It is my understanding that the Malibu Stage Company has issued a press release announcing my termination as artistic director of the company. My termination was spearheaded by Stage Company board member Ms. Jackie Bridgeman, and was accomplished after I refused the board’s request for my resignation. To avoid facing certain evidence, which I had gathered and intended to present to the board detailing the mismanagement of the Stage Company, Ms. Bridgeman hastily convened a meeting of the board to orchestrate my ouster. Although a bona fide board member, I neither was given advance notice of, nor was invited to, that meeting.
After spending the last 12 years for little or no remuneration to develop the company into one that the community would be proud of, no reasons were provided to me in the board’s letter requesting my resignation. The old-fashioned American principle of the accused being confronted by his accusers in order to defend himself obviously did not apply here.
As I am now mounting a legal action against the company for wrongful dismissal, I cannot comment further. But before long, the full story behind these unfortunate events will be made public.
Charles Marowitz