Encore Theatre Company 'concerned' by allegations against former director Danny Gibson

A Tasmanian theatre group has expressed "deep concern" over allegations of inappropriate behavior against a former volunteer, Danny Gibson. This comes as the Encore Theatre Company faces scrutiny amid accusations of a "pervasive culture of sexual harassment" of young people. The amateur theatre company, founded in 2008, has produced over 37 major locally cast productions in Launceston.

Despite allegations that several members of the Encore Theatre Company were sexually groomed, detailed in judicial documents obtained by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the company recently launched a youth drama academy for ages 6 to 18. The documents detailed the findings of a risk assessment into the suitability of Mr. Gibson, a Launceston City Councillor and former Mayor, to work with vulnerable people. Mr. Gibson has been involved in over a dozen Encore productions as a director, stage manager, or actor. He has also taught drama to young people for many years at his own "Stage Right Youth Theatre."

An ABC investigation last year revealed [allegations of past inappropriate behavior by Mr. Gibson towards young men in the theatre community](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-05/danny-gibson-former-launceston-mayor-allegations/104107638). Multiple people alleged that Mr. Gibson made unwanted advances towards them, including physical contact, phone calls, and text messages. He was also accused of sending sexually suggestive text messages to a school drama student. Mr. Gibson stated on his personal Facebook page that he has been “subject to an organised campaign of defamation for over two years”.

Mr. Gibson stated: “I have remained silent to not impede investigations and believing in a trauma-informed approach and also believing in ongoing legislative processes. While this has and continues to have an impact on my mental health, I will be taking all possible action to ensure those organisations/individuals who have shared unproven and defamatory documents are identified. I remain extremely concerned about the politicisation of these processes and will consider my future in an industry I love and have dedicated 14 years to.” The Encore Theatre Company [has a code of conduct](https://encoretheatre.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ETC-Code-of-Conduct-July-2019-V1.5.pdf) stating that “the company will not tolerate sexual harassment”.

Last year, the ABC learned from multiple sources that people were asked by members of the Encore Theatre Company to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), [relating to an alleged incident involving an actor and Mr. Gibson](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-14/ex-launceston-mayor-danny-gibson-resigns-lgat/104596248). As part of the 2023 risk assessment, the judicial department also received a witness statement that said they were aware of an attempt by Encore to force an unnamed person into signing an NDA to agree not to disclose Mr. Gibson’s inappropriate behavior. The ABC asked Encore to confirm or deny the allegation, but the company did not answer the specific question.

In a statement to the ABC, the Encore Theatre Company said: “We take these matters extremely seriously and are committed to ensuring the safety, well-being and trust of everyone in our community.” The statement also said, “The Encore Theatre Company’s Code of Conduct outlines the standards of acceptable behavior we expect all members to adhere to; to act with dignity, honesty, integrity, and respect for others,” adding, “If someone has an issue, including making a complaint, it is critical to ensure our volunteers feel safe to make a complaint and know and trust our processes are designed to ensure confidentiality and protection of the individual and also confidentiality for the subject of the complaint.”

The Encore Theatre Company’s president, Belinda King, is an employee of the ABC, and the vice president, Ross Marsden, is a former employee of the ABC. The company said that Mr. Gibson is not currently involved in any capacity with the Encore Theatre Company. A judicial department registrar claimed that Mr. Gibson used his position of power within the Encore Theatre Company to “form relationships with multiple young male victims”.

As part of the [risk assessment, the department received a statement from the Tasmanian Child Sexual Abuse Commission of Inquiry (COI)](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-07/councillor-danny-gibson-accused-of-indecent-assault-in-taxi/104790526). The statement revealed allegations of Mr. Gibson’s alleged sexual grooming of “two child victims,” aged between 16 and 18 years old, who were both members of the Encore Theatre Company. The registrar stated that the Encore Theatre Company had a “pervasive culture of sexual harassment and abuse of young adult and youth male members”. In response to the ABC, the Encore Theatre Company stated that they completely refute this claim. “The statement is false and highly defamatory to the Encore Theatre Company, its members and volunteers,” Encore said.

_**Here are some of the questions we put to the Encore Theatre Company:**_

**Q: What allegations and complaints is the Encore Theatre Company aware of? If aware, are you satisfied with your response at the time?**

The Encore Theatre Company did not directly respond to these questions, but said: “The Encore Theatre Company’s Code of Conduct outlines the standards of acceptable behavior we expect all members to adhere to; to act with dignity, honesty, integrity, and respect for others. Regarding the specific allegation made against us that ‘the Encore Theatre Company is an organisation that has a pervasive culture of sexual harassment and abuse of young adult and youth male members’, the statement is false and highly defamatory to the Encore Theatre Company, its members and volunteers. We completely refute it.”

**Q: The judicial department detailed allegations that the Encore Theatre Company asked an actor to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Did this occur?**

**Q: If yes, why did this occur? What was the purpose of the non-disclosure agreement?**

The Encore Theatre Company did not confirm or deny the existence of the NDA. However, it stated: “If someone has an issue, including making a complaint, it is critical to ensure our volunteers feel safe to make a complaint and know and trust our processes are designed to ensure confidentiality and protection of the individual and also confidentiality for the subject of the complaint.” “… we have never been involved in the judicial department’s risk assessment process or feedback.”

**Q: Given the nature of the allegations received by the judicial department, is it appropriate for the Encore Theatre Company to launch a youth drama academy?**

**Q: How will the Encore Theatre Company guarantee the safety of children in this program?**

In response, the Encore Theatre Company did not directly answer the questions related to its recent launch of the youth drama academy. However, it provided links to its [Code of Conduct](https://encoretheatre.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ETC-Code-of-Conduct-July-2019-V1.5.pdf) and [Safeguarding Policy](https://encoretheatre.org.au/etc-safeguarding-policy-v2-20241119-final/). The company also stated: “The Encore Theatre Company is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.” “The safety of our volunteers, and in particular young and vulnerable people, is our highest priority. We have robust codes of conduct and safeguarding policies in place and we are continually reviewing and strengthening these policies to meet the highest standards of care.”

Tasmanian director, acting coach, and intimacy coordinator, Alison Stanton-Cook, said that while she could not speak to any specific allegations, there needs to be a cultural shift in the state’s theatre community around education about consent and intimacy. She said: “It’s so important to have a safe space in theatre, because performers of all ages are coming to theatre to find their community and to learn how to tell stories and explore their creativity, but we are doing that with our bodies in space.”

“So those safe spaces are not something we can just announce, it’s something we create by educating ourselves and engaging in consent-based practices with young people. Because I think when young people find themselves in relationships of power, whether it’s teacher/student or director/actor, that can cause a lot of harm,” Ms. Stanton-Cook said, noting that there are limited opportunities in the local theatre scene. “So that scarcity mindset can lead to young people wanting to say ‘yes’ to projects and that puts them in a vulnerable position when people are not using their power in the appropriate way,” she said. “That power dynamic is something you have to uphold as a professional relationship.” “I think if you don’t have consent-based practices it can be abused.”