Broadway costume designer, William Ivey Long, "a tornado made of chiffon" is accused of sexual abuse

It looks like this time the story may not go away.

Then again, WIL attended the 25th Anniversary celebration of CHICAGO last night, so maybe nobody cares.

My problem with this story is that they both seem to be about 10 years too old for WIL. The other red flag for me is that WIL is pathologically risk adverse. Perhaps he sees The Lost Colony as “other”, but in NYC , he would never take such a risk. WIL is not my favorite person, but I am really skeptical.

The guy who had his buttocks groped has a case, but the guy who complains Long got him drunk and had consenual sex with him (and later concluded it was non-consensual) does not.

Watson uses the argument that Long got him drunk repeatedly each time he had sex with him and therefore Watson was incapable of defending himself. If that's the way one responds to alcohol, whereby one is sompletely incapable of defending oneself, maybe don't get drunk repeatedly around the same person who's allegedly assaulting you? WIL didn't tie the guy down and pour the booze down this guy's throat every time, did he?

I'm disappointed to read all of these defenses of a monster.

" a monster"

Oh, brother.

No, this is the end for Long. His illustrious career had ended in ignominy. This is NPR. They would not have published without extensive legal and fact checking. There’s tons of corroboration. People here are skeptical?? Lol.

You’ve clearly never worked in theater (and I include the opera world as well, which is just as bad and has somehow avoided a gay metoo reckoning,) this happens ALL OVER THE BUSINESS, but ESPECIALLY during summer festivals and productions. There’s a looseness that occurs, and predators feel protected during the summers. I’ve seen it happen extensively to others over a thirty year career, and I’ve had my own experiences of assault in the industry as a gay man. It’s a HUGE FUCKING PROBLEM, and it needs to end.

[quote] According to Watson, Long gathered his team together, and shouted at them: "There is no such thing as sexual harassment in the American theater. We're all pimps and whores!"

And that’s all she wrote.

The early comments will all pile on R5, you’ll see later they will lose support. The sexual abusers and pedos in this place always attack quickly in threads like these to justify their own repulsive behavior.

R7, that sounds like a sound bite from a TV show about a serial sexual abuser rather than an actual statement anyone would make to his team, but whatever. He may or may not have said it. Sounds phony to me, but maybe you were there and you heard him say that?

And by the way, to say anyone who has any doubts or has any other opinion on the matter is merely trying to "justify their own repulsive behavior" is an asshole.

He sounds like a delightfully raucous male Tallulah Bankhead or a bigger than life Anti-Mame! You boys are a banquet, so suck it to death!

When gay men start doing this MeToo crap, I've lost all hope......regretting drunken sex or getting your ass groped isn't a reason to take down anyone's career.

R10 = serial sexual abuser. No one wants your creepy “touch.”

And no one wants to touch YOU, R13, you hysterical Mary.

No, honestly, it is just awful. It’s tawdry and sad, like Coco at the end of “Fame”.

I will add I remember being younger and having unwanted advances made on me, and I walked away. It was actually quite easy. I'm not saying that's true for everyone (especially females), but you wouldn't catch me getting drunk repeatedly around someone I knew would take advantage of me.

lol, okay R14. Keep telling yourself that you psycho.

R17, you're the queen who sounds hysterical. Take your meds.

Good Heavens! I was in the cast of 'The Lost Colony' back in 1975 when everyone, including, WIL, was in their prime. Everyone knew about him and it really didn't matter at the time. Everyone was sleeping with everyone else, male and female, back in the summer of '75. WIl only came into Maneo for very short periods of time as the show was has been built forever. Nevertheless, this is all old news. WIL was a queen mother to all us chickens and we loved any attention she would dote on us. Unfortunately, once again, this new cancel culture is erasing many moments in history ~ both good and bad.

Oh, but R19, don't you know? WIL is a "monster"! LMFAO!!!

[quote] Unfortunately, once again, this new cancel culture is erasing many moments in history ~ both good and bad.

Excuse me?! Don’t conflate cancel culture with holding someone responsible for their actions. I don’t know how monstrous this guy’s actions were, but it seems like even R19 admits that WIL was capable of problematic behavior.

I would suggest cancel culture is a weapon used by snowflakes when they disagree with the target’s political views. And yes, it is unfortunate.

Miss memories of those “good ol’ days”? Upset that they are being tarnished? Blame the bad actors for that.

It will be a sad day in the future when the current generation will reflect on their lives with their only memories being dashing other people's dreams.

One would have to be drunk to even consider the rat faced fuggo that is Mr. Long

[quote] It will be a sad day in the future when the current generation will reflect on their lives with their only memories being dashing other people's dreams.

It's a sad day now when some morbidly obese queen thinks it's OK to grab what you want without consent, and that because she put up with it, everyone else should too.

Thats the ONLY wayis fugly guy was going to get laid, get them DRUNK

Mr. Long should do a caftan collection for QVC.

Does anyone know the name of the assistant who has since died?

shit.

I don't know her!

The assistant who died actually committed suicide, presumably because of his involvement with WIL as a victim and, perhaps even worse, also procuring younger "assistants" for WIL. I knew him but will not reveal his name here.

Why? He’s gone.

You can make a contribution to history.

There are scores if not hundreds of people working in the costume industry who know his name, r31. It was hardly a secret.

Yet this is not an appropriate forum to say his name.

What is important is knowing his death was a suicide. I don't know why that detail wasn't mentioned in the NPR article except that perhaps there may be some legal reason of extenuating circumstances (it's probably unproveable that the suicide was due to involvement with WIL).

That prior DL thread is interesting. Also go read what comments are left from the 2018 Buzzfeed article.

Poor Lee! As if she hadn't been through enough.

Here..

[quote]R32 Yet this is not an appropriate forum to say his name.

WE say it is!

R30, did he take time off to work in Las Vegas for a while?

So years ago I worked at Santa Fe Opera where head creep John Crosby had opera twinks washed and brought to his tent on a regular basis. The rest of us plebes were instructed on the first day never to look Mr. Crosby in the eyes, keep your head down when he was around.

Well, there was this one guy, an electrician who was the straggliest guy you've ever seen. Greasy unkempt hair, a tangled mess of a beard, ripped smattered clothes etc. He never smelled but he was a visual mess. He often talked about his girlfriend lovingly. Girlfriend? How?

On the penultimate day of the season he showed up clean shaven, great hair cut, and well dressed. He was gorgeous, movie star gorgeous. He had camouflaged himself the entire season to avoid trouble. He knew the ropes.

I always think of him when I read these stories.

I was molested.

^ I always get a kick out of Miss Luft.

John Crosby, living it up

"DataLounge Community et large"

Oh, dear!

was there something new uncovered with this NPR story? just more detail / interviews from the accusers ? thanks in advance for those who are more familiar with how this story has unfolded.

I think the route to go should be suing the Lost Colony for an unsafe work environment and allowing sexual harassment of someone in a leadership role. After reading the article and looking into the Lost Colony the best outcome would suing and bankrupting them and shutting down this regional Native American minstrel show forever purging the world of third rate dog and pony production that should have been put to rest decades ago.

sounds like a typical DLer

^ Totally. Except he seems to actually get some.

Got his start as Helen Lawson's PA, as I recall.

In the OP's picture is he the fat and repulsive one or the twink? I'm trying not to spend a lot of time choosing a side.

One can just imagine WIL and Kevin Spacey paling around, did they do any shows together? Did WIL do any of Anthony Rapp’s shows?

[quote] Yet this is not an appropriate forum to say his name.

Seriously? Dataiounge is, in fact, the most appropriate forum for it, because it is the only forum that cares about it.

What does saying his name accomplish, r50? He was not famous.

I also wonder why NPR just published this article as I don't think there's anything new there. But, in any case, I'm glad they're shining a light on this WIL cockroach, as are most people I know who work on Broadway and NY theater.

His nickname was "poison ivy" for a reason you know.

Also, drag name Iva Long Willy

"The costume tail has to anchor somewhere - what?"

John Crosby is VERY VERY lucky he’s dead R38. Santa Fe has a lot of abuse to answer for.

And, thanks, Jesse Green at the NY Times for giving WIL the only positive mention in your scathing pan of DIANA, THE MUSICAL.

Nothing wrong in giving praise where Green thought it was due for WIL's work in that POS musical.

No one's willingly giving it up to that fug.

R50, nobody would care unless you knew him.

R30, I found the obit. I am devastated. I worked with him several times. He was always an upright, kind guy. I am really sorry that he was involved in this.

"Iva Long Willy" is just a joke. He doesn't. He is the type of guy who feels he can pee wherever he wants (e.g., the car park at port authority.) I have seen it more than once.

Did I see Tallulah's junk in a NA thong in 1975?

One of those...I'm gay moments of childhood.

For all of the indignation here, most of you are missing the reality that this is not specific to The Lost Colony. It could just as easily be Williamstown or any other summer theater festival. There is an unwritten rule that interns and apprentices are sex toys. The issue needs to be addressed.

One of the big issues with this is that unions only care about union members. It would be a big help if the unions took a stand, but I know from experience that they will not get involved unless the victim is a union member (even then, they can be pretty toothless depending on the union). There is nobody to advocate for the nonunion apprentices and interns.

So, I have a question. Is the wedding dress in Diana considered a prop or a costume? It’s really this monstrosity that she steps into and rolls off the stage, not an actual article of clothing. WIL may have styled the look of it, but ultimately it came down to others in stage craft to make it work. At the end of the night does the prop master deal with it, or the mistress of costumes, or whatever that position is called?

[quote]One of the big issues with this is that unions only care about union members.

That's exactly no issue at all. That's the law and it's highly unlikely to change at any point in the future.

You seem to understand nothing about labor unions or labor law. Labor unions are not your mother. They exist only to serve their members. They have no power over non-union employers. They have no jurisdiction over workers who are not members of a union. If you think to ask any of the theatrical trade unions before accepting work in a non-union setting, they will almost certainly advise you that they have no authority over that employment and that you are on your own.

R64. You have a rather narrow vision when it comes to workplace law.

1. The union can be held liable for the behavior of their members. It is to their benefit to not turn a blind eye.

2. Even is the union member is not directly involved, the union member is responsible for those directly reporting him, regardless if the person is union or not. If a costume designer is aware that his non-union assistant is being coerced into a non consenting relationship, he is liable.

[quote]If a costume designer is aware that his non-union assistant is being coerced into a non consenting relationship, he is liable.

Of course. But the union isn't. The union has nothing to do with work conditions in a shop it does not represent.

Who will save our children from the costume designers?

Parents of America, if your son is doing a summer internship in a theatrical costume shop... the battle is already lost.

[quote] For all of the indignation here, most of you are missing the reality that this is not specific to The Lost Colony. It could just as easily be Williamstown or any other summer theater festival.

Or any music festival or gateway to professional music.....and so on. Confirmed.

Where there are gatekeepers like Long, the potential for abuse exists.

I’m still interested in the assistant who suicided’s story.

Are we sure it was not murder, to keep him quiet?

Oh, brother, R70.

If there was a pair of pinking shears wedged in his back, it was NOT suicide!

Did he die in a basement?

Don't look at me....

r63 Not a prop. It technically counts a set piece. So stage hands deal with it.

We had the same issue at Sante Fe.

Queen of the Night, Mozart's The Magic Flute. She had a base costume that she wore with a massive head piece the we in wardrobe would deal with. I would escort her to the second level where a stage lift awaited us. On the lift was a set piece that was covered in a grand magnificent "costume" and we would buckle her into it and I would arrange the fabric around artistically. Then I would hide under the costume with stage hands behind us. On the cue she would rise up to the stage and stagehands would push us all forward and pull us back when she was done and we would descend.

Rinse and repeat four days later.

The traditional definition of a prop is "anything that can be thrown". (hand props at least)

Do you think he’s already designed and sewn the outfit he want to be buried in?