Accusers speak out against Albert Schultz and Soulpepper
By Alexandra Heilbron on January 5, 2018 | 5 Comments
Albert Schultz, co-founder of the Toronto Soulpepper Theatre Company, has stepped down from his post as Artistic Director following allegations of sexual misconduct. Four actresses have filed civil suits against the 54-year-old actor/producer, who most recently can be seen playing Grace’s lawyer on the TV series Alias Grace, and who is one of the executive producers of the sitcom Kim’s Convenience.
Kristin Booth (pictured at left, with Schultz in inset photo), Hannah Miller, Patricia Fagan and Diana Bentley filed civil suits this week against Schultz and Soulpepper Theatre Company, saying Schultz sexually assaulted and harrassed them during their careers with Soulpepper. Their lawyer, Tatha Swann, said the women “faced constant sexual harassment, groping and unwanted touching at the hands of a serial sexual predator and bully. Soulpepper failed to protect them and failed to provide a safe work environment.”
Kristin Booth said during the conference, “I did not bring these claims against Albert and Soulpepper lightly. But I did it now and I would do it again because there is a window of opportunity open for women like myself, Diana, Trish and Hannah and all the other women that we have heard from that have suffered at Albert’s hands and others like him.”
Hannah Miller also spoke, adding, “Soulpepper as it is, is not a safe environment.”
Two of the theatre company’s co-founders — Ted Dykstra and Stuart Hughes — who are well known in the theatre community and on Canadian television, have stepped down in solidarity with the four women who have launched suits against Schultz. Schultz’s second wife, Leslie Lester, who also works as the company’s executive director, also volunteered to step down.
Soulpepper was founded in 1998 by Schultz, his then-wife Susan Coyne, Dykstra, Hughes, Diana Leblanc, Diego Matamoros, Joseph Ziegler, Martha Burns, Michael Hanrahan, Nancy Palk, Robyn Steven, and William Webster. It’s billed as Toronto’s largest not-for-profit theatre company and North America’s only year-round repertory company. ~Alexandra Heilbron
too funny….this guy looks like a younger version
of the serial Rapist Harvey Weinstein
Lock him up and throw away the key !
soulpepper has a great reputation as leading in creative theatre productions. good that schutlz stepped down, so the theatre can continue without the baggage. i can;t believe the number of harassment claims out there….it’s really good women are now feeling they can be listened to.
Welcome to “Hell on Earth!” The accusation(s) alone, of this type of abusive behavior will be enough to destroy your life, your friendships, and peace of mind. If the evidence demonstrates that you were abusive towards the people (especially younger women) that you had influence over, you will find no sympathy or forgiveness from me.
The recent landslide of accusations against prominent and powerful personalities is the tip of the iceberg. At the heart of this issue is a long-standing social acceptance of abuse of power and authority, which is not limited to just the cream of society.
If you have ever been on the receiving end of abusive treatment in any form you may recognize how spiritually amputating it can be and sustained abuse will likely effect you for the rest of your life.
If you count yourself among the elite or powerful who have abused the people around you with impunity, you should now be very afraid that you will be sent to Hell before you die as well as afterward.
Kudos to the two men who stepped down in support of these women, too and to the women who had the bravery to out this despicable person.
I read the comments a year after…in the meantime, a settlement was “arranged” and “accepted”…are we talking about MONEY?…can MONEY buy these “so courageous” women? Did Mr. Schultz “offended” them with a couple of thousands of dollars in order to mitigate the losses ???
Let me be very clear….this Company for which the ladies use to work was not a manufacturing Company for which Mr. Schultz worked, and, in my opinion, he worked VERY WELL. He BUILT IT and HE brought a VERY GOOD NAME …
The ENVIRONMENT in an artistic Company it is a bit different…am I wrong? Do you remember Basic Instinct, Last Tango in Paris, did Sharon Stone sued Mr. Douglas for what he did to her during the movie??? grabbing, cro…, etc.
I admit that it was an ARTISTIC ENVIRONMENT and he may never thought that will be charged with things like that by trying to be straight with his actors…
I am not saying that he is a “church door”…no, no, no, but I am asking myself how much less these ladies would accept in terms of money for other gestures? and/or from other people….people shall be aware about how much these ladies charged him…
I am asking myself if these ladies are the BEST EXAMPLES for the “hard working people” of Canada who blamed a Director and founder of a nice Company for things which are maybe with less or similar weight than the gestures of a Prime Minister of a Country, who nobody touched him…and no money were involved??? or were?…who knows???
Attacking someone when he smells blood, in my opinion, it is a gesture that only animals are doing…
These ladies “artists” will never have my respect as a spectator…a SERIOUS WOMEN is ABLE TO IMPOSE RESPECT whenever she wants…I honestly do not believe that he raped any of them…
As an artist did they rejected roles in which they suppose to kiss or to simulate other sexual behavior due to their beliefs? ….
I definitely DO NOT AGREE AT ALL that ANY WORK PLACE shall give the chance to a boss to sexually profit from the ladies or men who are employed ….DEFINITELY NOT!
Did he obtained any profit ? Did Mr. S had money to pay an escort looking maybe better than any of these ladies, (no offense about how they are looking…),…maybe the answer is YES….
Just my thoughts….I feel bad for him and for losing him from that Company….
How come once the money were involved, (did these 4 ladies knew that he has the money to pay them?), the silence was covering everything….he was forgiven…
…..everybody has a price….it means to me that the ladies knew that they can make those money by doing what they did….and ….WHY NOT ? In my opinion, it means NOW that some people just jumped against Mr. Schultz without knowing what will follow and the fact that money will buy their happiness….
VERY DELICATE BALANCE….I wish them a nice career as artists, but they never have my respect…at all…I will consider that they have an undisclosed PRICE….
Am I totally wrong? Dear readers who jumped to put him against the wall, please let me know where I am wrong? Did you guys knew about the subject when you supplied all of your comments? If you knew, why did you guys remained silent before and did not say anything…