2008 Woodie Awards
MCCTA director suspended
Incident raises questions of inappropriate fraternization
Christine Rochelle
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
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MCCTA's "Children of Eden" director was suspended last week due to accusations made concerning an on-campus incident in which he was involved in, according to MCCTA President Mark Heftler.
Artistic Director Tom Berger of Redirections Theatre, New York, NY, was allegedly inappropriate with female cast members in an on-campus incident that occurred outside of normal production times, Heftler confirmed.
"I'm confident I'll be found innocent of any wrong-doing," said Berger in an emailed statement.
Heftler, a Marist senior, said Berger is one of the hired professionals chosen by the MCCTA executive board to help with the council's large musical and main stage productions. Heftler said that he brought the situation to the administrators and they proceeded with actions against the 28-year-old director.
Heftler would not describe the incident since it is under investigation by the Marist administration, but stated that "it was nothing near the level of sexual assault."
Director of Safety and Security John Gildard also confirmed that no reports of a sexual assault were made to the Security Office.
"He's friends with most of the cast," said Heftler. "Because the lines were so blurred between professional and friend, we had to draw them."
Heftler said that the suspension was decided due to a fraternization clause in Berger's contract in which Berger cannot associate with the students outside of production. Berger has been hired in the past to direct MCCTA productions "Crazy for You" in Nov. 2006 and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in Oct. 2005.
"As a role model he ruined that feeling needed in rehearsal," said Heftler. "As president, I couldn't have [the cast] feel uncomfortable."
Berger's reputation as more of a friend than a hired professional is seen through his public MySpace profile. Berger posted a photograph of himself taken at party in Fulton townhouse in 2005. The director is slumped into a chair, wearing Winnie the Pooh pajama pants, has beer bottles in front of him on the table and is surrounded by students. A former Marist graduate and MCCTA cast member commented on the photograph and linked it to Berger's involvement with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
Artistic Director Tom Berger of Redirections Theatre, New York, NY, was allegedly inappropriate with female cast members in an on-campus incident that occurred outside of normal production times, Heftler confirmed.
"I'm confident I'll be found innocent of any wrong-doing," said Berger in an emailed statement.
Heftler, a Marist senior, said Berger is one of the hired professionals chosen by the MCCTA executive board to help with the council's large musical and main stage productions. Heftler said that he brought the situation to the administrators and they proceeded with actions against the 28-year-old director.
Heftler would not describe the incident since it is under investigation by the Marist administration, but stated that "it was nothing near the level of sexual assault."
Director of Safety and Security John Gildard also confirmed that no reports of a sexual assault were made to the Security Office.
"He's friends with most of the cast," said Heftler. "Because the lines were so blurred between professional and friend, we had to draw them."
Heftler said that the suspension was decided due to a fraternization clause in Berger's contract in which Berger cannot associate with the students outside of production. Berger has been hired in the past to direct MCCTA productions "Crazy for You" in Nov. 2006 and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" in Oct. 2005.
"As a role model he ruined that feeling needed in rehearsal," said Heftler. "As president, I couldn't have [the cast] feel uncomfortable."
Berger's reputation as more of a friend than a hired professional is seen through his public MySpace profile. Berger posted a photograph of himself taken at party in Fulton townhouse in 2005. The director is slumped into a chair, wearing Winnie the Pooh pajama pants, has beer bottles in front of him on the table and is surrounded by students. A former Marist graduate and MCCTA cast member commented on the photograph and linked it to Berger's involvement with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."
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