November 2006 Field Letter
Written on October 22, 2006
And I thought the summer was busy! Greetings to all—and hoping you're in the midst of a beautiful, crisp, invigorating fall—at work and at play.
In an atmosphere heightened by the approaching elections, the country seems poised on a promontory—alert and engaged—with the possibility of change in the wind. And I find scores of theatres responding to the moment and the challenges of making art in changing communities at a time in our history when the wider world cannot be ignored. More than any recent era in the country, artists seem deeply committed to capturing the reality of the times in their work. And beyond the essential content of that work is the awareness that an individual, an artist, can make a difference. At a time when so many feel powerless over events that shape their lives, the transformative potential of the theatre seems especially potent.
We've been particularly focused on the work in your theatres as we plan for the 2007 National Conference June 7–9 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. The 2005 conference looked at the social and political context in which we work. In 2006, we focused on the question of new audiences. The conference this year is titled Artistry in a New Century. We'll be engaging master artists and our best creative thinkers to explore how the field can create theatre that resonates locally, nationally and globally. We plan to look at the creative process, new models for developing work and the artist as a catalyst for social change. We're considering many wonderful ways to explore these questions, but if you have a great idea or an issue you'd like to see examined, please send it on to national conference director Jenni Werner or to me.
Speaking of conferences, I also want to mention—so you can mark your calendars—our 2008 gathering. As you know, in 2004 all the performing arts fields came together in Pittsburgh at the first-ever National Performing Arts Convention. The idea was conceived as a gathering of the performing arts fields every four years. The next performing arts convention will be held in Denver, June 11–14, 2008, hosted by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Planning for Taking the Arts to the Next Stage is already well underway. The schedule will include time for TCG's own sessions, however the larger purpose of the conference is to move us forward toward the creation of an effective performing arts sector. Many of you will recall the dawning awareness during the "culture wars" of the '90s that the arts lacked the cohesion and communication mechanisms necessary for an effective response. Today's issues and challenges are different, but the imperative to act together and effectively is as important today as it was then.
The gains in some of our field or sector struggles are incremental or even imperceptible. Therefore, we should savor the moment when we have a clear victory. And we've had one recently worthy of real celebration. In 2001, when Houston faced a major flood in the wake of Tropical Storm Allison, the Alley Theatre, along with many other district performing arts organizations, suffered extensive damage. Though FEMA benefits had years earlier been extended to the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco following the devastating earthquake, the field was shocked to learn following the Houston floods that a provision had since been inserted in the FEMA statutes specifically barring performing arts institutions from eligibility for disaster relief. That provision remained in place as New Orleans performing arts institutions suffered losses following Katrina. The American Arts Alliance, with the assistance of the lobbying firm Hogan and Hartson, has been working for five years to include eligibility for performing arts institutions. The FEMA reform bill moving through Congress this year provided an opportunity for inclusion for our sector. When that bill stalled, the Alliance worked to successfully attach the measure to Homeland Security Appropriations, a bill that was recently signed into law by the House, Senate and the President. Congratulations to Laurie Baskin, TCG's dedicated director of government and education programs, and to the American Arts Alliance for this very significant victory!
As for other action at the federal level, the NEA's 2007 funding appropriation as well as Arts Education funding at the U.S. Department of Education will be rolled into an omnibus bill this fall for action after the elections. CAG (the Cultural Advocacy Group) has been working with staff in Senator Norm Coleman's office (R-MN) on a "Dear Colleague" letter he has sponsored to get Senators on board with support for an NEA increase. To date, 40 Senators, including at least 8 Republicans, have signed on. The goal is 50 Senators with bipartisan support. An Action Alert is posted on the American Arts Alliance website which people can access to urge their Senators to sign the letter. The House earlier passed a $5 million increase, while the Senate recommended level funding. Efforts are still underway to increase the '07 appropriation.
October 19 was a red letter day for TCG and the field. Through Free Night of Theater, TCG's ambitious audience development initiative, 387 theatres in 16 communities around the country offered 35,627 free tickets to 522 performances. The response was, it's fair to say, overwhelming. The national website for Free Night of Theater had 450,000 hits the first day. 2,800 tickets were reserved in the first 5 minutes. Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and Connecticut distributed their entire initial ticket allotments within 15 minutes. The San Francisco/Sacramento area distributed their allotment of nearly 10,000 tickets in a single day. In fact, the demand was so great in most locations that we will take particular care next year to manage expectations so as to limit the disappointment of those unable to reserve tickets.
The 2006 Free Night program represents the second year of the initiative, expanded from a 2005 pilot program in Austin, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The intent of the initiative is two-fold: first, to bring new and non-traditional theatregoers into the theatre and encourage infrequent theatregoers to visit a new theatre; and second, to raise awareness and shine a spotlight on the range, diversity and contributions of the entire field. Research conducted during the first year indicated that the pilot program met these goals. Thorough research on this year's expanded program will be disseminated in the coming months.
I've heard from several of you who object on principle to the concept of offering our work for free, or question whether the program will in fact be a successful marketing tool. I'm grateful to you for your thoughts. The initiative was created both to counteract a trend toward declining audiences and to focus attention on theatre as a vital cultural resource. Beyond a doubt, Free Night of Theater has attracted tremendous public and media attention. In many communities the sense of excitement was palpable, with some cities using the event as a centerpiece for larger arts festivals. Time and research will attest to Free Night's efficacy, which we believe will be significant. In the meantime, it's certain that the program has provided an unexpected, gratifying experience for thousands of people who would not otherwise have visited our theatres. Many thanks to our service organization partners and to the hundreds of theatres around the country who stepped forward to participate in this bold, optimistic, exciting experiment!
In the TCG Bulletin you'll see notice that we're soliciting nominations for the board of directors to fill positions left open by members whose terms are expiring at the end of the year. The board is composed of artistic and managing leaders, trustees, individual artists, funders and others representing the full spectrum of the field. The board plays a vital role in providing leadership to TCG and the national theatre community. Please give this important responsibility your best thought and submit a nomination form signaling your own interest or your recommendation of another you believe would represent the field with dedication and distinction. The deadline is December 8.
And may I put in a word for your help in sending terrific potential interns our way? Interns select a program area within which they'd like to work. It's a wonderful place to intern—a great staff, many of whom are artists themselves—and a rare vantage point from which to gain a national perspective. Unfortunately, we can't offer housing, but we do provide a stipend, and look forward to welcoming new members of the theatre community as staff interns in the spring. Please pass the word.
You may wish to know about a few other important TCG events. Just published, under the expert guidance of TCG publisher Terry Nemeth, is Training of the American Actor, edited by Arthur Bartow who was until recently artistic director of the Drama Department at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. The book presents in historical and present-day context the range of significant acting techniques taught in America. It should prove an invaluable resource for actors and for all theatre professionals. The new Dramatists Sourcebook, with a complete listing of opportunities for playwrights, translators, composers, lyricists and librettists, is now also available. Published biennially, Tony Kushner has provided the prologue entitled "A Simple Working Guide for Playwrights." And watch for November 13. That's the publication date for Suzan-Lori Parks' improbable, remarkable 365 Days/365 Plays. I will only whet your appetite here. Look for the cover story in the November issue of American Theatre.
You'll be hearing news soon from our Management Programs staff about both current management programs (it's survey time again!) and a new addition to our complement of programs which together represent a continuum of professional development. Many of you have participated in either the New Artistic Leader Institute, the Leadership for Artistic Directors training program or Expanding the Theatre Manager's Repertoire, sponsored by Target. In collaboration with Dance/USA, we will be adding a new training session this year that will focus on strengthening the artistic director/managing director partnership. The event will take place February 25–27 in Philadelphia. More information will be emailed to managing and artistic leaders in November from director of management programs Chris Shuff.
And, last item on the TCG front, we're preparing to announce the recipients of the 2006 Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowships, supported by the William & Eva Fox Foundation. The six fellowships support an individual actor's professional and artistic development and underwrite a four-month residency at a professional not-for-profit theatre company. The recipients receive support in one of two categories: Extraordinary Potential or Distinguished Achievement. Those designated as recipients of an Extraordinary Potential award will receive $15,000 with up to an additional $10,000 available to relieve student loans (one of the first such opportunities in the field). Recipients in the Distinguished Achievement category will receive a $25,000 award. We're extremely grateful to the Fox Foundation for the vision that informs this program and allows TCG to serve actors in a direct and significant way. The recipients soon to be announced are a formidable group reflecting the brilliance and depth of the American acting pool.
On to other matters of the moment, one of which was brought to my attention recently by Center Theatre Group's Charles Dillingham. The scourge of mobile phones ringing during performances seems, by unofficial tally, to have reached a crescendo in recent months. An online poll of more than 1,000 people by The Stage found that 10% of respondents claimed that mobile phones go off every time they visit the theatre. Recent discussions involve the possibility of lobbying the government to change legislation to allow phone blockers to be used in theatres. The Communications Act of 1934 makes it illegal to interfere with radio communications, which includes cell phone signals, though the technical issues may be more complex—involving a distinction between active and passive blocking. Could this be a movement in the making?
Emilya Cachapero, director of artistic programs, recently returned from the grand opening of Portland Center Stage's new theatre. By all accounts, it was a wonderful celebratory event and marked not only a new era for a major theatre but its emergence as "the greenest theatre" in the country. The vision behind its construction and the exacting standards to which it was built are detailed in this month's American Theatre. Congratulations to Chris Coleman, Edith Love and all the Portland Center Stage family.
My theatregoing experiences of the past few weeks have been very good ones indeed. From the Atlantic Theater Company's engaging Birth and After Birth by the ever adventurous Tina Howe, to the riveting ensemble performance of August Wilson's Seven Guitars at Signature Theatre Company to The Liar—The Peer Gynt Project by Dell'Arte International and Denmark's Jomfru Ane Teatret at Theater for the New City. Adapted and directed by Michael Fields, the latter provides a striking, organic example of international collaboration as well as wonderful performances by Joan Schirle and the American/Danish cast. Last week, I was honored to receive a "Silver Bell" support award at a wonderful evening celebrating the 45th anniversary of La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club with a reprise of its 1983 production of The Tooth of Crime by Sam Shepard, directed by George Ferencz. The New York Times has called La MaMa "the capital of the global East Village." The unstoppable Ellen Stewart returned in the middle of the night prior to the celebration from a production in Guatemala. Her singular contributions to the American theatre through her support of artists and of international work cannot be overstated.
On October 3, the theatre community gathered at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in New York in memory of Lloyd Richards. This great man of the theatre, who broke new ground at every stage of his career, was remembered with tremendous affection and deep respect by many of the leading figures in our field. Memorial services are also planned for later in the year at Yale University and at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. A forthcoming issue of American Theatre magazine will honor and document his quiet, momentous contributions to the theatre.
We also learned earlier this month of the loss of another theatre pioneer who, like Lloyd, made things happen that others deemed impossible. Eve Adamson, the founder and long-time artistic director of Jean Cocteau Repertory in New York City, passed away as she was preparing to go into rehearsal for a production of Antigone. Her passion and dedication to the theatre will be deeply missed.
For those interested in a thoughtful exploration of the contemporary context for culture, I recommend to you the working paper recently released by the James Irvine Foundation entitled Critical Issues Facing the Arts in California. I look forward to discussing its findings in future forums.
I'll close on a light note with mention of an outreach or community building project that struck my fancy. I learned in conversation with Jorge Ortoll, executive director of Ma-Yi Theater Company in New York City, that in 2003, Ma-Yi created a dragon boat team to compete annually in the races of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival of New York. Based on traditions dating back 2,500 years, dragon boat racing is a fast-growing competitive team sport with festivals in every major city in North America. The Ma-Yi team is composed of actors, directors, stage managers, designers and other friends of the company. Ma-Yi's dragon boat training emphasizes the needs of individual team members, a team environment and goal motivation. Sounds like a good theatre production to me!
With best wishes for all your races and productions and for a very happy Thanksgiving!
Gigi Bolt
Interim Executive Director