Richard Dreyfuss event at Nixa's Aetos Center in question after actor's offensive 'rant'
At this point, actor Richard Dreyfuss is still scheduled to appear Sept. 11 at Nixa's Aetos Center for the Performing Arts. Whether that remains true is under review.
The general manager of Aetos confirmed Wednesday that moving forward with the event is in question after the award-winning actor allegedly made offensive, homophobic and misogynistic comments during a May 25 Q&A following a screening of "Jaws" in Massachusetts.
"We are talking with (Dreyfuss') management and trying to get a better understanding of what happened," said Zac Rantz, who manages Aetos in addition to his duties as the chief communication officer for Nixa Public Schools. "We'll make a decision from there."
The "An Evening with Richard Dreyfuss" event scheduled for May 9 in Nixa was rescheduled for Sept. 11 so the actor could attend the Cannes Film Festival.
USA Today reported that Dreyfuss appeared Saturday at The Cabot Theater in Massachusetts as part of a screening of Steven Spielberg's beloved 1975 shark thriller "Jaws."
A video circulating on social media shows Dreyfuss started the Q&A by appearing onstage in a floral dress, which he wore over a button-down shirt and pants.
It is unclear if there is video of the Q&A that followed, or a transcript, but USA Today reported Dreyfuss went on a rant that included criticism of working with Barbra Streisand, the Academy Award's diversity efforts, the #MeToo movement and transgender youth.
J. Casey Soward, executive director of the venue, denounced Dreyfuss' comments in a statement, noting it did not "reflect the values of inclusivity and respect."
"We regret that an event that was meant to be a conversation to celebrate an iconic movie instead became a platform for political views," said Soward, in the statement obtained by USA Today. "We take full responsibility for the oversight in not anticipating the direction of the conversation and for the discomfort it caused to many patrons."
Tickets for the Aetos event go on sale Monday and Rantz said no changes will be made until the center obtains more information.
"We are moving forward. We're not going to overreact," he said. "We want to make an informed decision."
Rantz said if the event is canceled after tickets go on sale, refunds will be issued.
At the Nixa event, the award-winning actor is expected to talk about his 40-year career in Hollywood and his off-stage passions, especially civic engagement.
He is also expected to share behind-the-scenes insight into his most iconic roles including "Jaws," "Stand By Me," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "American Graffiti," "Mr. Holland's Opus," and "The Goodbye Girl."
Rantz said that in concept his appearance will be similar to "An Evening with Priscilla Presley" at Aetos in late January, the top-selling national show in the first year of the new venue. This spring, the center hosted Kansas City Chiefs player Mecole Hardman for a similar event.
More: At Nixa event, Priscilla Presley sought to 'set the record straight' about life with Elvis
"It started with Priscilla Presley. We found that people want to hear from different people, hear about their lives and be able to interact with them in an intimate setting, where it's not a huge crowd or maybe it's not a performance, they are just listening to them talk," he said.
Rantz said the same agency that booked Presley also works with Dreyfuss.
"Most of the acts that we bring in are going to be family-friendly, open to everybody," he said.
However, if the audience is more targeted, Rantz said that information is included. For example, the show might say "suggested for mature audiences" or that it is for children, age 13 and younger.
"We look for a variety of acts and if there is something that is more adult-oriented, we put that on the ticketing platform so people can make that choice, if they want to see it or not," Rantz said.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Actor Richard Dreyfuss event in Nixa in question after 'rant'
