Alton Little Theater

In January 2025, Alton Little Theater was the subject of public reporting regarding sexual misconduct allegations involving individuals associated with the organization. According to First Alert 4, a former actress alleged that an incident occurred in 2016 in Godfrey, Illinois. The reporting stated that a civil no-contact order related to the matter had been issued in 2019 and later expired, and that no criminal charges had been filed in connection with the allegations at that time.^[3]

As of the reporting, local authorities were referenced in connection with the matter, though no convictions or criminal proceedings were reported in the available coverage.

In 2026, Alton Little Theater faced additional public attention following a dispute involving executive director Eric Sykes and a community member on social media. According to The Telegraph, the dispute included criticism of comments made by Sykes and broader concerns raised about the organization’s handling of prior allegations.^[4]

Following the incident, Malcolm Kraft, who served as the organization’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) chair, resigned. Kraft cited concerns about the handling of the situation and referenced social media posts by Sykes that were described in reporting as containing anti-LGBTQ+ content as factors in his decision to step down.

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38°54′56″N 90°10′38″W / 38.9155°N 90.1771°W / 38.9155; -90.1771