The long-buried story of widespread sexual abuse at America’s preeminent children’s theater. In the aftermath of litigation, four survivors attempt the unthinkable: working with the very institution that harmed them. The film examines the moral obligations of institutions when confronting historical abuse. It presents an intimate exploration of trauma’s ripple effects while demonstrating how organizational transparency—despite potential risks and short-term costs—represents the only path toward genuine healing. The film illuminates a path toward institutional courage, and offers hope for all survivors seeking justice and reconciliation.
Biography:
Norah Shapiro is Emmy Award winning filmmaker. Prior to her filmmaking career, she spent over a decade as a trial attorney. Her film Time for Ilhan, about the political rise of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and remains available on multiple streaming platforms. Time for Ilhan won multiple audience awards and received a Daytime EMMY Award for Outstanding Directing. Ms. Shapiro’s new film Magic & Monsters received the IDA Enterprise Development and Production Grant for work at the intersection of journalism and cinema, and the Library of Congress/Ken Burns Prize for documentary film Runner up award. Shapiro is two-time McKnight Media Artist Fellow, and her past work has also received support from the Tribeca Film Institute, Catapult Film Fund, the Jerome Foundation and others.
