrations was the director of education, but a fellow apprentice had attempted to use that resource to voice concerns about his supervisor, only for said director of education to betray his trust and tell said supervisor this apprentice’s concerns directly. By the time I quit, I was down two full dress sizes, in desperate need of therapy, and my entire attitude towards theatre as an art form had been permanently altered for the worse. “
“As a grant apprentice, I interfaced with a lot of board members. I was warned by my managers to avoid certain male board members at donor events as they could get handsy. I attempted to do so but still had one board member grope my butt, and another make relentless requests to take me out on a date--they were done "in jest" but made me very uncomfortable. When I told the other members of my department what happened they were sympathetic but said there was nothing they could do--he was a large donor. When they tried to assign me to a different position during events, he proceeded to harass the other female identifying apprentice who was put in my place."
“As a non-union SM for one of the TYA shows, I was put in the position of tech-ing a show in 3 days instead of 4 because changeover went long. When I expressed concern that we would not be able to create a polished show in that time, I was dismissed. When on the first show we had a tech malfunction, Bernard stormed up to the booth and proceeded to scream at me, calling me by the r word and curse at me, all while I was trying to get the show back on track. After the show, Bernard came up to me and told me to blame a specific crew member, even though they had not been responsible for the mishap. I did not do so in my show report and was fired the next day. When I asked the director of education why I was being let go he said that, off the record, I got in the way of a union dispute, and that Bernard didn't think I had what it took to handle the "politics of the institution.”
“Towards the end of my callback for the Acting Apprenticeship, Bernard proceeded to ask several questions regarding my resume and training (including if any of my credits are legitimate paying ones or if they’re college production) and in the midst of my response he states, “You know, you’re a little...huge”. I took a moment to process the question and mistook it for my singing voice being loud and tried to play it off as a joke. But he quickly responded with, “No, I mean your weight. You could be leading material but the weight...”. If it wasn’t for my former contract and the incredible cast members I worked with that gave me the foundations of body confidence and help me to understand that as long as I was able to function properly and do what I need to get done without feeling winded or very fatigued (as opposed to numbers on a scale) I don’t know how I would’ve reacted to his unsettling comment.”
“I was stretching in the fourth floor studio before a show and the door was open. Mark Sylvester walked by on his way out of the office as I was in a downward dog position. He made a sexual comment about how it seemed like a position I was all too familiar with. Made me feel gross - still does when I think about it. “
“The Walnut Street Theatre is by far the worst job I’ve ever had, and is notorious for treating its workers, especially the apprentices, as disposable and not worthy of empathy or basic human decency. And I am still coming to terms with my experience there and how I was treated to this day, three years later.”
"I’ve been in an audition setting and witnessed the most talented women with the strongest auditions of the day dismissed because they are “Too Big”, “an Irish wench”, “goth” because they have black hair, “not beautiful”, or “I don’t want to look at them for two hours”. All of this was behind closed doors and without the actresses being aware of the artistic director’s assessment. There was no questioning a “No” given by Bernard based on his idea of objective beauty, and I believe it contributed to mediocrity in talent being rewarded because of looks alone.
It was made clear that casting required the artistic director’s approval, and a No was a no. I did not feel that my job would be protected if I confronted the individual."
“I tried to negotiate a modest salary increase when I was asked to play a lead role and Mark told me “Bernard said you’re not worth a penny more.” I took the job because I needed the money. “
“The intimidation by both Bernard, several staff, and union members pushed me into deep isolation depression. I have PTSD from my experience there and blacked it out of my mind for several years, until I started therapy."
“I grew up in Philadelphia, and Walnut is where I saw my first live show. Getting a job in theater as soon as I got out of college, at a place I loved growing up, no less, was nothing short of phenomenal for me. All of this illusion shattered during my time at Walnut as an employee. I no longer work in this industry, and fellow apprentices from my class and I have steered college graduates seeking this apprenticeship away due to our shared experiences. Talking about it, even so many years later, still incites anger, anxiety, and fear in me. Following my time at Walnut, I have sought treatment for the ongoing anxieties I feel at my current place of work as a result of my time at Walnut.”
“I was the general management apprentice at The Walnut Street Theatre and that experience has left me with post traumatic stress symptoms and it has taken me years of distance to begin to trust myself as a professional and as a creator again…I wound up having panic attacks almost daily in the office.“
“During both of my pregnancies, I was told time and time again by The Company Manager at the time ,that Mark Sylvester was grossed out by pregnant women. She found it very funny, and would tell me every time she saw me how disgusted he was by pregnant women, and was uncomfortable around them and he would probably avoid me at all costs. She joked that I should pretend my water broke in his office, and that I should go out of my way to walk near him. She didn't realize that I spent most of my career avoiding him, and this time would be no different.”
“I began my employment on a Monday. By Friday, I was in therapy. I was paid a pittance. My grandmother died around the time bonuses were given out. When I returned from the funeral I found out I was not receiving a bonus because Mark hated me.
I got no sympathy card or condolences either, but later that month when Mark Sylvester’s parrot died the whole theatre signed a sympathy card.
I will never forget when Mark looked me dead in the eyes and said “I have no respect for you.
And why was I fired? No reason was given because there was no reason. I was a damned good employee for 7 years and I was treated like subhuman pond scum.”
"Mark was/is the worst human I’ve ever met. He has made sexual comments about women, minors, and people with disabilities detailing why they should not be allowed to work at the walnut, calling minors a “pedofiles wet dream” and shaming women body types. Ken Westler (who thankfully no longer works at the walnut) once stated that the “Race issue” at the walnut would “fix itself” when I referred to the overwhelming white, mostly male board of directors and Paul hit on me so many time I started to black out the comments entirely.
After telling multiple staff about Paul and how he made me and other staff members uncomfortable nothing was done and he was fired for something completely unrelated and after the incident with Ken I was told the situation was being handled but I believe he also got fired for something unrelated.
The Walnut Street Theatre is and always will be a white space. From the shows they put on, to the way they cast, to the fact that only two (to my knowledge) of the full time staff members during my time who are Black don’t work in custodial, to their patrons. I was constantly asked if I was the house managers daughter, simply because we’re both Black. The two men at the top are so pretentious and bad at what they do that it makes me want to scream. They are sexist, ableist, disgusting people who couldn’t make art if they tried. While I was undoubtedly the better house management apprentice, I was always undermined and my white male counterpart was offered opportunities such as paid daytime tours and house managed all studio shows even though they were suppose to be split evenly. Working at the Walnut as an apprentice is definitely in the top 3 traumatic experiences in my life. They only good thing about the theatre was the education program and even that went downhill. Bernard has a plaque in his office reminding him that he works for a non-profit, but my guess is that is so far away he simply can not see it. They have always been profit over people and you could not reform this theatre even if they fired everyone and started over. If it burned down tomorrow I would jump for joy knowing I would never have to see it on my walk to the walnut street wawa again."
"Predatory hiring process including a statement made by the PM when asked how to survive at such a low pay rate. “If you spend your money wisely you’ll thrive here.”
Transphobia: I was asked if my name was a joke When ask Why I wasn’t a TD I made reference to a joke that is always made in my field about me not qualifying to be a TD because I don’t have a beard to which the Td @wsT responded with a laugh and said yes that’s true. To which I replied but apparently I don’t have the chromosomes for that.
When reporting the harassment to the people who caused the incident I was gaslit and basically written an email where they try to justify their actions.
I do not feel blacklisted however I feel like a lot of apprentices could not speak up or felt like they could not speak up out of fear that they would be blacklisted or lose their jobs."
Working in Phone Charge I dealt with a number of patrons and subscribers over the phone and in person who made inappropriate comments about women and people of color. This behavior is enabled by the mission to maintain the largest subscriber base possible, even if that means placating racist and sexist patrons. I had a horrible experience with Brian Kurtas, then Casting Director/Assistant to the Producing Artistic Director regarding the audition invitation to be an "Extra" for South Pacific after I quit Phone Charge. I attached the email thread to this form. I also heard stories regarding the then-Refreshment Services Manager making lewd comments in regards to his suboordinate employees.
My complaints fell on deaf ears at the Walnut, I stopped working there and stopped applying for the GPAAs as it became clear to me I was only given an audition slot due to my race/ethnicity filling a quota for their audition demographic." -Twoey Truong (She/They)
"During email correspondence, I was offered a role for the TYA (Theatre for Young Audience) series. After discussing pay and schedule, I was asked if I would mind shaving or cutting my hair. I responded to let them know I was not comfortable with cutting my hair. In many auditions, I was asked by Bernard or casting at the time about cutting my hair. Every time I explained that my hair is a representation of my heritage and upbringing as part of the Native Muscogee tribe. I was always brushed off, and obviously it was an issue for them, as they continued to ask me every time. This email was no different. Except this time, after already being offered the role, Tom informed me that he would need to run all casting decisions by Bernard Havard. I was then asked to send a photo of my long hair. I did. The following email simply said, "We are going to go in a different direction". I later saw photos of the show, "Goosebumps", and the actor they used to for the role I was offered, was white, and wore a beanie the entire time. So it was obviously not about my long hair.
I was not a union actor at the time. I didn't feel like my voice would be heard, and many people working at WST had warned me about their blacklisting frequency. Which is against union policy, but so hard to enforce.
I have auditioned for what feels like hundreds of companies at this point in my career. Some, I feel very welcome in the room, other's are neither here nor there, but at WST, if Bernard is running the room, I have NEVER felt welcome. I'm almost always dismissed by him. His casting will usually have me do multiple things for them, but if I see him in the room, I know I'm there for a short unpleasant time."
-Topher Eufaula Layton (They/He/She)
At the first day of rehearsal for 'Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time' (a play/book about and written by a person with autism), Bernard came into the rehearsal room and proceeded to lecture the room about how the word 'autism' will be a forbidden word. He told the whole team to never say the word in the rehearsal room and especially not to the press. He said the word was unnecessary and unimportant to the story being told ... a story that would be entirely unremarkable without honoring the main character's disability. Throughout rehearsals, the actors and director would slip up and ALMOST say autism, but stop themselves and awkwardly laugh about it because they didn't want it to get back to Bernard. They knew it was wrong, but they didn't dare defy him. The whole thing made me realize that Bernard and company didn't care about telling a story about a person with a disability. (Certainly didn't care to cast a person with that disability or to employ a disabled person as a dramaturgical advisor.) They wanted to do the play because they knew the success of the play on Broadway along with the on-stage special effects and spectacle would bring audiences (read: money) in.
As an understudy, I felt it wasn't my place. I also suppose I gave them the benefit of the doubt that that choice was coming from a good place? (lol)" - Katie Horner (She/Her)
"Mark made me feel less than and never took the time to get to know my name because I was just an extra. If memory serves, he never knew the names of any of the non union actors including those actually in the dancing ensemble. He stopped me at an audition in NYC one time baffled that one of his shows was on my resume. Bernard would make snide comments to my boyfriend at opening nights about how he was “lucky to have me on his arm” and other such related things.
At the time, I was fresh out of college and just kept my mouth shut. I just thought this is how it was in the real world, and I had to earn my place.
I certainly felt very belittled even though I worked incredibly hard and showed up just as much (if not more) than the actors who were featured in the show. The “extra” system needs to be re-examined. And the treatment of non equity/EMC actors is also abysmal. Everyone deserves a safe space to create."
"Mark consistently hit on and made sexual comments to many of the young male actors. He would make them uncomfortable when they didn’t come to stop by his office to speak with him. I also heard him make sexual comments to young male staff members. He uses his position of power to make many of the younger male actors feel obligated to engage in flirty conversation with him. This isn’t specifically harassment but Mark is way less interested in engaging with female staff members. Mark never learned my name even after an entire year as his apprentice. When his apprentice from the previous year came to visit, he had no idea who she was.
I wasn’t personally harassed so I didn’t want to speak on behalf of anyone else and threaten my position.
Yes, they have a bonus system that is not typical for other non profits. At the end of the FY, senior staff members receive insanely large bonuses that don’t get included in their “salary” for accounting purposes."
"I saw safety violations. Apprentices were unpaid for their required overtime. At one point some people had worked for a month straight with no days off. The apprentices met with Walnut higher-ups and direct managers to talk about this. We asked for limits on the number of overtime hours that could be worked. We asked what the theatre could do to improve working conditions. Since many apprentices work with machinery, expensive materials, tools, and/or furniture lifts, we felt it was important that there should be limits on how much we could work, or at least a commitment to making things better. We were told that absolutely nothing could be done on a systemic level, and just to come to them if we were feeling unhappy. It shouldn't feel like you have to ask for a favor each time you feel you're in an unsafe/inequitable work environment. Bernard was completely inaccessible to us, which is okay since we were apprentices. However, our direct supervisors and even higher-ups openly told us he wasn't open to hearing when things weren't going well. I got the impression that our supervisors were completely stymied by his insistence on a lack of a reporting chain, for both simple and complex issues. As someone who has worked various jobs since then, I have yet to experience the lack of professional standards for workers than I have at Walnut. Poor planning and a complete lack of human resources makes the theater a revolving door of unhappy staff members. Look at the turnover there and you'll see what I mean.
Bernard should leave. They need a human resources representative, badly. And their apprentice program is exploitative, to put it mildly. I would never encourage anyone to work there."
"I was mistaken for another black female auditioning with me multiple times. To where they read her resume out to me and I had to say “sorry that’s not me.”
In the audition process they ask for classic songs to be sang. For me a black woman, I struggle because the pieces don’t reflect stories that relate to my experience or songs that compliment my vocal type.
It was an audition and I was trying to keep face"
"Bernard came in to rehearsal one day to watch for a little bit and see how everyone was doing. The interaction with him and the actors/director was going well until out of no where he asked if we had heard his favorite joke. Everyone in the room said no and then he proceeded to tell a joke about the IATSE union and a nun involving the nun becoming pregnant. It sort of made everyone uncomfortable and no one laughed. It was offensive to the union, women, and a certain religion all rolled into one. The person from administration who was with him laughed it off and said something to lighten the atmosphere of the room and they both left. I have also heard about Bernard entering the women’s dressing rooms during my time at the Walnut, though I did not see it happen myself. During my time at the Walnut I also only saw 1 BIPOC actor on the main stage and 1 in Studio 3. The rest of the parts that season were played by white/white-passing individuals. One of the BIPOC actors who I worked with brought up the fact that the staff at the Walnut did not know much about black hair-care needs and makeup and it was difficult for them to have to figure out on their own how to make their hair look how the creative team wanted. I did not report it because I was an apprentice just starting out in the Philly Theatre Scene and did not want to experience backlash."
"Sexual comments and intimidation from a A Stagehand Union member. Filed a report with the Production manager. Was told to go home. Next day there were threats and comments made to me. A fist fight among IATSE union members ensued. I tried to find protection among the two production staff members who I trusted, my immediate supervisor yelled and me and restricted my access to that space and them.
The second day of my week long contract (my first one post apprenticeship) at the scene shop, the prop master told me he got a call from the office saying I should be removed from the job for “political” reasons and I wouldn’t be able to work at any union houses.
After my incident, Bernard called me directly to ask me “What [he] could do to make this all go away.” In my naivety, I told him to stop hiring young women as stagehand apprentices as it is not safe. The next year the position was held by a woman. After I left, I got word that a lot of people were either fired or left their position because of what happened with me. The intimidation by both Bernard, several staff, and union members pushed me into deep isolation and depression. I have PTSD from my experience there and blacked it out of my mind for several years, until I started therapy."
"When I was a sophomore in college the walnut street theater invited me to audition to be an understudy in a production. It was the biggest deal of my life, I meticulously picked out an outfit choice, a song and cut, and booked the job. The pay was $25 a WEEK and if you got to perform you would get an additional $25 for a show or maybe it was $100 for a show I can’t remember really. As an understudy we had at least six 4 hour understudy rehearsals and were expected to go to several shows (for free) to keep up with our track. I was learning three very different ensemble tracks. I never had the chance to perform . For the next few years and once I graduated college the walnut would invite me to audition for their ensemble and after not casting me they would invite me to audition to understudy for the same show that they did not cast me in. I was not good enough to perform in the show, but I was good enough to learn 3 to 4 understudy roles and perform at a moments notice for any of them. I was not good enough for the non-equity rate of a few hundred dollars a week but they could throw me $25 a week to learn tracks and be ready to perform and for any of those people. I learned roles and was called upon to performed in a few shows, giving me the hope that eventually if i “paid my dues” I would finally be cast as an ensemble member. I stopped answering their calls after my 3rd show as an understudy. I should also mention that when the walnut street theater was interested in working with me I was in the throws of a very intense eating disorder and was very thin. I had the frame and look of a lot of the women that they were hiring. By the time I was out of college and by the time I went to my last audition I had gained 30 pounds and have since fluctuated with my weight a lot in recovery. The last audition I went to was about three or four years Ago and I knew the second I walked into the holding room that it was a mistake. I was definitely the curviest in the room, and mind you curvy for me is still very thin by society standards, but I was the curviest, I did not own a pair of LaDuca‘s, I was not wearing Lululemon, I was wearing my target activewear, I went in the room and learned the combination perfectly, I danced circles around several of the actors, and was not asked to stay. I was never asked to stay. In that moment I Looked at myself and looked at the people that they were hiring and thought to myself - yeah this makes sense. I’ve never been the cookie cutter beauty ingénue that they were looking for. Maybe in college I still was moldable and scared and eager to please and 94 pounds, but by the time I graduated I stopped giving a lot of fucks. I’m lucky that I never had to deal with what a lot of people that have performed there have had to deal with. But I still felt the effects on the periphery as an understudy, as a relentless Auditioner, and as someone who wanted to work there so bad for so long. People thought I was crazy when I stopped answering phone calls about coming into addition as an understudy. Fuck being an understudy. Fuck them for always calling me to be runner up and never giving me a chance. But also thanks. I don’t know what my career and life would’ve been like had a become one of the Walnut St., Theatre‘s toy soldiers. I know my worth. I hope this doesn’t come off as someone who is bitter because I’m not just someone frustrated that a company didn’t recognize my worth. You can look around and see the blatant sizest casting at this place."
"I briefly worked in the phone sales office at Walnut Street Theatre. During training for this position, I was instructed to lie to subscribers who called to exchange tickets. Despite there being plenty of seats available for most shows, it was ticketing policy to “upsell” subscribers who had conflicts and couldn’t make their scheduled shows. Instead of a free exchange for the comparably priced tickets, we were told to say none were available, but we could sell them tickets in say, a different section closer to the stage. This fake scarcity of tickets usually resulted in subscribers spending more money for tickets they didn’t need to buy. I found it unethical and it made me uncomfortable every time I did it. I did not stay there very long. Thank you for your work to expose the Walnut Street as the fraud it is and thank you for providing this platform. I wish to remain anonymous."
"I did not personally experience harassment but was in a conversation that made it clear the Walnut has no interest in prioritizing diversity and inclusion.
I received a phone call from Mark Sylvester, the Managing Director, offering me a job as an actor at the Walnut. Part of my audition process included singing for a small featured role in the show but Mark did not specify if my contract would include this role or understudying this role, so I did ask him. On the phone, Mark told me in his exact words, “We will be going with someone who is actually Hispanic for that role.” As a white actor, I was happy to hear this! Finally the Walnut was adding some more representation on the stage and that was not the role for me. Imagine my surprise when I found out the full cast list and they still cast a white actor in that role. Not only did Mark lie to me on the phone, he and the rest of the Walnut are not interested in diversifying the artists they employ. They are content to continue white washing.
I did not feel I had the power to say anything about our phone conversation. I obviously have no control over casting at the Walnut and as a white actor coming from a place of privilege, I did not actually experience harassment so I did not feel I had anything to report. At that time I just accepted that “that’s how things are at the Walnut and they will just continue to only lift white artists.” I’m done accepting that now."
"There's a scene in "Noises Off" where an actress runs around in her underwear. During the Invited Dress Rehearsal of the show, the actress was dressed in a teddy (was very clear it was underwear, but wasn't too reveling). After the dress rehearsal, Bernard went up to the Costume Designer and said the costume needed to change because it wasn't "doing it for him." He said she should go shopping at some lingerie stores to find a more suitable costume. Needless to say, the actress was dressed in a bra and panties by Opening Night.
I was new in my role and I didn't feel comfortable [reporting.]
There is absolutely no HR in place at the theatre. There is no one to complain too. I had an IT guy repeatedly massage my shoulders (which made me very uncomfortable). When I broached the subject, I was told he was "just a nice guy." This came from the person I would need to speak with if I ever needed to report harassment.
The Managing Director would use the Walnut's funds to take extravagant trips to London to see West End shows. The Development Director was very obviously taking funds from the theatre (pretending it was for a fundraiser). The pay at the theatre was also terrible and lower management was treated terribly. As Communications Manager, I made $50 a week more than an apprentice. I was on call for 24 hours a day and was in constant fear of being fired. We were constantly uninvited from Walnut events - from the Auction to the New Year's Ever Party. My last year, we were purposefully left off the invite list for that event. Also, running social for the theatre was a minefield. I got in huge trouble for creating a "Get Out and Vote" video for Facebook and was not allowed to post anything about current events.
The organization is extremely poorly run and every effort to change is immediately squashed. Also, their reaction to bad press is absolutely insane - one of the shows got a subpar review in the Inquirer and Bernard decided we would never advertise with them again (luckily, he was talked out of it). The theatre is a Boy's Club for rich, white people where Bernard can cast his friends and pander to the rapidly aging subscriber base.
Also, I'm 90% positive that his accent is fake."
"I worked at walnut as an acting apprentice. I found a position on Playbill.com that highlighted a once in a lifetime opportunity to work in one of the greatest theatre's in the country alongside the greatest regional staff. Within my first two weeks I knew I had been lied too. First, as an acting apprentice we are only paid 300.00 a week. Being fresh out college and not really thinking about the financial aspect i eagerly accepted the offer, not know what was ahead. Our days were brutal most of the time we worked way over 8 hour days which is not on par of the minimum wage we were paid. I was determined to stick it out as I was cast as the lead in the children's show that was being performed on the main-stage in the months to follow. We opened the show to favored praise, so much so there were several emails that were sent in by parents to the theatre who not only loved the show but highlighted my performance. In hopes that this would gain me some ground, I approached the heads of the theatre about the next season and was told that I was extremely talented and had a great personality but the chances of Bernard hiring someone like me was slim-to-none. I was then told that Bernard didn't really cast black people and when he did they either had to be on the lighter side or cast as Principal roles where it was kinda required (i.e. shows like Sister Act & Memphis). This person then proceeded to elaborate that because I was darker than the average black person that were usually cast in the chorus Bernard most likely wouldn't want to see me at an audition. I was then surprised when I was cast in the main-stage production South Pacific. This is to be last show I've ever performed in as this experience ruined my soul, spirit, and love for performing, that was over 4 years ago. There were two African-Americans (males) in the show, myself and another actor. The director was a well known, loved, and frequently hired director at the Walnut......and an older white male. While this show was an extremely large cast the director took the time to learn the ENTIRE cast names EXCEPT the two African-American males. When he would direct either one of us he would either mix up our name, not know our names at all, or just refer to us by gestures or snaps. One day backstage I was speaking to an actor and I had asked "Has Walnut ever done Ragtime?" before this actor could respond another well known and respected Philadelphia based actor leaned over and said "Bernard would never do that show because he told me once that he doesn't like to do shows where there are too many black people on stage". Shocked by this statement I was in a daze and could not recover. This was the second time that two DIFFERENT people had talked about the racism that they were aware of made by Bernard. Still skeptical about the Bernard because I hadn't experienced it personally I thought I would give him the benefit of the doubt. Opening Night of the show Bernard came backstage to greet the cast. As he made it around the room he made it obvious that he would congratulate everyone on a job well done, except the two black people in the cast. Mark D. Sylvester the Managing Director proceeded to make his rounds and at one point looked me in my eyes and decided that he would not say anything to me and proceeded to move on. That night I knew that I would NEVER return to "America's Oldest and Greatest" Theatre. I came from Michigan to Philadelphia straight out of college filled with hope and a dream to make it in this industry. Walnut Street Theatre ruined that for me. This theatre is known for its racism, prejudice, sexism, and harassment. There needs to be a change within the theatre, there needs to be more diversity amongst the staff. The fact that the only people of color that work in the theatre are the women that clean the bathrooms and tend to the majority white audience members tells more than enough about that theatre. Bernard and Mark Sylvester needs to go.
It was made very clear to me through numerous actors and staff members that Bernard had a reputation of blacklisting many actors who had complained or wronged him or the theatre. Being a young actor out of college with plans of moving to New York immediately after, that was something i couldn't afford."
"The casting room at the Walnut is an awful place to be. Performers are often written off and not considered for being “too big” or because their skin is “too dark”. The Walnut also doesn’t consider scripts unless it caters to its white audience.
Mark Sylvester is the Walnut’s HR department and he is willing it side with Bernard on anything. From my experience, most employees i’ve talked to are afraid to speak out for fear of being blacklisted. They need to hire an outside HR firm or discrimination and harassment will go unreported.
The Education department is also a mess. The acting apprentices were often forced to play roles of another race/ethnicity despite going to the head of the department to say they were uncomfortable with it. They performed those show in front of children. What is that going to teach them? This is a secondhand experience but wanted this movement to be aware of it."
"I worked with the one of the more well known names of the walnut. He was the director, I was the SM. He regularly lashed out at me verbally in rehearsal and brought me to tears often. This was visible to the actors on the production and the tension was shared with Bernard by one of them, who then confronted my supervisor. I was brought into a meeting and told to ‘make it work’ because I was replaceable in the eyes of the institution and he did not want to hear any more about it from Bernard. I worked with this person again many times, even became friends with him over time but still had to endure periodic verbal abuse for the sake of my job.
I didn’t see a reason [to report it]…I knew even without being told that I had no power in the situation.
I was always amazed by how they would collect money from donors for the ‘education dept’ yet we never saw the funds. One example is an auction item of ‘buy new lockers for the acting apprentices’. I know people bought that item yet i think they still now 5 years later have the same repurposed filing cabinet as the actors lockers and I once had to pay out of pocket for a cork board…
The education department was a safe space with healthy relationships during my time there but the way leadership did not have the balls to stand up to Bernard and the pressure we felt from above was just unnecessary."
"I watched as the director of my show call one (of the two) people of color in the show the wrong name. Then correct himself, laugh out loud to the room while saying they just look alike. Everyone was horrified. And no one said a word. Not even myself. No more.
I was absolutely scared that I would be fired, or I would never work there again. As it is the source of most of my income for the year I stayed quiet.
It’s never really a “safe” space. A good paycheck yes, but you never knew when you would be blacklisted.
Just please don’t give up."
"Throughout my time at Walnut as an apprentice, I overheard many comments from Bernard and Mark that were inappropriate. There was a time where a Black actor was going to play a character that was typically played by a white actor. Because of this, Bernard said "haha, should we put him in white face then?" The only positive of that situation is that no one appeased him and started laughing. But it would've been better had someone called him out in the moment. Bernard and Mark treat people however they want, because they know there will be no repercussions. I have seen them yell and scream at whoever they want. During a show, if there's one detail they don't like, it gets changed. Not because it would make the show better, but because they don't like it (example: a wig color, apparently ombre hair makes you look like a whore). I've also seen the effects of their actions when people start sobbing because of something they said. It was usually women, most of whom do not work there anymore.
I was fresh out of college, knowing not nearly as much as I know now. Plus, as an apprentice, you pick up from the regular staff that you need to be very careful about what you do, say, and how you act around Bernard and Mark. Being straight out of college, and knowing early on the pull that those two have, it's hard not to be scared of being blacklisted.
My particular job was amazing, I loved the people I worked with. However, it was rough at times. There was always the lingering feeling of "what are Bernard and Mark going to say about this". When describing my job to friends outside of Philly, I legitimately compared Bernard to President Snow from The Hunger Games. But he does not care, he likes things exactly how they are because he can do whatever he wants."
"Not so much harassment, but more so behavior: During the spring and early summer of 2020 (May & June, 2020) I was on a virtual teaching artist contract with the Walnut. It was during this time that the BLM uprisings and protests occurred in Philly immediately after the murder of George Floyd. I was scheduled to teach a class the same day that the Walnut released their (pathetic) BLM/diversity statement on social media. I contacted TJ Sokso, the Director of Education, that morning and stated that I was not comfortable teaching that day due to the pitiful BLM statement/post that the Walnut had chosen to release AND because the students I was teaching at the time were children of color. How could I teach for and represent a company that clearly DOES NOT and DID NOT CARE about my students’ existences? Upon communicating with TJ Sokso that I was not comfortable teaching my session later that afternoon (and providing him clear context as to why), TJ told me, “If you don’t teach those kids this afternoon, I’m going to lose my job. Bernard will make sure of it.” Looking back, I was basically GAS LIT into teaching that afternoon. I know this situation is minimal compared to the harassment that other artists have experienced. Though I think it gives great insight into just exactly how much of a pull and manipulation Bernard has on his employees, no matter their moral compasses.
I don’t think I have been blacklisted, but I definitely recognized the gaslighting and manipulation techniques used on me during that conversation.
The understudy track is a JOKE. The pay is shit and the expectations are too high for the lack of pay.
Another situation: As a short, athletic/curvy, young woman with dark hair and an olive skin tone, EVEN THOUGH I AM ETHNICALLY WHITE AND I AM CLEAR ABOUT THIS, I was told that I’d “perfectly fill the ethnically ambiguous understudy track in the ensemble” to “show a little diversity”. I heard these words trickle down from Bernard. LIKE WHAT??? I’m white! Literally! This is the opposite of diverse casting. 🙃"
"My boss was breastfeeding and needed to pump throughout the day. She was denied the privacy and use of the empty dressing rooms and instead created a partition in her shared office, placing a sign on the door when it came time to pump.
The person who gave the answer was most likely the person to report it to.
For years, phone charge staff was paid $7.25/hr while being held to the highest standards of customer service. Less than a decade ago, the hourly wage was increased by a dollar. Employees who returned year after year were never given yearly raises like full time staff, despite their pivotal role in the company’s success. A few years ago, when approached by a manager who asked for a raise from $8.25/hr for phone charge staff, Mark Sylvester replied, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t just hear that.” The rate was eventually raised to $9/hr, which felt like it was meant to be considered a final act of generosity."
"1. Assisting in casting I was in the audition room and was witness to the comments that Bernard made as actors auditioned: “She’ll never fit in the costumes.” “We’ll have to put her in the back row.” “Would he be in the female ensemble?” And on a personal note as an auditionee at my first audition back after an injury, Bernard said to me before I started singing, “What will you be singing? ‘I’m Still Here?” (Referencing a song from the musical Follies) ALL completely inappropriate for the audition room. There also another time when I was at the dance call for the show 9 to 5. I was in the first group to audition and after my audition the choreographer asked me to stay and assist her throughout the rest of the day. I happily abliged and throughout the rest of the day, taught the dance combination and demonstrated it for the remaining audition groups. I was NOT cast in the show. I’ll let that sit with you for a second.
2. When being offered a contract over the phone with Mark Sylvester after we had done the business of the phone call, he proceeded to ask me about my personal life? If the “rumors were true about who I was dating.” Again, completely inappropriate for him to be asking me that while offering me a job.
3. While Dance Captaining a show with [The] Stage Manager, I would be scared to give the lead actor notes because I had heard he had already told Stage Management when given notes that he wouldn’t take them because “Bernard wouldn’t want him to make those changes.” I proceeded to give the actor the dance notes and even though I felt brave doing it, I was scared he would go to Bernard and it would result in hurting my chances for a) being cast again and b) have the job of Dance Captain. These stories are nowhere near as bad as probably some others, but I felt should be added to the running list of problems with these men in charge. I have done over 12 shows at the Walnut since 2004 and loved my experiences on stage, yet always felt that there were “Kings and Queens” that ruled the building and always felt a sense that don’t rock the boat or don’t speak how you feel. I also always felt like dressing rooms were bugged. I have no proof, but just had that feeling.
I love the building and the history and don’t think n any actors who aren’t speaking out publicly should be blamed. Actors are actors with families that needed work. The Walnut is the best paycheck in town and some people are considered acting “royalty”, but some of those actors haven’t been spoken to since 2016. Just saying. You don’t know everyone’s story."
"Toward the end of my apprenticeship I started dating another apprentice. I worked at the theatre in the evening during the shows, as did the other person in the relationship. As the last opening night of the season approached, I noticed that my boss started giving my the cold shoulder, lots of one word answers, etc without any clue or explanation why (which is another can of bullshit). At the opening night party, I got pulled aside by a staff member who was friendly with both of us and said “Mark is telling people that you got caught going at it in one of the offices. He’s told pretty much the whole staff including (my boss).” (In case it’s not clear, this was a total and complete lie that never happened or even could have possibly happened.) A few questions later I was able to establish he only named me and not my significant other in this. I was then told not to confront him or my boss because “it will make things worse for you. He will make sure you never work here again.” Instead I just got to be humiliated in front of all these people and then deal with verbal abuse from my boss for weeks on end before she found something else to be mad about. I met so many amazing people at the Walnut some of whom I am still friends with today, but I will not return to that building for a show or a job until Mark and Bernard are gone.
There was no one to report it to. Who was I going to tell? Mark’s assistant?
There was no point, there was no one to go. I was an intern and he’s the Managing Director.
Mark Sylvester is the worst human I have ever met. There is not a kind, humble, or gracious bone in his body. He creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation and maintains control because he has no oversight from Bernard or the board."
"Brian Froonjian was my direct supervisor for the first show I worked on at the walnut, and he immediately began preying on me sexually. At the time I was 23 and he was 33. At first I was only in the city for a week to assist with a co-production, and he knew I was alone and didn't know many other people there. He started our relationship off in a friendly way, listening to my stories and pretending to care about me as a person and my fledgling career. He knew for a fact that I had just gotten out of a relationship and was extremely emotionally fragile, and he took advantage of that. He told me that he really wanted me to be an apprentice, that he was considering making an apprentice position specifically for my department, he promised me all sorts of work and connections if I were to permanently move to Philadelphia - he even ended up connecting me to roommates and a place to live. He told me that he and his wife were in a semi-open relationship, and that he was occasionally allowed to see people outside of their marriage. I found out after we had slept together that this was not true when I had to call him and tell him he had given me chlamydia, which he had apparently also given to his pregnant wife. After that I told him that under no circumstances would I be seeing him again, but he did not stop asking me for months. He kept trying to get me to have sex with him in his office at the Walnut, and I know for a fact that he keeps lube and condoms in his desk so he can meet sexual partners there while he tells his wife that he's working overtime. I did end up moving to Philadelphia and was working at the Walnut for a time, and had to tell him over and over again that I would not be engaging with him anymore. I had to stop working there because I couldn't be in the same room as him without feeling physically ill every time he looked at me. I started to have anxiety attacks every time I saw him at work. I had to block him on social media, and it still took months of me telling him to leave me alone before he finally stopped contacting me.
I didn't report it because I was ashamed. I was ashamed that I was the stupid young girl who got herself into this situation, and I didn't want anyone that I worked with to know that I had slept with him and that I had contracted an STI. I was still new to Philadelphia and I wanted people to know me for who I was, not my mistakes. I didn't want people to think badly of me, or to pity me. I wanted to be respected for who I was and the work that I did, not what happened to me. I still have only told a few people in my life about this, and even anonymously reporting what happened is still very hard, and I am still afraid that the few details I have given will make it possible for people to connect me to this story.
I want people to know that Brian Froonjian is a predator and to not let their guard down around him, but trusting him is still the biggest regret I have in life.
I did not directly witness it [mishandling of funds, reported behaviors or issues within the theatre] happening, but I have heard from many apprentices that I lived with and was close friends with that Brian Froonjian would regularly use company time and materials to do personal building projects. I also regularly witnessed him at work not doing any work, simply chatting and hanging out, and then taking on the role of the hard-driving boss when load-in was swiftly approaching and the build was not finished. He also would often not fully do his job as a technical director - he would hand apprentices scenic draftings directly from the designer and expect them to complete projects on their own when he wasn't giving them enough instructions on how exactly he wanted things built, and often the ATD and other apprentices ended up having to pick up his slack. I know that multiples years of apprentice classes have voiced their complaints to Siohban Ruane, the production manager, about his work ethic and practices, and that she has done absolutely nothing about it.
The way they underpay anyone that is non-union at the Walnut is disgusting. Apprentices are asked to work a minimum of 40 hours a week for $350 - and often end up working closer to 60 hours during tech weeks. When they hire people to work as loaders or overhire for their non-union space, they only pay $16 an hour - a solid $2 under the starting rate for pretty much any technical overhire position in Philadelphia. They have donors giving them millions of dollars every year, so much so that they have been planning on building a fully new blackbox space. They have plenty of money to go around and still chose to underpay the people who do the most work for their theatre. It is only because their mainstage theatre is union that not every single employee is being underpaid.
Thank you for giving me a space to tell my story, and for allowing us that have held on to this anger so long a place to release it and a path forward to change. I hope that our voices together can make the Walnut a place of beauty and art once again."
"Unwanted sexual advances, lewd comments and suggestions, graphic stories of a very sexual nature. All of this occurred in the workplace during working hours.
I wish I knew why I didn't report it. I guess I was young and naive.
The Managing Director would very often take VERY expensive trips to New York City and elsewhere in the name of "research." These trips included expensive dinners, premium accommodations and show tickets.
Bernard Havard and Mark Sylvester are toxic people to work for."
"A drunk donor woman was hitting on me and she could see on my face I wasn’t feeling it. Then she asked what I did for the theatre since she saw me perform with the other acting apprentice. I told her I am an Acting Apprentice and explained what we did. She then said “oh I donate to the theatre which is how you are paid” I said “cool thanks” she said “So can I have a dance?” I declined. The department head watched and laughed it off saying “she’s drunk, I promise she’s a nice lady”
I didn’t report it because someone else saw it who had power and explained how much donors mean to the Walnut."
"As far as I can ascertain, in its entire history the walnut has only had one person of color on ANY of its mainstage creative teams"
Blank Page: List
bottom of page