From the Executive Director

United in Artistry

By Teresa Eyring

In the first half of this year, the world's attention was grabbed by the new potential for transformation in the Middle East. And while there is a profound sense of unity that comes from joint efforts to topple repressive regimes, various forms of divisiveness can roughen the pathways to reimagining political landscapes. A New York Times article in May observed, "In an arc of revolts and revolution, [the] idea of a broader citizenship is being tested as the enforced silence of repression gives way to the cacophony of diversity." In this case, differences run along the lines of clan, sect and religious-versus-secular orientation.

While the American theatre field is not a nation unto itself, it has similar strengths and weaknesses. When we are divided, it often results from practical differences: diversity of organization size and aesthetic orientation; definitions of what constitutes excellence (and whether, in fact, the word should be used at all); and, of course, who is getting the money and how influence is wielded. This community has grown from just a handful of like-minded resident companies to more than 2,000 producing organizations of every stripe, and it is not easy to find commonality every day.

But even if there are tensions brought on by our field's growing diversity, we are powerfully united by at least one thing: our individual and collective dedication to artistry, and to the theatrical experience as a way of transforming individuals and communities, of prying open new ways of seeing the world. Artistry is our common purpose. And, were our global theatre community to magically achieve nationhood, artistry would be the defining characteristic of our citizenship.

A random sampling of mission statements from organizations of all sizes all over the U.S. speaks to this collective urgency of purpose: "We believe theatre, like all great art, should hold beauty and induce wonder" (foolsFURY); "provide the inspirational and the provocative—to make our audiences think, feel, dream and be entertained" (Alley Theatre); "committed to the values of collaboration, community, diversity, learning and artistic integrity, while making live theatre accessible to as many as possible" (Commonweal); "to use theatre as a means to challenge, thrill and galvanize what is best in the human spirit" (Berkeley Rep); "fueled by the desire to develop brave new works of art that illuminate the beauty and travails of the human condition" (Mondo Bizarro).

Artistry is a unifying force, and at TCG, artistry is a core value. We believe that human beings are inherently creative and are most rewarded when they approach their work with a sense of excellence, skill and craftsmanship. Theatre permits all its participants to contribute to the creation of the art. There is artistry in calling a show, in devising marketing approaches, in navigating the new social media.

Sometimes we also forget how much artistry—and dedication to it—is required to be a theatre administrator. At this year's Humana Festival of New American Plays, a series of tributes honored Alexander "Sandy" Speer, the late, great theatre manager, who spent more than 40 years at the administrative helm of Actors Theatre of Louisville. Many stories were told, and a portrait emerged of a masterful managing leader who had the deepest care for the company, its staff and its artists. Sandy exhibited true artistry in his work—as former ATL artistic director Jon Jory writes in a memorial tribute in this issue: "He was the chess master of arts management."

Dedication to artistry unites people in individual theatres and across artistic communities. While most producing organizations in the U.S. are stationary, the artists themselves—actors, directors, playwrights, choreographers, designers, music directors—are frequently nomadic, whether their territory is a single town, a five-state swath or all of the Americas. Artists move from theatre to theatre, from farm to metropolis. They are the currency that connects theatre organizations through place and time, and who help make it possible for us to think of ourselves as a national theatre community.

This year, through a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, TCG held a series of Field Conversations and conducted research on the state of our theatre artists (story here). Our goal is to begin a regular collection of data about the well-being of our primarily freelance artist community, and that will complement our fiscal survey, which has been conducted for 35 consecutive years.

Among the findings of our new study is how much artists wish to forge more consistent connections with theatres; their willingness to escalate their involvement in thinking and planning the future; and the already mutual sense of good will between freelancers and organizations. We also learned about some of the challenges for artists and others in the field (and yes, 42 percent work in three or more cities every year).

Money is tight. The light at the end of the economic tunnel is only a flicker. But there are some gestures that, if practiced widely in our field, will take on a larger significance.

As we seek to strengthen our collective enterprise—and I believe the drive to do so is what has made our field successful to date—it is important to pay consistent attention to the critical human and artistic resources in our field. If, like a nation in transformation, concerned with its security, we stand together to protect our most precious natural resources, we will emerge stronger and better. Continued investment in our artists is the key. Let's declare our devotion to life, liberty—and the pursuit of artistry.

 

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