Episode Details

In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar interviews filmmaker Norah Shapiro and actor and executive producer Anthony Edwards about their award-winning documentary Magic and Monsters, which follows survivors of the Children’s Theatre Company abuse scandal in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They describe charismatic artistic director John Clark Donahue as a serial child abuser who fostered a culture with multiple perpetrators, the 2010s Minnesota statute-of-limitations lookback that enabled 17 civil lawsuits, and survivors’ ongoing sense that accountability and acknowledgment remain lacking. The conversation highlights institutional betrayal, brand protection, and the need for boundaries in youth-serving organizations, alongside the healing power of being believed and connecting with other survivors.

Time Stamps 

00:00 Welcome And Premise 

00:36 Why This Film Matters 

01:30 Host Reaction And Setup 

02:51 Case Recap And Timeline 

06:05 Anthony Edwards Connection 

09:53 Ethics Of Survivor Storytelling 

11:45 Trauma Informed Filmmaking 

16:22 Healing Through Community 

18:07 Institutional Grooming Dynamics 

21:59 Prevention Lessons For Parents 

23:20 Culture Of Trust And Othering 

25:40 Magic And Monsters Duality 

26:35 Institutional Betrayal 

27:22 Protecting the Brand 

31:06 Seeking Acknowledgement 

33:19 Trauma and Self Care 

35:09 Unresolved Justice 

36:50 Recovery Through Connection 

41:54 Being Believed Matters 

43:32 Film Impact and Next Steps 

47:47 Closing Thanks and Resources 

Resources

Magic & Monsters

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