by Michael Paul Hirsch, Executive Director and Walter M. Mayes, Artistic Director

Michael Paul Hirsch and Walter M MayesAt South Bay Musical Theatre, every costume stitch, scenic brushstroke, musical note, and marketing image tells a human story. These are crafted by artists, technicians, and volunteers who pour their time and talent into creating something authentic and memorable. Our goal is to ensure that theatre remains a hands-on, inclusive, local, and ethically grounded cultural institution where every contribution is personal, intentional, and human-made.

That’s why we’ve adopted a clear new AI policy on use of artificial intelligence (AI) in our creative process about ensuring that our work continues to be made by people, for people, with respect for the artists who make it possible.

Why This Matters

AI tools are changing how creative work is made, raising serious legal and ethical concerns. These include:

  • Copyright and authorship – In the U.S., only human-created work can be copyrighted. AI-generated work without substantial human input is not protected.
  • Artistic recognition – AI can replicate someone’s style, voice, or likeness without their consent.
  • Fair compensation – When AI replaces human work, it can undermine paid opportunities for real artists.

For a community theater like ours where every dollar is meant to support local talent, those issues matter.

What Our Policy Says

Our AI policy has three main principles:

  1. No unauthorized use of artist work in AI systems
    • SBMT will not upload or input any artist’s work, likeness, or personal data into AI tools without their explicit written consent.
    • Work done for or by SBMT utilizing AI tools must have been created on tools trained on properly licensed or open-source datasets and specifically documented and authorized by SBMT.
  2. Human authorship is required
    • Work done for or by SBMT must be original, created or sourced by human beings, and free of unauthorized AI-generated content.
    • AI may only be used with written SBMT authorization.
  3. Protection of artistic identity
    • Work done for or by SBMT may not use AI to imitate or replicate the style, voice, likeness, or creative expression of any identifiable living artist without their written consent.

Our Commitment

SBMT is dedicated to transparency, legality, and respect for human creativity. While AI can be a useful editing or enhancement tool when used ethically, it cannot replace the vision, skill, and collaboration of real people.

Our promise to you is that when you see an SBMT production, on stage or in our promotional materials, you’re experiencing the work of human artists whose contributions are valued, protected, and compensated. That’s the kind of theatre we believe in.