Spokane Childrens Theater leadership allowed the lighting technician to continue to participate in productions with children for more that a year after multiple people associated to the theater raised concerns about him inappropriate behavior, according multiple sources who worked for or served on the theater’s board. Galen Myers, a theater parking lot worker, is currently being tried in Spokane. He is accused of raping a young actress.
Myers, a convicted sex offenders for various incidents, was not addressed in the theater’s safety inspection. This was according to a former board member and two theater directors.
Doug Beschta, the Managing Director, is the focus of their concerns. They claim that he ignored their concerns, discriminated against cast members, and engaged in other unprofessional behaviors.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Beschta is the theater’s managing director since 2017. Prior to that, he was a director at the Christian Youth Theater in the 2000s for two years. He has a background IT and graduated in 1984 from Central Washington University with a degree. Multiple requests for comment were not returned by him.
Beschta’s tenure was not without problems. Many theater employees claim that he did not listen to them and became aggressive when challenged. Two employees claim that Beschta shoved their children in front of them. A young actress complained to the Washington Human Rights Commission about Beschta’s refusal to respect her gender identity and pronouns.
Concerning behavior brushed off
Jennifer Miles was appointed to direct Harry Connick Jr.’s The Happy Elf in fall 2018.
Miles was preparing for the show when another woman who directed there told her about Myers, a lighting technician Beschta loved to hire.
Miles recalls hearing that he makes people uncomfortable and that there have been many complaints about him.
Miles hired another person to light her show and told Beschta not to hire Myers.
Miles said that Beschta and Sheri argued over this decision.
Miles said that it was a complete steamroller.
Myers ended up volunteering to give out programs and do other odd jobs around theater during production. Miles would find Myers annoying her lighting technician, however.
I would chase Miles out of the lighting booth, telling him repeatedly that this was not my job, and I didn’t hire him for this show.
Miles wanted Myers out of the production, but Beschta stood firm, she said.
Doug (Beschta), said, He is not working for you so you won’t get to make the phone call, Miles stated.
Miles also had issues with Myers being backstage near young actresses.
Miles said that I felt like I was chasing him away, especially from young girls and teenage girl.
Miles stated that many of the theater’s women complained directly to board members and Beschta regarding Myers.
Renee Butcher was one of those people. Her 14-year-old daughter had previously performed in a previous show.
Butcher would often stay to watch rehearsals, but this quickly turned into looking out for her daughter and other young actresses.
Myers would pester young girls during rehearsals, flipping up curtains to their dressing rooms, while they were pulling or changing their hair, Butcher said.
Butcher said that I felt like I had to be on the backstage, watching or standing at the curtains. I told him many times, “You need to go away, away form the girls.”
Myers was obsessed with Butchers curly hair and would touch it, she said.
I am like, Can you please don’t touch me? Butcher said. Sometimes, I would have to get in between him & my daughter.
Beschta dismissed her concerns with statements such as, Oh well, that’s just how he was or He likes to laugh around, Butcher stated.
Butcher said that I was very angry. My daughter felt violated and I felt violated because of what I had to say.
Butcher felt unsafe letting her daughter audition for the theater, and they haven’t been back since, she stated.
Beschta, as well as theater leadership, were made aware of a report in 2019 by a girl aged 13 that Myers, whom she met at theater, had assaulted her. Donna Didier, then president of Spokane Childrens Theater Board of Directors, stated that Myers was the victim.
Myers was briefed by Didier, Beschta and another board member shortly after learning about the accusation.
Didier said that Beschta agreed to speak with Myers, before deciding whether to terminate him.
Didier stated that Myers denied this allegation.
Beschta said that the theater would continue to hire Myers for light shows, but that he would be limited to the lighting booth and could only visit the theater when needed.
Didier stated that she would prefer to not hire Myers in future productions but Beschta overruled.
Doug (Beschta) felt that the girl was a needy person, and could have made this up easily, Didier stated. He tended to be more in favor of the males.
Kyle McFarlane was another board member at that time. However, he recalled concerns about Myers in 2018 and 2019. McFarlane, when asked about the incident, stated that although people weren’t interested in working with Myers there weren’t any specific concerns.
McFarlane said that while you can see many worrying things in hindsight, I didn’t see all of them at the time.
According to court records, Myers asked a 14year-old actress to help carry a box from his car to December 2019, less than a year after the incident.
According to court documents, the girl claimed that Myers forced her into the backseat and raped him.
Shortly thereafter, Myers drove to Coeur dAlene. There, he was taken into custody by officers investigating Myers’ inappropriate touching of a 12-year old girl at Skate Plaza.
Court documents show that officers searched Myers phone following the arrest and found a number of graphic photos of young women. According to court documents, he pleaded guilty in April 2020 to two felony counts related to the photos, and the Idaho assault. He is currently serving a 4-year sentence in prison for the crimes.
After Myers’s recent arraignment on a rape charge was reported by The Spokesman-Review, Beschta wrote in an email that the girls family requested that the theater not discuss the matter.
Beschta shared a Sept. 29 email he said was sent out to all those who were involved in the shows in which Myers was a participant.
The letter alerted families about Myers’ recent guilty plea in the Idaho case as well as the two assault allegations against actresses at theater. The letter stated that background checks were required for all adults working at the theater. However, Myers has no criminal record and was not flagged.
The board of director and Beschta signed a letter encouraging other victims to report what had happened to law enforcement or to theater leadership.
Miles claimed that she and other families she knew from the theatre did not receive a copy despite Beschtas claim that it was sent to those who were involved in shows with Myers.
Multiple requests for comment from Beschta as well as the theater’s board members were not returned.
Casting discrimination
Theater is generally considered to be an open, accepting, and safe place. However, one young woman found Spokane Children’s Theater to be quite the opposite.
Aidra Spurlock, then 23 years old, looked around the Spokane Childrens Theater and saw another transgender individual who felt safe and secure to come out.
Spurlock spoke of her fellow castmate, saying that it made her feel encouraged and ready to come out. I felt like I could get out, and that I was safe.
Spurlock, a transgender woman, was revealed at a cast meeting during the last week’s rehearsals.
Spurlock stated that Beschta approached Spurlock minutes later and said that she shouldnt have made it public.
Spurlock said that I felt angry and confused. I didn’t know why I was being singled.
Spurlock auditioned for a second role at the theatre in Didier’s play a few months later.
After confirming with Didier that she was comfortable playing the male role, Spurlock was cast by Didier.
Didier cast Spurlock. Beschta told Didier she couldn’t have Spurlock in the show, because she came out as transgender. The theater is not a place that accommodates people like that.
Didier refused to back down. Spurlock was then asked to meet with Didier and Beschta the next day. Both Didier and Spurlock were confirmed.
During it, Doug told me that I cant … basically, I cant use my preferred name and preferred pronouns backstage or anywhere in the theater if I wanted to be in the show, Spurlock said. He implied that he was protecting me and the theater’s children by allowing me to use my preferred name, preferred pronouns, and preferred pronouns.
Didier said that Beschta also told Spurlock that she couldn’t dress femininely and refer to herself as a women.
Spurlock recalled Beschta saying, “Im sorry but, regardless of how I look at your or think about it, I just see a young guy.”
Spurlock said she agreed to use male pronouns and her previous name because she wanted to be on the show.
Spurlock stated that it felt like I had lost one of my familiar places.
Spurlock claimed that she was still being harassed. Beschta complained multiple times to Didier about Spurlock’s appearance. Didier and other witnesses stated that Spurlock once wore a pink jacket, and another time she had her nails done.
Didier stated that she disagreed with Beschta’s actions and resigned from her position as president of the board following the show, in part due to Spurlock’s treatment. Didier continued to work on individual productions for the theater.
Spurlock stated that she felt like she was keeping a secret during the show.
Miles and Didier stated that Beschta had made comments at previous shows about actors’ sexuality and gender during casting.
Miles said that Miles’ one performer was gender fluid. They don’t fit into any particular gender spectrum and instead present in a variety ways during rehearsals.
Miles made comments about her appearance and presentation almost every night.
Theater is a welcoming environment. People expect to feel safe in a theater setting.
McFarlane claimed that there were discussions on discrimination at the board, but that most board members supported Beschta.
McFarlane stated that Beschta always had a reason, as if he didn’t intend to discriminate.
McFarlane tried to push back, but he was ignored, he stated.
McFarlane stated that most of the people who were on the board at that time were people Doug (Beschta had recruited) and sided with Doug. I began to realize that I was being more isolated on the board, and my contributions were not necessary. They weren’t getting anywhere.
McFarlane decided to leave the theater in 2020 after the incident and other problems.
McFarlane stated, “It is important to keep drama on the stage. Unfortunately, it started to creep backstage.” Doug feels that what he does is best for the theater.
McFarlane stated that he wants the theater to succeed.
Spurlock blams both the theater board and Beschta themselves for allowing Beschtas actions to be performed.
Spurlock filed a lawsuit with the Washington Human Rights Commission on March 2020 to try and prevent others from going through her experience.
Spurlock stated that I wanted to put an end to this. It was a horrible thought to think about someone younger than myself going through this.
Documents from the Human Rights Commission show that Beschta claimed he spoke to Spurlock regarding the appropriateness of discussing sexuality with children present.
Beschta replied to a question about the agreement reached at the meeting between Spurlock and Didier. We also agreed that she had auditioned to play a male role and was cast as such.
Spurlock, Didier and others disagreed with Beschtas description of the meeting.
Multiple requests for comment by Beschta and the current board members were not returned.
Spurlock settled her complaint with the theater in March. Spurlock was issued an apology letter and $8,000 by the theater.
According to documents from the commission, the theater was also required to add an equal opportunity declaration to their website and other places, such as audition forms, and to create an internal reporting structure to allow the board of directors to handle discrimination complaints if the executive Director doesn’t address them.
Spurlock feels that she made a mistake by accepting the settlement after more than one year. She was also too generous.
After learning about Myers’ arrest, Spurlock stated that it is really sad that Doug (Beschta), considers someone transgender to pose a greater risk in a children’s theater than someone who has been a pedophile.
Off-putting and aggressive leadership
Miles and several other former employees claim that Beschta managed the theater without any input from others, including board members or those he hired to choreograph, direct, or score the shows.
Kristen Nauditt, Kristen’s music director, stated that Miles and Beschta were shoved before a group of young actors during The Happy Elf.
After a terrible 2017 first experience on the production team, Nauditt was hesitant about joining the theater.
Nauditt stated that the theater made me feel strange, especially Doug Beschtas attitude.
Beschta was known for making off-color jokes and being generally unfriendly, she said.
Nauditt initially refused to direct the music for the show. But Beschta offered her more compensation. Nauditt finally agreed to do so, Nauditt recalled.
After the show had opened, Nauditt & Miles were standing onstage leading a group including children in warm ups when Beschta appeared from behind and shoved both women.
Miles said that Beschta then dragged the women around the corner and into a practice room.
Miles stated that it was the first time his aggression had become physical towards us.
Miles, Nauditt & Beschta had been arguing throughout the show, largely because Miles and Nauditt felt that Beschta didnt allow them their jobs and micromanaged them.
Nauditt sent a letter to the theaters board describing the incident.
Nauditt stated that he was my boss and touched me unwelcomely. What’s the secret behind this guy putting his hands on a child in front of an adult?
Miles also complained against the board.
Miles said that Doug felt unsafe for our cast after the display.
Miles and Nauditt said that the board ignored their concerns and instead tried getting the group to hug it out.
McFarlane acknowledged that the board could do better.
McFarlane stated that there is a bit of conflict when you’re doing that because Doug (Beschta), the theater manager, is also a member the board. It wasn’t ignored, but it wasn’t handled as well as it should have.
Miles and Nauditt say they haven’t worked with the theater since that production and don’t think it is safe for children.
Miles said that Doug makes me feel like a potential plaintiff. I don’t think children are safe in his care. Not because he will harm them directly, but because I think that he is impulsive and angry.
No commenting on the merits of this article but this article is in desperate need of an editor.