It is with a heavy heart that I recently tendered my resignation from the Curtains Up Pagosa Board of Directors, after more than 20 years of working with an extraordinary organization that I built and guided, and after having the privilege of being on stage with, learning from and loving so many. Although I left Pagosa last November, I remained on the Board as a consultant, guide and coach/mentor to the new Artistic Director.
I can no longer support an organization whose new leadership does not take care of its greatest and most cherished asset, its people. CUP recently mounted a large stage production of Cinderella despite my strong objections; my suggestions leant toward a smaller event, such as a concert series or small musical. My concern was COVID, yet the Artistic Director and Board decided to proceed with a show and large cast, crew and musicians involvement. COVID was a present and valid concern, ultimately resulting in the show being shut down, with more than 17 of our cast, crew and families becoming ill. Worse, the Director and Board did not follow public health guidelines nor CUP internal protocols, which caused the spread of COVID within the CUP family.
Some examples I have firsthand knowledge of are:
1. The first cast meet was held in a space not large enough for social distancing, which was in effect at that time. I spoke with Dale Scrivener, the Director, that day about my concerns and told him that he should cancel until he found a more appropriate space. He held the meet anyways.
2. Several cast members who contacted me with concerns quit the show after a few rehearsals in part because they were worried and upset that COVID protocols were not being followed and that they were not safe. Some sent emails of concern before they left to Director Scrivener and the Board.
3. Both public health protocol and CUP internal rules call for anyone who is sick to not attend rehearsals; if someone shows up sick, it is the Director’s job to send them home, especially during a pandemic. Actors who were sick were allowed to come and rehearse.
4. The leadership was notified of at least one positive test result in a cast member on Monday, June 28, during the day. At that time, all cast, crew and musicians should have been told immediately that the show was shut down and to not to come to rehearsal that evening. That did not happen. Instead, everyone was allowed to come to rehearsal and perform that night. Additionally, some families and friends were invited and were part of the audience.
5. Not everyone who attended/performed the night of June 28 was aware of their exposure. Communication was poor. I was contacted by cast members and musicians who were unaware after the shutdown of the COVID spread within the Cinderella group.
6. I started partnering with Public Health on June 29th as a Board member of CUP because of enormous concerns about exposure and our people. There was a lot the department was not aware of at the time, including the Monday eve performance, and I did what I could to give them the information they needed to do contact tracing and to stop the spread within the Cinderella group. A friend of mine who is a physician in Pagosa said that when a positive case arises, especially within a group, you want to shout it from the rooftops so that everyone is aware of their possible exposure. That’s how you stop the spread.
7. I discovered in June that in early May a cast member had tested positive for Covid and was ill, and that the Director had been informed. I called Director Scrivener and the Board immediately about this. My concern was brushed off; the Director had kept the information to himself and not reported as was required. Doing so was against all public health and internal protocols.
There are many, many more examples and instances that I know of. In this case, “…the show must go on…” was a reckless and dangerous choice that caused COVID spread within the CUP cast. The current Artistic Director and Board leadership did not protect our people, but instead put them in harms way, and have yet to take responsibility.
Several Board members recently resigned. Should the Board Leadership change significantly in the future, I would be happy to step in again. I am both disappointed and distressed at the CUP Board’s decisions that led to cases being spread within the cast yet grateful that everyone who got the COVID virus through Cinderella is healing.
Be safe and well.
Dale Johnson
Former Artistic Director, Board Member, Director, Producer, Choreographer
Curtains Up Pagosa