She also said people were “actively targeting black people” and that she had received angry messages from fans upset about the cancellation. She asked people to consider the situation from the perspective of the performers and theatre workers caught in the middle of it.
That raises a fair question for the Grand Opera House, the producers, and anyone responsible for the company while it is in Belfast: what is being done right now to keep Panka and the rest of the cast safe?
Hopefully, those protections are already in place. Hopefully, the company is being supported with secure lodging, safe transportation, direct communication, and whatever additional security is needed.
But those are fair questions to ask when a performer is publicly saying she is afraid to leave her house during racist and anti-immigrant unrest.
Canceling the performances was the correct call. It protects the cast, crew, theatre staff, and audiences from being asked to travel through a volatile situation simply to keep a tour schedule intact. But the cancellation should also shift attention to the people who were supposed to be on that stage. Are they safe? Are they being moved if they need to be moved? Are they being escorted if they need to travel? Are they being supported emotionally and professionally after being placed in a frightening situation far from home?
None of this means the public is entitled to private security details. It does mean the welfare of the company should be part of the conversation, not just refunds and rescheduled plans.
Vivian Panka should have been spending this week playing Regina George. Instead, she was explaining why she was afraid to open her blinds.
The cancellation may have protected the performance schedule from becoming more dangerous. Now the focus should be on making sure the people who were supposed to be on stage are protected too.
