Kinnik Sky, a writer, director, producer, actress and seven time NAACP award winner, found herself in turmoil due to the sudden cancellation of her stage play “Peace Be Still” which was scheduled to take place at Georgia Tech.
The former American Idol finalist and veteran stage performer’s career spans a decade with castings in projects by award-winning directors and producers such as Tyler Perry, Kenny Leon and Robert Townsend. Recently, Sky and her production company, Kinnik Sky Entertainment, were very excited to present a new performance of “Peace Be Still.”
The multi-faceted producer found the perfect venue with the Ferst Center for the Arts at Georgia Tech. However, in a rapid turn of events, Sky found herself entangled in a baffling situation instead, leading to the abrupt cancellation of her already publicly advertised show.
Sky’s experience, which is filled with confusion and frustration, began when Georgia Tech extended an invitation to utilize their facilities for her production. Excited yet cautious, she proceeded with the arrangements, only to encounter unforeseen obstacles along the way.
Issues arose when Goldstar, a ticketing platform, failed to post her show’s tickets, leaving Sky dependent on alternative avenues like Groupon to sell seats.
“They do have it in their contract that if you use Goldstar or Groupon, you have to get approval,” Sky told ADW. “So I got approval for Gold Star. About a week and a half before the show, I reached out to Goldstar so I could check my ticket sales and they never posted the show. Later on, I found out it’s because they got acquired during that time.”
Sky added, “I was dependent on them for the mezzanine seats. For two to three hundred seats, I was depending on Goldstar. So I looked at my material and it said, if you use another source, like Groupon, you could be subject to a $500 fine.”
She continued, “I thought, maybe I can take the calculated risk of getting the fine. Now I never did. The ad never went live. So there were no tickets sold through Groupon. They found out that I communicated with Groupon with the intent and canceled my whole show. No fine. No nothing. Just canceled my show.”
According to Sky, the blow came without an adequate warning or explanation, happening just days before her shows scheduled date. The decision sent shockwaves through her team, causing catastrophic financial strain and emotional distress. Something she says she’ll never recover from.
Sky recounts a venue walkthrough around the same time she checked Goldstar.
“I felt an energy that was just so off putting and so dark and so evil,” Sky said. “I think we all know what prejudice feels like. I mean, I was born and raised in the south/. I never thought anything like this would happen, but if there were any big issues, it would be because of this particular person. And she happens to be the box office person.”
For Sky, the root of the ordeal seemed to stem from a concerning encounter with the box office personnel at Georgia Tech, where she felt unwelcome and was met with hostility. Despite her decade-long track record of successful productions and numerous accolades, Sky still found herself at odds.
In response to the controversy, Georgia Tech emphasized their commitment to supporting artists and maintaining trust in their programming.
“We are committed to supporting the arts and artists in our community. We offer and manage the Ferst Center for the Arts as a vibrant cultural hub on campus where artistic expression can thrive. This facility serves as a platform for artists by providing them with opportunities to showcase their work,” Blair Meeks, External Communications, Georgia Tech, said.
Meeks continues, “We work with artists to establish contractual agreements that maintain trust and confidence in our programming. Our rental contract stipulates that all ticket sales must go through our box office. This policy ensures clarity in seating arrangements and minimizes safety concerns. We prioritize the well-being of our audience and artists alike.”
However, according to Sky, the ads never saw the light of day. “I have a chain of emails that never went live, what they’re accusing me of never actually happened. And even if they did, the paperwork clearly says a $500 fine and not subject to cancellation.”
Furthermore, Sky believes there is more to the story.
“I believe that they reached out to Groupon because there was no reason they should know about it, it never went live,” she said. “Groupon sent them all of my correspondence, including all of my emails, which I’m investigating now. That has to be a breach of trust in the contract.”
While Georgia Tech expressed regret over the cancellation of Sky’s show, they highlighted their satisfaction that she and her team found an alternative venue to host the event.
“When unfortunate circumstances lead to performance cancellations, we promptly refund all payments, including those made by ticket purchasers. While it is unfortunate that the recent performance could not take place in our venue, we are delighted that Ms. Sky and her team found an alternative space to host the event,” Meeks said.
For Sky, the incident represents more than just a canceled show; it’s a testament to the systemic challenges faced by Black artists in navigating predominantly white spaces. Despite the setback, Sky remains determined to seek justice and ensure that no artist experiences similar mistreatment in the future.
“I’m pursuing legal action and talking to the media,” Sky said. “I’m working on suing both of them, Groupon and Georgia Tech, because they also kept my deposit after canceling my show and kept my deposit on the venue.”
Moreover, Sky also encourages her supporters to join her email list, that way they can stay up to date with all of the current events and future happenings from Kinnik Sky Entertainment.
As the story unfolds, Sky is forging a path ahead and fighting for fair treatment within the arts community.
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