Epic Theatre Company founder and Motif contributor Kevin Broccoli was accused of sexual assault earlier this week, allegations found credible by an investigation conducted by Epic’s executive director Megan Ruggiero, general manager Lauren Pothier, and associate artistic director Angelique Dina. Broccoli is not stepping down from his position within the theater company, so that he can remain available to face community criticism. All future and current productions, however, have been frozen.
In a statement released early Wednesday morning Broccoli stated, “I have absolutely made mistakes in regards to starting inappropriate relationships with other people I had working relationships with, and as an artistic director, I should have known better.”
Ruggiero, Pothier and Dina resigned from their positions within the theater company as of Wednesday morning. In a public statement Ruggiero laid out the women’s intent to protect survivors and encourage more to come forward, saying, “We have the power together to not stand for this kind of behavior and to eradicate a culture within our theater community that all too often does not take allegations seriously and brushes these matters aside.”
Epic Theatre Company was founded in 2006 by Broccoli, when he was still an undergraduate at Rhode Island College. A mainstay of the semi-professional theater scene for much of the last decade, it’s been in the theater company in residence at Artist’s Exchange in Cranston’s Rolfe Square.
Broccoli’s contributions to Motif have been suspended for the indefinite future.
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