IMPORTANT! PETER SKLAR'S BEGINNING'S WORKSHOP!

[amo...@nyu.edu]

Dear Google Group Readers:

Wow! When I first read these accusations by "SinginDiva17" (by the
way, her real name is Amanda), I began laughing hysterically.  Then,
after I began to think about how twisted they truly are, and when I
remembered what Amanda was really like at the workshop, I found the
whole situation to be incredibly sad and pathetic. Is your life really
so tragic that you have to spread false rumors about people-
ESPECIALLY people who truly want to make a difference in the lives of
children like yourself?

My name is Allison Oliver, and I was Amanda's (SinginDiva17) personal
chaperone during the August 2001 session of Beginnings.  I am 20 years
old, and a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Theatre at New
York University, and I'm upset with the fact that I'm taking time out
of my extremely busy schedule from work, school, rehearsals, and
FINALS coming up in a week to negate all of the heinous remarks made
by this unhappy girl. However, I strongly feel that there is a need to
express a few of my own experiences with Amanda and Beginnings.

Amanda was in a cabin of fifteen-year-old girls which I co-chaperoned.
Since she has embarked on a little journey to insult Mr. Sklar's
character, and mine (very immature, by the way...you should look up
chaperone duties- and salaries- to get a reality check), perhaps I
should respond in an adult fashion to let all Google group readers
know a bit about her, and add a few missing links to her story.

From her first day at the workshop, Amanda seemed to be very unsure of
herself and her body image.  She expressed some concerns very early in
the week that other students were making her feel self-conscious. I
do recall asking if she had eating issues, but I never accused her of
being bulimic.  Asking and accusing are two very different things.  We
are trained at Beginnings to look for signs of eating disorders, and
in fact, Amanda proclaimed more than once that she was "going to throw
up" during a few meals. Of course, she blamed it on the food. But why
didn't the other girls have major problems with it?

As for the spiders, I recall an evening when Amanda freaked out about
a spider in the room.  While the initial reactions of a handful of
teenage girls were ones of mild fear and disgust, none of them seemed
to understand why Amanda continued with her heightened episode for an
extensive period of time. The other girls were even more impatient
with her than I was. This was a single, solitary spider...not a
grizzly bear. 

Finally, I'd like to point out that I was also assigned to
periodically check on Amanda and her two other cohorts on the night of
the showcase, and
because she seemed to be having the time of her life, I DID tell her
to be
quiet a time or two.  Also, while other students were patiently
waiting for
their meals to be passed out backstage, she was under the supervision
of the nurse who was provided with food so that she might have the
opportunity to take a much deserved break every now and then to grab a
bite to eat.  Amanda and the other two girls were allowed to help
themselves to these snacks as often as they liked. Doesn't really
sound like they were roughing it too much, does it?

Most interesting of all, Amanda, how come you NEVER said anything to
me or to your other chaperone (her name was Holly, remember?), about
Mr. Sklar "sexually harassing" you all week long during the workshop?
You say you came forward and "no one would listen". Who'd you come
forward to? Not me, and not Holly. And how come not one of the other
twenty kids ever heard you complain about Mr. Sklar's "inappropriate
behavior"? And why did they never seem to notice anything wrong with
you, except your constant, CONSTANT whining and complaining about your
weight, the food, the classes, the spider, everything.  Hmmm?  Mr.
Sklar "sexually harrassed" you? All week? "They couldn't see his arm
drop lower"?  Right.

I've lost count of how many times I've been to Beginnings, but I first
started going as a student when I was in the seventh grade.  After a
few years as a student, I served as an assistant once and a chaperone
three times.  I also worked for Mr. Sklar the entire summer between my
Freshman and Sophomore years of college.  Mr. Sklar was constantly
working with children and teens at his house on a regular basis, and
NOT ONCE did I hear these kids complain of being uncomfortable in any
way. Quite the opposite, in fact. ALWAYS. Believe me, in the eight
years I've known Mr. Sklar, there were plenty of potential
opportunities for him to take advantage of me, and others, if that was
the type of person he is.

I'm open for any comments or questions should they be necessary, but
now, I'm tired.  I have to continue studying so that I'm prepared for
class
tomorrow.  Oh, and before that four-hour class, I'm going to work at a
public school for another four hours with a class of twenty-two
kindergartners starting at 9 AM. 

Yeah, we Beginnings chaperones are really into ourselves, Amanda, and
we really hate children. That's why we continue to work towards their
development and well-being.

Look, props to you for "going into therapy," but despite your vicious
little stories, your problems have nothing in the slightest to do with
Mr. Sklar or Beginnings. Hopefully, you'll realize this after enough
sessions and come to grips with the fact that your manifestations are
merely distortions of the truth.

Allison Oliver

[rudy...@gmail.com]

hello! i'm really bad with google groups or circles or whatever, but bear with me here.

I'm a 13 year old (just turned thirteen in may!!) girl and i'm attending the New York beginnings workshop in about a week. this will be my first time doing anything in the beginnings workshop and my first time even doing a workshop. ive read the guide many times but im still very nervous. i've seen so many bad reveiws (like this one) and i cant help but be scared that this workshop wont be what its advertised as. Im a very paranoid and anxious person so all these reveiws about the food and peter and the classes are making me scared. please help? :(

[jessicac...@gmail.com]

Hello, did you end up attending last year?

[katheri...@gmail.com]

Allison Oliver. Other victims have come forward.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rec.arts.theatre.musicals/Lf23HFB5vH4

I filed a police report in 2002. Peter molested me at his home.

[katheri...@gmail.com]

Peter molested me and others. Please read our stories.

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rec.arts.theatre.musicals/Lf23HFB5vH4

[katheri...@gmail.com]

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rec.arts.theatre.musicals/Lf23HFB5vH4

[katheri...@gmail.com]

https://groups.google.com/forum/m/#!topic/rec.arts.theatre.musicals/Lf23HFB5vH4

[emily...@gmail.com]

Definitely do not go. He doesn't work in this business in any real way. Find a real mentor with real credits.

[Kelly Dawn]

I have known Peter Sklar for 25 years. I have gone to the Beginnings Workshop as a child, I have participated in the workshop as a chaperone and I have also lived at Peter's house as an assistant. I have been the person who travels with him to his lectures all over the country. What I can tell you is Peter is the absolute last person who would ever harm a child! I find it odd that these few girls are claiming he "molested" them, yet not one of them describes what actually took place. And they can't describe what took place because it never happened. These few girls are looking for attention. They want to be a part of the "me too" movement, playing the victim, as it serves their ego in some way. Peter cares more about children and their development than most parents you will meet. The food at the workshop is organic and healthy. Most children are used to chemically processed, high sugar foods. It's an adjustment when you take the poison away and start eating real food. He will not be serving chemically processed foods laced with neurotoxins (food coloring, etc) at his workshop because he wants the children to have a clear mind and not be hyperactive or unfocused. Yes, you have ten minutes to take a shower in the morning. There are hundreds of children that go to these workshops. Can you imagine how long it would take to get everyone ready to start their day if they could leisurely take a shower in the morning, taking their time? There is a schedule to adhere to and Peter works very hard to make sure everyone has the appropriate classes and mentoring with their coaches. Does Peter pull some girls aside to work with them individually? Yes! And he also pulls the young men aside to work with them individually as well. When he does this it's because he see's something special and he wants to try to help said child develop their special talent. Out of the thousands and thousands of children who have attended this workshop, you would think that if this were actually true, that there would be a lot more than a handful of select students who encountered this "issue" with Peter. You won't find any other stories out there like this because they don't exist. Beginnings Workshop is quite frankly the only workshop I would ever feel comfortable sending my own children to. Peter doesn't deserve to have his name dragged through the mud because a few past disgruntled students weren't offered representation at the end of the workshop. At the end of every workshop I've been to we all are standing there in tears, not wanting to leave. You bond with your peers, your teachers and everyone there! I am so thankful that Peter came into my life when I was 14 years old. I am so happy I got to stay at his house and take classes in the city. We all would go see broadway plays or movies on the weekends. When you stay at Peter's house, you learn how to run a business and you also have to take responsibility for yourself. If that means cleaning up your mess, making your bed, doing your own laundry, sweeping the floor or learning to cook a meal then that's what you do. There's a lot of growth that happens when children don't have their mother there to do everything for them and they have to learn to handle every day tasks themselves. Does Peter give hugs? Yes, of course he does! He's an affectionate person who truly loves the children he works with. That's not molestation friends. I'm willing to bet the few people complaining, whom don't even have a story to back up their accusations, have parents who aren't very affectionate. My advice, unless you have solid evidence, which none of these people do and in fact they are simply making assumptions, perhaps you should see a therapist. Because it's a pretty major psychological issue when you specifically attack an innocent person in the name of stroking your own ego for attention.

[nycgi...@gmail.com]

Kelly, many women have come forward with very specific stories and experiences, and many of us have spoken to police detectives. These aren’t “hugs” we are complaining about, and no one is doing this for attention. It’s actually incredibly painful to relive terrible memories from the past. I’m glad you had such a positive experience, but not everyone who attended the Beginnings Workshop did.

[diva....@gmail.com]

Yeah, so many women are just dying to risk their careers and be a part of the me too movement. Btw, this is obviously peter writing this. Unless you can prove otherwise, which we all doubt.

[nycgi...@gmail.com]

Exactly. No one WANTS to be a part of the me too movement. I also find it disturbing and offensive to suggest that anyone complaining about Peter Sklar must not have had affectionate parents. Really? The worst thing you can do when a person comes forward with complaints about inappropriate conduct is make them feel like it’s their fault, or that they are overreacting.

[korey15...@gmail.com]

I’m not sure if anyone will see this since it’s posted at such a later date but I attended the workshop around 2007 approx. I remember being upset Peter didn’t “invite me for private lessons” and I remember feeling ashamed that he wouldn’t call me back after hours. I remember a lot more that I’d love to share if anyone is in need to a witness or a listening ear. The me too movement has definitely brought these memories back to light, also becoming a mother made me realize how FUCKED UP how practices were. I got the flu while at the camp and they wouldn’t let me call my mother. I remember being so distraught. More memories of mistreatment come back to me each time I think of this. If anyone would like to contact me please do so at Meaghan.m...@gmail.com

[cspea...@gmail.com]

It's interesting that you can no longer post a Google Review about the Beginnings Workshop. Several months ago I posted a negative review about how Peter is a predator and how I was abused while at his camp when I was a teenager...Eventually the post was removed...and now you can't post Google Reviews at all. Peter works overtime to make sure that any of these negative truths about him are removed from the internet. He is a sad, scared pervert.

[mcnama...@gmail.com]

I am now in my mid 30's and decided to google Peter Skylar's name. As an adult, I am trained and work with victims of sexual assault, etc. Peter has always stood out in my memory as someone whom had all the signs of being a sexual predator. I am shocked he is not locked up by now.
I went to his camp in New York but thankfully, my mom also went with me as a staff member. I saw some weird things, making me think something was happening with the teenage girls that were staying overnight in his home. I was probably 10 at the time.
I can tell you that he was psychologically abusive. I still have horrible memories of how he would restrict food, make me eat things I hated, and taunt us making us watch him give a girl cake when we weren't allowed to have any sugar. I know some of the staff felt bad and were also concerned and they would sneak us food during our classes.
I am not surprised by all the disclosures because it all adds up. I hope his victims get justice.