Community Gathers Following Major Changes At Freedom Theater
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Parents and alumni of the the New Freedom Theater gathered on North Broad Street today to stand in solidarity with a group of instructors terminated after decades of service.
"Freedom theater is the reason I perform, it's the reason I teach-- it's where I met my fiancé, my friends, my aunties," says Shavonne Murphy, with tears in her eyes. Murphy, like thousands of others grew up at Freedom Theater. She learned about herself and others, played and dreamed and now the New Freedom Theater Performing Arts Training School that she once knew is changing.
"We were made aware that the school was going through restructuring," she says, "we just want answers, things aren't really being communicated."
To get those answers, Murphy joined nearly two dozen other Freedom alumni, parents and others to stand in solidarity with the victims of that restructure: Gail Leslie, Diane Leslie and Patricia Hobbs and three instructors from school. Gail and Diane are daughters of Bob Leslie, founder of the theater, and have worked for the theater for years. Hobbs has been a part of the theater staff for three decades. Their supporters say the longtime staff was given just a couple of hours to make their exit and pack up decades of memories.
"The critics really- they only see one part of it," says Sandra Haughton, executive director.
She says the staff members were let go so that Freedom can re-vamp the school and expand programming to include seniors and pre-schoolers. Overwhelmed with millions of dollars of debt for years, Haughton says the historic theater is righting the ship through renovations, new productions and now a new vision for the school.
"If Freedom theater is going to make it-- we had to make some changes," she says.
According to a three page statement released by Haughton, "because of the low registration, the board of directors and I decided that we would revamp how the school operates. restructure our activities for the summer and prepare for a robust fall/winter session. We have been working with many professionals in the field and have excellent and dynamic teachers and consultants working to make New Freedom Theater a stronger and more sustainable institution."
Listen to Podcast of full interview here...
Those changes are painful for the many who sustained the worst years-- with no heat, leaks and more. Folks like Hobbs and the Leslies and the parents who stayed the course.
"People have been treated disrespectfully, they've lost their jobs-- there's a way to do things," says Robert Miller, whose children have attended Freedom Theater.
He fears the community of North Philadelphia will lose in the end.
"Don't be surprised if in the future it serves a totally different community," says Miller.
Freedom Theater helped breed many artists who went on to become professionals, including recent Tony Award winner, Leslie Odom.
