TCG BULLETIN

JUNE 2006, Volume 29, Issue 6

Also online this month:
BEN CAMERON'S FIELD LETTER

In the June Field Letter, Cameron ruminates on his upcoming departure from TCG, and specifically how the search for and implementation of his successor is carried out: "I offer these observations less because it is the way every search should be run than because I hope it will provoke important questions and self-reflection in any organization. I absolutely believe in the ongoing work necessary to keep an organization ready for this moment-whenever it may strike. I believe that every group should carefully assess time frames and roles and participants in the search. And I believe every successor should be afforded the latitude and room to find her/his own way in the least restrictive, most supportive environment. I find myself asking less about what I need than what my successor needs to make her/his arrival every bit as rewarding and rich as mine was for me." Click here to view Ben Cameron's Field Letter.

TCG Theatre Membership Renewal Deadline June 1!

TCG theatre membership renewal materials were mailed out to all member theatres at the end of February. We hope that you will once again choose to join the national theatre field in a spectrum of programs and conferences designed to further our collective artistic and management skills, advance internal field communication and position the field more effectively in our local and national communities. Especially in these times, our collective strength depends on our ability to find a place to join together and to share and learn from one another. We hope that TCG will provide you with such an opportunity for learning and sharing.

Please join us again as we tackle the issues affecting the theatre field this year. As a TCG member, you belong to an increasingly vibrant community of more than 430 theatres and make a stand for artistry, effectiveness and advocacy. We look forward to counting you as part of the TCG family in the coming year.

Action: The deadline for theatre membership renewal is June 1. Contact Jen Cleary for more information or to obtain duplicate copies of renewal materials.

TCG National Conference June 8–10: Last Chance to Register!

Register now for the TCG National Conference, Building Future Audience! You won't want to miss this year's conference, and the farewell to Ben Cameron. Invitations have been sent to all TCG member theatres. The conference, which will be hosted by the Atlanta theatre community, will be held at the Woodruff Arts Center, home of the Alliance Theatre, from June 8-10. This year's conference speakers include Anne Bogart, Guy Garcia, Colin Greer, Kevin McCarthy, Wendy Puriefoy and more. On June 8, Blue Ocean Strategy, this year's pre-conference, will focus on strategic planning in a time of change. Space is limited, so register now to avoid disappointment! We'll see you in Atlanta!

Action: Visit the National Conference section of the website for more information or to register, and check back frequently for updates.

TCG Announces 2006 TCG Award Recipients

Since 2001, the TCG Awards have saluted extraordinary contributions to the American theatre community, and this year they will be presented during the Closing Ceremonies of the National Conference in Atlanta on June 10.

Each TCG member theatre was given the opportunity to nominate one honoree in each award category and a committee of TCG's board of directors selected the award recipients from the pool of nominees. This year the TCG Awards will be presented in four categories in recognition of sustained and exemplary service to the field.

The 2006 TCG Award categories and recipients are:

Action: Visit the Press section of the website to view the full press release announcing the 2006 TCG Award recipients.

The Ben Cameron Fund of the TCG Endowment

Ben Cameron has passionately led the American theatre field for the last eight years in his position as executive director of TCG. To honor Ben's commitment to building a strong theatre field, we have created the Ben Cameron Fund of the TCG Endowment, which will support TCG's programs and services for theatre artists. These funds will be permanently restricted. Nothing would honor Ben more at the moment of his departure than to know the theatre community has acted collectively to ensure that the work closest to his heart will move forward vigorously at TCG, even as he moves on to serve our field in a new capacity.

Action: Give today to honor Ben Cameron. Visit the About TCG section of the website to donate online.

Extended Deadline for Expanding the Theatre Manager's Repertoire: June 2!

The registration deadline for Expanding the Theatre Manager's Repertoire has been extended to June 2, so act fast! For the ninth consecutive year, TCG is offering this unique and successful training program, continuing our relationship with Target Corporation. Building on Target's own human resources training methods, which exemplify the best practices in the corporate sector, this program is specifically tailored for theatre professionals who manage staff. The 2006 program will take place in Detroit on August 7-8. Invitation emails have already been sent to managing leaders and other senior staff members, if TCG had an email address for them. (See story below) This program consistently reaches capacity, so register early!

Action: The extended registration deadline is June 2. Visit the Events section of the website for more information or to download the registration form.

New Artistic Leader Institute: Deadline June 16!

TCG is pleased to announce the 2006 New Artistic Leader Institute, a program supported with funds from the NEA and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. 2006 will mark the fourth Institute, which will be held from August 8-11 in the San Diego area. Its goal is to orient new and prospective artistic directors to the non-artistic aspects of leading a theatre company. While there are numerous professional and academic programs focusing on theatre management, there are few available that introduce artists to the responsibilities which will, in all likelihood, extend beyond their prior experiences. Artistic leaders who have been at their theatres since 2004 are eligible to apply for the Institute. Resident directors, associate artistic directors and freelance artists who aspire to become artistic leaders are also eligible to apply. The registration fee of $300 includes materials as well as continental breakfasts and lunches. Limited scholarship funding will be available.

A task force of artistic leaders will meet in the coming weeks to help shape the curriculum, which could include partnerships between artistic and management leaders, strategic planning, audience development, financial management and working with a board of directors.

Action: The Application Deadline is June 16. Visit the Events section of the website for more information or to fill out the online application. If you have any questions, please email Sheela Kangal.

Free Night of Theater to Expand to Fifteen Communities in 2006

Based on the overwhelming success of 2005's much heralded pilot program to attract new audiences to live theatre, TCG is pleased to announce that it is now developing the 2006 Free Night of Theater campaign. The 2006 campaign will include the expansion to fifteen communities across the country, with the ultimate goal of a truly national event in 2007.

Free Night of Theater 2006 will open simultaneously on Thursday, October 19, 2006 in Atlanta (GA), Austin (TX), Boston (MA), Cleveland (OH), Detroit (MI), Eugene (OR), Los Angeles (CA), New Haven (CT), Philadelphia (PA), San Francisco (CA), Seattle (WA), Washington (DC) and statewide in New Jersey, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

Action: Visit the Free Night of Theater section of the website for more details on the 2006 campaign, or email Phillip Matthews.

NEA/TCG Theatre Residency for Playwrights

TCG is excited to announce that the NEA and Ford Foundation have renewed their support of the NEA/TCG Theatre Residency Program for Playwrights. Jointly developed by TCG and the NEA, the program affords playwrights the opportunity to create new plays in residence at a host theatre and to become an integral part of the theatre's artistic life and community activities. Eleven playwrights will receive $25,000 each in support of the residencies. Each playwright will also be eligible to receive up to $1,000 to support ongoing life needs (health insurance, child care and/or elder care). In addition, eleven host theatres will be provided with $4,000 each to enhance their ability to support the work of the resident playwright.

Action: The deadline for online intent to apply (required) is July 7. The application postmark deadline is July 31. Visit the Grants section of the website for more information or to submit your intent to apply online.

Fifth Listening Post Project Sounding Available Online

For its fifth sounding, the Listening Post Project surveyed 600 not-for-profit organizations nationwide (with 49 percent responding) to learn about the capital needs of these organizations and the ease or difficulty they face in meeting these needs. In a 14-page report detailing the results of the survey, it is shown that these organizations have significant investment capital needs, but that despite these needs, many not-for-profits have limited knowledge of major capital resources such as insurance companies and pensions funds and those that do have knowledge report substantial difficulty in accessing them. For example, 91 percent of participating organizations reported needing capital support for technology (the area of greatest need, according to the survey), but only 37 percent of these organizations reported success in raising the needed capital. Download the report for detailed survey results with conclusions and recommendations.

Organized by Johns Hopkins University, the Listening Post Project involves over 1,000 not-for-profit organizations from various fields including social services, health, environment, community and economic development and arts and culture (represented by members of TCG and the American Association of Museums). These organizations serve as "listening posts" on the major developments in the not-for-profit field.

Action: Visit the Johns Hopkins University website to download the new report or for more information on the Listening Post Project.

TCG Bulletin Notification Expands to Staff

TCG is now sending email notification of the TCG Bulletin and Field Letter directly to general managers, education directors, business managers, marketing directors, PR directors, literary managers, dramaturgs, development directors and associate artistic directors at TCG member theatres.

TCG is undertaking this effort in order to keep staff informed of the activities and developments of the not-for-profit theatre field, to deepen staff knowledge of TCG and to increase participation in our programs. Many of these senior staff already participate in TCG programs and have sent TCG their email addresses. However, we are far from a complete list. We strongly encourage you to send us email contacts for the aforementioned staff at your theatre.

Action: To receive notification of the TCG Bulletin and Ben Cameron's Field Letter by email, contact Cindy Lee.

TCG Requests Production Posters

TCG is requesting posters from your theatre's current season. We prominently display members' posters in our office, which not only creates a lively and attractive work environment but also helps us showcase the full diversity of our membership to the artists, funders, government leaders, theatre administrators and board members who visit TCG. We also remind you to send posters to your federal, state and local legislators. They often like to display their constituents' posters in their offices.

Action: Mail posters to Demosthenes Chrysan, TCG, 520 Eighth Avenue, 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156, as well as your legislators.

TCG Trustee Leadership Network

All trustees of TCG member theatres are eligible to join the TCG Trustee Leadership Network. For $75 annually, the network affords trustees the following benefits: American Theatre magazine; annual TCG Theatre Directory; and notification of management publications including the TCG Bulletin, Ben Cameron's Field Letter and Centerpiece. Please encourage your board members to join.

Action: Visit the Membership section of the website to download a registration form or for more information.

TCG and League of American Theatres and Producers Collaborate on Quarterly Information Alerts to Commercial Producers

As part of ACT II's ongoing dialogue between not-for-profit theatres and commercial producers, TCG and the League of American Theatres and Producers have instituted quarterly alerts to commercial producers about upcoming workshops, staged readings and new productions of plays and musicals of particular interest.

If your theatre is developing a new work or production that you feel has commercial potential, it will be suitable for the alert. You will need to provide the following information: name of new work; author(s); theatre; a one-line description; dates and location of workshop, reading or production; and contact name, phone and email at the theatre. Entries will be distributed quarterly to League members.

Action: Submissions for the September 1 issue are due by August 15. To participate, email your details to Ben Pesner, League of American Theatres and Producers.

TCG Seeks Interns

TCG's Internship Program is looking for highly motivated individuals with good organizational, communication and computer skills. Learn about contemporary American theatre through contact with the artists and professionals who work in our over 430 member theatres, as well as constant interaction with the TCG staff and its unique resources. Internships are offered year-round in the following areas: Artistic Programs, Fundraising, Communications/Public Relations, Management Programs & Advocacy/Education Programs, American Theatre magazine/Publications, Graphic Design, Business Administration and Website. Spring, Summer and Fall 2006 internships are available.

Action: For more detailed information, please visit the About TCG section of the website. To apply, email your résumé and a cover letter indicating primary area of interest to Jen Cleary.

Club Quarters: A Benefit for TCG Member Theatres, Affiliates and Individual Members

Club Quarters are private, full service hotels exclusively for member organizations; they offer unique, user-friendly services designed for both business and leisure. Club Quarters have rooms of various sizes for long or short stays and each location has a restaurant and bar, club room, fitness facility and meeting space accommodating up to 250 people.

TCG is a member of Club Quarters, and TCG member theatres, affiliates and individual members can pay low rates for quality hotel rooms in eleven prime urban locations, such as New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston and London.

Action: Visit the Club Quarters website or call Club Quarters Member Services at 212-575-0006 to make reservations or for more information. Your password is TCG.

Congressional Arts Caucus Amendment Passes!

The Congressional Arts Caucus once again introduced an amendment on the House Floor to increase funding for the NEA by $5 million. For the second year in a row, the amendment passed by a voice vote!

Action: Stay tuned-our advocacy efforts will shortly turn to the Senate to try to match the House increase. Please participate when you receive an Action Alert! Every voice and letter counts!

NEA Announces More Than $63 Million in Grants

The NEA recently announced more than $63 million in grants to arts organizations nationwide in its second major round of funding for fiscal year 2006. The Arts Endowment will provide funding to 970 not-for-profit arts organizations for a total of $21,509,500 through four grant categories: Access to Artistic Excellence, Learning in the Arts, Arts on Radio and Television and Folk Arts Infrastructure. It will also grant $42,230,200 to state, jurisdictional and regional arts agencies.

The NEA also recently announced grants through its American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius project. American Masterpieces supports tours of performances and exhibitions that reach large and small communities in all 50 states. The NEA recently announced that the second year of this national initiative includes 37 grants totaling $3,120,000 awarded to projects in choral music, musical theatre and visual arts. Musical theatre was funded with 13 grants totaling $580,000.

TCG member Access to Artistic Excellence Grants:

• Academy Theatre: $25,000
• American Conservatory Theater: $55,000
• Chicago Shakespeare Theater: $35,000
• Classic Stage Company: $15,000
• Cornerstone Theater Company: $35,000
• Dad's Garage: $10,000
• Eugene O'Neill Theater Center: $25,000
• Ford's Theatre: $25,000
• GALA Hispanic Theatre: $30,000
• Georgia Shakespeare: $18,000
• Greenbrier Valley Theatre: $10,000
• Idaho Shakespeare Festival: $22,000
• Indiana Repertory Theatre: $32,000
• Irish Classical Theatre Company: $12,000
• Irondale Ensemble Project: $12,000
• Jungle Theater: $15,000
• L.A. Theatre Works: $45,000
• Mad River Theater Works: $35,000
• Metro Theater Company: $30,000
• Mint Theater Company: $12,000
• Native Voices at the Autry: $25,000
• New Theatre, Inc.: $17,000
• North Shore Music Theatre: $50,000
• Pan Asian Repertory Theatre: $25,000
• Paper Mill Playhouse: $10,000
• Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre, Inc.: $12,000
• Roadside Theater: $22,000
• Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre: $8,000
• Sundance Institute: $115,000
• Ten Thousand Things Theater: $17,000
• The Goodman Theatre: $50,000
• The Public Theater: $40,000
• The Wooster Group: $28,000
• The Working Theater: $12,000
• TheatreWorks: $55,000
• Tricklock Theatre Company: $18,000
• Weston Playhouse Theatre Company: $20,000
• Williamstown Theatre Festival: $12,000
• Young Playwrights' Theater: $20,000
• TOTAL: $1,054,000

TCG member Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth Grants:

• Denver Center Theatre Company: $40,000
• Honolulu Theatre for Youth: $40,000
• Illusion Theater: $23,300
• New WORLD Theater: $80,000
• Seattle Repertory Theatre: $70,000
• Shakespeare & Company: $50,000
• TADA!: $55,000
• The 52nd Street Project, Inc.: $60,000
• Working Classroom: $30,000
• TOTAL: $448,300

TCG member Arts on Radio and Television Grants:

• Folger Shakespeare Theatre: $20,000
• L.A. Theatre Works: $30,000
• TOTAL: $50,000

TCG member American Masterpieces Musical Theatre Grants:

• Kansas City Repertory Theatre: $50,000
• Portland Center Stage: $45,000
• Signature Theatre: $40,000
• The Studio Theatre: $40,000
• Virginia Stage Company: $35,000
• Zachary Scott Theatre Center: $40,000
• TOTAL: $250,000

Action: Visit the NEA website to view the complete press release and announcement of grants.

NEA Announces Participating Theatre Companies for 2006-2007 Shakespeare for a New Generation Program

The NEA recently announced 36 theatre companies participating for 2006-2007 in its Shakespeare for a New Generation program. Shakespeare for a New Generation, part of the Arts Endowment's Shakespeare in American Communities tour, specifically targets middle and high school students. Each of the participating companies will receive $25,000 for a total federal investment of $900,000.

The following 36 theatre companies have been selected to participate in Shakespeare for a New Generation for 2006-2007:

• A Noise Within (Glendale, CA)
• Alabama Shakespeare Festival (Montgomery, AL)
• American Players Theatre (Spring Green, WI)
• Arizona Theatre Company (Tucson, AZ)
• Atlanta Shakespeare Company (Atlanta, GA)
• California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes) (Berkeley, CA)
• Dallas Theater Center (Dallas, TX)
• Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis, MN)
• Idaho Shakespeare Festival (Boise, ID)
• Indiana Repertory Theatre, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN)
• Main Street Theater (Houston, TX)
• Milwaukee Shakespeare (Milwaukee, WI)
• Montana Shakespeare in the Parks (Bozeman, MT)
• Nashville Shakespeare Festival (Nashville, TN)
• Nebraska Shakespeare Festival (Omaha, NE)
• North Carolina Stage Company (Asheville, NC)
• Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, OR)
• Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival (Orlando, FL)
• Perseverance Theatre (Douglas, AK)
• San Francisco Shakespeare Festival (San Francisco, CA)
• Seattle Shakespeare Company (Seattle, WA)
• Shakespeare & Company (Lenox, MA)
• Shakespeare Festival at Tulane (New Orleans, LA)
• Shakespeare Festival of St Louis (St. Louis, MO)
• Shakespeare Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA)
• Stage One: The Louisville Children's Theatre (Louisville, KY)
• The Aquila Theatre Company (New York, NY)
• The Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
• The People's Light & Theatre Company (Malvern, PA)
• The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival (Philadelphia, PA)
• The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (Madison, NJ)
• The Theater at Monmouth (Monmouth, ME)
• The Warehouse Theatre (Greenville, SC)
• The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum (Topanga, CA)
• Theatre for a New Audience (New York, NY)
• Utah Shakespearean Festival (Cedar City, UT)

Action: Visit the NEA website to view the full press release.

Call for Scripts: Political Theatre Festival

Teatro del Pueblo (Saint Paul, MN) is seeking submissions for its Sixth Annual Political Theatre Festival. Submissions should be either 10-20 or 40-50 minute long political plays that deal with issues pertaining to Latino immigration and/or youth in the United States or Latin America. Submissions should call for no more than 3 actors and a minimal set. Plays can be submitted in English or Spanish.

Action: The deadline for submissions is August 1. Visit the Teatro del Pueblo website for more information and complete submission guidelines.

The Surdna Foundation Fellowships to High School Arts Teachers

The Surdna Foundation has announced the seventh round of the Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship Program, a national initiative to support the artistic revitalization of outstanding arts teachers in specialized public arts high schools. Surdna's goal is to help arts teachers in public arts high schools increase their effectiveness as they guide and train young people for careers or advanced study in the visual, performing and literary arts. The Foundation believes that if teachers can immerse themselves in their own creative work and interact with professional artists/colleagues, they will bring new ideas and practices into the classroom.

The Surdna Arts Teachers Fellowship Program will enable selected teachers to create art with professionals in their fields, stay current with new practices and resources and create new bodies of work. Twenty awards of up to $5,000 each will be made. A complementary grant of $1,500 will be awarded to the Fellow's school to support post-fellowship activities.

Action: Letters of intent to apply are due by November 17, 2006. Visit the Surdna Foundation website for more information and application materials.

Rand Corporation Conducting Arts Education Study

A Rand education project is analyzing six local attempts to improve arts education for children. The study examines how collaborative and coordinated efforts strive to achieve high-quality arts learning experiences across communities. With the generous support of the Wallace Foundation, the Rand Corporation will provide a descriptive analysis of system-wide collaborative attempts to provide high-quality arts learning experiences across local geographic areas.

Action: Visit the Rand website for more information.

Source: Americans for the Arts Monthly Wire, April 2006

Children's Theatre Company Receives $300,000 Grant

The Children's Theatre Company (Minneapolis, MN) was recently awarded a $300,000 grant from the McKnight Foundation.

Action: None

Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy, April 20, 2006

International Festival of Experimental Theatre in Vietnam

The Second International Experimental Theatre Festival will be take place in Hanoi, Vietnam, from December 4–16, 2006. Please note that these dates reflect a recent postponement notice from festival organizers. Disregard any information indicating that the festival will take place in November.

Groups interested in participating in the festival should send application materials to the Vietnam Stage Artists Association (VSAA) before the July 31 due date. The VSAA will cover participating foreign artists' meals, housing and local transportation. All other travel costs will be the responsibility of the artist.

Action: Visit the VSAA website for more information on the festival, including application information. Email Nguyen Trong Khoi (president of both the VSAA and the Vietnamese Centre of ITI) with questions regarding the festival.

The Chance Theater

5552 E La Palma Ave
Anaheim Hills, CA 92807-2108
tel (714) 777-3033
fax (714) 777-3092
info@chancetheater.com
www.chancetheater.com
Oanh Nguyen, Artistic Director
Kelly Todd, Managing Director
John Karczynski, Board Chair

The Cutting Ball Theater

Intersection for the Arts
446 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94103-3415
tel (415) 419-3584
fax (415) 419-3584
info@cuttingball.com
www.cuttingball.com
Rob Melrose, Artistic Director & Co-Founder
Paige Rogers, Co-Founder
Adrianna Baer, Associate Artistic Director

Cygnet Theatre

6663 El Cajon Blvd
Suite N
San Diego, CA 92115
tel (619) 337-1525
fax (619) 337-1527
cygnet@cygnettheatre.com
www.cygnettheatre.com
Sean Murray, Artistic Director
Bill Schmidt, Executive Director
Manny Fernandez, Board President

Joslyn Center Theatre

73-750 Catalina Way
Palm Desert, CA 92260
tel (760) 340-3220
fax (760) 568-9230
ronc@joslyncenter.org
www.joslyncenter.org
Ron Celona, Artistic Director
Peter Rittenhouse, Executive Director
Ed Lambert, Board President

New York Stage and Film

315 W 36th St, Ste 1006
New York, NY 10018
tel (212) 736-4240
fax (212) 736-4241
info@newyorkstageandfilm.org
www.newyorkstageandfilm.org
Mark Linn-Baker, Max Mayer, Johanna Pfaelzer, Leslie Urdang - Producing Directors
Elizabeth TImperman, Managing Producer
Charlie Whitehead, General Manager
Marc Segan, Board Chair

Philadelphia Young Playwrights

7 Ben Franklin Pkwy, Floor 2
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1208
tel (215) 665-9226
info@phillyyoungplaywrights.org
www.phillyyoungplaywrights.org
Glen Knapp, Executive Director
Nancy Stuski, Board President

Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre (SART)

PO Box 1720
Mars Hill, NC 28754
tel (828) 689-1384
fax (828) 689-1239
sart@mhc.edu
www.sartheatre.com
William Gregg, Artistic Director
Deborah Austin, Managing Director
Rick Morgan, Board President

Theatre of Yugen

2840 Mariposa St
San Francisco, CA 94110-1308
tel (415) 621-0507
fax (415) 621-0223
info@theatreofyugen.org
www.theatreofyugen.org
Jubilith Moore, Lluis Valls & Libby Zilber, Joint Artistic Directors

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Copyright 2006 Theatre Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Information appearing in the TCG Bulletin may not be reprinted without permission.