Do not recommend - Anonymous employee UCB Theater Employee Review

1.0
Jul 15, 2024
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The comedy can be great, though the new management doesn't prioritize good shows, only profit.

Cons

Used to be a terrific place to work where staff was creative and supportive. With the new CEO, the work culture is completely opposite. Mike McAvoy micromanages every employee from a far. He insults everyone's intelligence. I heard him say bad things about every employee behind their backs. This has created a toxic work culture where employees feel emboldened to treat their co-workers poorly. Not to mention the complete lack of boundaries for the job. In addition to being treated like idiots, you are expected to work 80+ hours a week, while being insulted. The comedy is great, but maybe just watch the shows. Or even better, don't support an organization that would let a person with no theater or comedy knowledge abuse the staff.

Explore other reviews about UCB Theater

5.0
Mar 27, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Entertaining the masses and producing top notch comedy.

Cons

New owners who are inexperienced in the world of theatre.

4
1.0
Mar 29, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The talent, the people, the community

Cons

The CEO, Mike McAvoy. He lets his employees flounder and expects them to read his mind instead of providing actual leadership. Rather than offering guidance, he talks about employees to others, turning the theater into his own personal Hunger Games where everyone is forced to fight for survival. He’s driven away countless overqualified leaders because his fragile ego can’t handle strong Women with clear points of view who are smarter than him. He's a terrible CEO and doesn't provide facts. Instead, he talks in riddles and expects you to understand what he wants. He ignores good ideas, overworks people, and tries to pay them as little as possible for their labor and creativity—while contributing none of his own. His decisions are consistently terrible, and his loyalty extends only to money and power. The environment he’s created is one of fear, chaos, and exhaustion. I feel sorry for the remaining employees. Eventually they’ll burn out and leave, or get dropped at a moments notice because Mike felt like it, leaving those employees wishing they had never been associated with the CEO, Mike McAvoy in the first place. Mike lacks vision. He's the living example of someone who tripped on a job and somehow failed up.

2
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