September 2008 Field Letter
Written on August 29, 2008
Dear Friends:
First things first: please read this month’s TCG Bulletin
and make sure you take note of the article on the “White Spaces”
issue, and forward it to your production management/sound staffs.
People often glaze over when we talk about white spaces, because
the issue is so technical. But the outcome of the debate really
can affect your theatre and cost you money, possibly requiring you
to convert your wireless microphones and other equipment to fit
with new regulations. We are working hard to keep that from happening,
but it is important for you to be informed. So take a read and contact
us with any questions.
I’d also like to welcome new staff to TCG! Linda Jacobs is
our new public relations director. She served most recently as P.R.
director for the Children’s Theatre Company, where I had the
opportunity to collaborate with her and witness her exceptional
work first-hand. She will be promoting TCG, as well as the great
stories of our member theatres. You may have heard from Linda already
with information about the deeply discounted rate she negotiated
with Cision,
the media service formerly known as Bacon’s. TCG member theatres
can access this remarkable service for one-third of the usual not-for-profit
rate. If you haven’t already signed up, you still can, but
hurry because our group subscription begins this week. For more
information, contact Linda.
We also look forward to welcoming Kevin Bitterman as our new assistant
director for international programs. Kevin is a former New Generations
mentee, and is currently on staff at the Bush Foundation in Saint
Paul (no, we are not trying to drain the Twin Cities of its talent!)
Kevin comes to TCG in mid-October.
This summer, I started an occasional AT column titled, “How
Theatre Saved America.” Part 1 examined the contributions
of ensemble theatres, citing their long-term commitment to artists
and community, and focused specifically on the Bloomsburg Theatre
Ensemble. Part 2, which will appear in October, looks at theatre’s
past and potential role in foreign policy and diplomacy. The purpose
of “How Theatre Saved America” is to imagine a larger,
bolder civic accomplishment for our discipline, through the lens
of specific examples that may be local, national or global in impact.
I can envision a time when theatre will be widely known
for having saved America. But until we fully occupy that role, we
can perhaps follow the words of the wise one, who once said, “let
us name it and begin to claim it!” I am interested in any
experiences, observations or examples you have in light of this
exploration.
Also on the evolution of resident theatre in the U.S., I recently
had the pleasure of sitting with Julius Novick, author of the 1968
book, Beyond Broadway: the Quest for Permanent Theatres.
Julius is a longtime reporter, critic and academic who spent many
years writing for the Village
Voice and teaching at SUNY Purchase. In 1966, at the tender
young age of twenty-something, he received a Ford Foundation grant
to take a year off and work on becoming a better critic. With his
grant, he paid visits to many of the newly established regional
theatres and wrote about their progress. In the course of his 1966
travels, Novick concluded that the work was, for the most part,
not rising above mediocrity and that artistic leaders had become
sidelined (already!) by the steep administrative demands of their
newfound institutions. He wrote, “an artistic director is
likely to be so preoccupied with hiring actors, directors and designers;
propagandizing for his theatre at social functions; being nice to
visiting philanthropoids….that he may well be tempted unconsciously
to take it easy with what he is actually putting onstage.”
He also cited the lack of new work being done, reporting that the
most popular playwrights were Shakespeare and Molière. The
main thing that I appreciated about talking to Julius some 40 years
later is the sense of continuum, of seeing past problems that are
familiar today, as well as the things that we have changed, improved
and adapted to as a field. He also noted that when the Ford Foundation
gave grants to start many of these theatres, the idea was that each
community would have just one major theatre. And so the evolution
of a theatre “scene” in so many cities around the country
is something to celebrate and is truly beneficial for the audiences,
artists and theatre workers residing in those communities.
The month of August was a busy one for travel. TCG held its final
sold-out session of Expanding the Theatre Manager’s Repertoire
in Charleston, South Carolina. It was a great session, and thanks
to all who participated. Big, big, big thanks and love to our trainer
for these eleven years, Robbin Walker. We plan to keep her involved
as we design a new summer professional development program. Immediately
following the training, I flew to the Network of Ensemble Theatres
Conference in New Orleans. Among the scheduled activities was a
Hurricane Katrina tour led by Nick Slie, Kathy Randels and John
O’Neal. (And by the way, it was such an honor to meet John
O’Neal, founder of the Free Southern Theatre and currently
of Junebug Productions.) It was sobering to see how undone the most
affected neighborhoods continue to be, and inspiring to see the
work of NOLA’s theatres and artists in helping with the rebuilding
and healing process. Needless to say, there is a fierce passion
and love that New Orleanians have for their city, and it’s
everywhere. The conference was great, and while there was a considerable
agenda of serious business, we also had time for some good old New
Orleans fun including a late night “second line” through
the city—led by the Panorama Jazz Band (on the way to the
cool house of M.K. Wegman and Lisa Mount) and a ghost hunting expedition
spearheaded by Terri Greiss of Irondale Ensemble Project (I won’t
go into details, but let’s just say it involved hanging out
in an allegedly haunted early 19th Century ballroom with the lights
off at 2:00 a.m. Yes, we crazy theatre people...)
Later in August, I had an unforgettable trip to the “farm”
in Massachusetts to visit with Double Edge Theatre Productions and
attend their Don Quixote, a night-time romp through the
forests, fields and barns of their property. The ensemble’s
philosophy and methodology are formidable, and I appreciated the
chance to spend quality time with founder Stacy Klein and her co-ensemble
leaders Carlos Uriona and Matthew Glassman, and also to chat with
many of the ensemble members
One of the astounding labors of love in NYC is the nytheatre.com
website administered by Martin Denton and Rochelle Denton. They
review New York theatre with special focus on the independent theatres
(off-off and beyond). And they do podcasts featuring interviews
with theatre artists and other practitioners, such as moi! Check
out my interview with Leonard Jacobs.
Finally, I wanted to let you know that TCG and the NEA have formed
a taskforce to examine the future of site visits (which the NEA
previously announced it would cease). We will have our first conference
call in early September, and we are pleased that Benita Hofstetter,
who for years managed the site visit program, will take part in
the conversation with us along with Bill O’Brien.
Until next month, all the best,
Teresa Eyring
Executive Director