SO how about this , Divas?
How do we increase our audience and attendance at our theatres WITHOUT completely selling out our artistic integrity?
ANY AND ALL takes will be accepted...just don't suck!
ps- bonus points for anyone who gets my title reference! (I'm talking to YOU D$!)
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BTW- for the uninitiated, the "have a take...don't suck" is cribbed from the Jim Rome radio show- he's a sports guy, thus I'm sure few of you know of him :)
ALSO- Happy FATHERS DAY to all the DIVA dads out there...it's my first one, and I gotta say..LOVIN the Daddy thing!
I thought you were talkin about the cheap trick reference.
I was...it just occured to me that some might not recognize the ROMEY reference, either.
Good call, though! CHEAP TRICK it is!
One thing I think is crucial is that in order for struggling theatres to survive, and indeed to THRIVE, you have to bring in a younger audience...the baby boomers and beyond are great, but they ain't gonna live forever, and unfortunately it doesnt look like they're being replaced! So the question to ME becomes, how do you get younger people in the doors?
I know that Rick at AGL has taken steps in this direction, particularly with the addition of a new show like CHECKING IN on the schedule (and yes Rick, that was w/ the BRITISH pronunciation! lol), which actually speaks directly to Gen x'ers...so what else do we do?
a friend of mine (i'll call him buff, for rick8's benefit) recently went to hear peter brook speak at bam and posed a very similar question to him, citing our collective post 9/11 desire for unreal reality tv and all things surface and unquestioning, fearing that the theatre is following suit. peter brook's response was along the lines of if that is a reflection of who we are as a society, that that is what we need to provide as a theatre reflecting our world. a depressing thought indeed, and one i'm not sure i entirely agree with.
if you give people a platter of dog shit in the shape of a swan for long enough they will think it is foie gras, but if you give them foie gras does it stand to reason they will then think it dog shit or will they appreciate the new culinary experience?
i think part of the answer must lie in evaluating and exploiting what the theatre alone provides that tv and film cannot, rather than trying to compete with these very different fields.
i went friday night to see a light in the piazza, which while it is a simple rather unchallenging story, it was a beautiful and intelligently explored non-fluff but escapist experience all the same. you got so very lost in the story; the world they created was a compelling one that you wanted to lose yourself in. it was something that could only work in theatre and celebrated the magical suspension of disbelief (there's a point in it where the italian mother suddenly breaks, addresses the audience and says in perfect non accented english "i don't speak english, but i had to tell you what's going on"). it showed that escapism doesn't have to be a platter of dog shit, and it did explore some ethical questions.
then again, spamalot still won the tony, and while its a good show (and i myself adore monty python), light in the piazza is a better piece of theatre.
i don't know the answer, but it involves speaking to the needs of your community and finding out what that means deep down. it also involves appealing to a new generation, which unfortunately doesn't have the same money to give as the older more conservative but dying generation.
and it must involve the complete arrest of the practice of dumbing down - that only hurst us in the long run.
then again, i'm a completely unrealistic idealist lucky enough to live in a place where people are still going to the theatre, albeit out of a sense of urban pride.
are you?
True enoungh, on the ticket prices...BUT, it's STILL more than a film...and what I think you might be forgeting is that they WANT to see that Rock concert, b-ball game, etc...it's already part of their world. AS you so aptly put it, many don't KNOW yet that they want to see theatre...and most working folk I know are not willing to spend fifty bucks for two tickets to something they don't know they like yet...just some food for thought.
I also struggle with the "south" question, and yet I once again bring up Austin TX (yeah,yeah it's south WEST...but it's still south to me) and Raleigh, NC (speaking of carpet baggers...) There is also really good stuff in the ATL (atlanta for you tragiclly unhip!), Nashville, parts of Florida, etc...My REAL dilemia is this...do we really NEED to be following the vision of "Zelda Fichandler, Tyrone Guthrie, Nina Vance, Margo Jones, John Jory, etc"...or as Bono once put it, is it time to sing a new song? The world HAS changed post 9-11...hell, it changed long before that...the kids who grew up listening to Kurt Cobain and Tu-pac aren't necessarily going to respond (at least not initially!) to voices from the past. The students I work with never cease to amaze me with their ability to shift pop culture gears so fast! A song that came out 3 months ago is already considered "played out" and "tired"- remember when we was younguns and THRILLER and BORN IN THE USA stayed on the charts for three years?...However, one thing I've also noticed from my young, urban, mostly non-theatre literate students is that once they find something in the theatre they respond to (usually stark reality!) they totally dig it, and they're yours for life!
So what's the answer? Got me...all's I gots is mo' questions!
I've got it! HOOTERS Theatre!
Discuss.
Interesting enough at the last week National Community Theatre Management Conference this topic came up for discussion. While "everyone" feel this type of dilemma - it pretty much came out from the theatres who've been around for years and years that the problem tends to rectify itself -- as long as the theatre in question just keeps to its mission of doing good theatre -- whether cutting edge or the oldies - based on the area. However, ALL agreed that the key to continuing an audience development was involving younger audience and participants -- i.e. kids/teens who while they may go away during the carpooling, too much to do years, that they eventually come back as the more mature audience so....
I certainly understand a professionals antagonism towards community theatre, but face it, in parts of the south community-style theatre is all the theatre the residents are gonna get. If one would like to build interest in more professional theatre, it would seem that community theatre is a good place for the prospective(i.e. novice) theatregoer to get their feet wet. By the by, class snobbery is probably going to do more harm than good. Have you seen the "professional" Broadway line-up lately? I have seen many damn-good actors in community theatre, and exactly how many of YOU out there got the bug for your profession by a role in ANNIE or SOUND OF MUSIC of WIZARD OF OZ at your local community theatre? Let's face it, community theatre is a valuable, and if it is done right, a promising way to show people the value of live theatre.
I couldn't agree more...community theatre is an INCREDIBLY valuable part of the fabric of American Theatre...It's where I, and many like me, got our first taste of things...It just seems to me that Community theatres aren't having the problems the "pros" are...For instance, I used to live in the Biloxi area, and there were, to my recollection, 6 active, thriving community theatres in about a 20 mile radius.Professional theatres? None...and to my knowledge there's only one in the entire state (and it's run by a DIVA baby! USM RULES!!!WHOO-HOOO!)...but I'm totally with you on the anti-snobbery thing, Mr/Ms Anonymous..if that IS your name!
I stand corrected on the "Zelda/Margo/Jory" line...upon further review, I get it. I guess I was thinking more from an "artistic" vein...not realizing at first glance that these folks paved the way for what we know as "regional" theatre-DUH!I have an MFA you know! (lol)
...and I'm certainly not suggesting that the community theatre in Biloxi is better...quite the contrary. My take is that if an area like Biloxi (certaily not know as a hotbed of theatrical relivance)can support 6 community theatres, why not at least ONE professional? MY answer is that it could, if only some interprising young upstart would be so bold as to create one...alas, in this economy, however, this becomes more and more of a challenge all the time. I,too, think that striving for greater professionalism is the way to go. I gotta admit, however, I've never really liked the "professional/amateur" tags that get thrown around. To me, professional is as professional does...I've worked in some "community" theatres that were the epitome of professionalism (Biloxi Little Theatre comes to mind...) and some so-called professional theatres where people couldn't find their ass with both hands and a map! I would probably be happier with these theatres being refered to as "commercial/non-commercial " entities...but, hey if I ran the world BORN TO RUN would be the national anthem, so what do I know?
and btw- Maybe the YANKS won't take you, but I'm thinking you could probably bat clean up for the D-rays!
Okay, my favorite theatre story ever, heard from Lloyd Richards. Mr. Richards directing RAISIN IN THE SUN when it first ran on Broadway. One afternoon he was outside the theatre, and saw an older African-American woman buy a ticket. After she bought the ticket, she started to go into the theatre, and the ticket office staffer had to tell her that the show wouldn't start until that evening. Her response was that she could go around the corner and see Sidney Poitier (who was in RAISIN) three times that afternoon at the movie theatre. Lloyd Richards, as he tells it, realized she hadn't been to the theatre before, and approached her and asked where she was from. She named a street in Harlem. He then asked her what had brought her down to buy a ticket to A RAISIN IN THE SUN. Her response: "The people in my neighborhood told me that there's something going on here that has something to do with me."
I'm thinking that's what'll get people to the theatre!
bad actors, good actors- whatever. My point, anon 1 not the new guy, is that at least with community theatre, we get asses in the seats in front of the boards, not a screen or television. sure, audiences might have to put up with Oklahoma or something in that vein once or twice a season, but face it, all of that is being revived in professional theatre anyway. But, for every Hammerstein one must suffer through, a good commun ity theatre artistic director, or play committee can pick something a little more cutting edge. It has been a while since I have done anything in community theatre, but I have done Shakespeare, Fry, Bogosian in the past in community theatre. You might scoff now, but twenty years ago Bogosian was pretty cutting edge for our town. I think the point, across the board, should be getting people into the houses, even if it is The Odd Couple. And yes, community orchestras AND operas do exist. No one on this thread ever tried to denigrate professionals by classing them with lowly amateurs, I merely pointed out that community theatre could be of value in the general scheme of things. Just because I never got paid for it absolutly does not mean I love it any less than someone who does. It also does not mean I take a role any less seriously than a pro either.
In a town the size of Lexington, if you want to create a scene, you have to encourage the community theaters, collegiate theaters, etc. And in a town like Lexington, they can do some darned good work. Look at SP's The Foreigner. Now, if someone new to theater walked out thinking, 'That was so cool, like, real people on stage. This guy was going nuts and I was like five rows away from him, I want more,' you could say, well, it'll be different, but check out All My Sons at AGL.
What I'm saying is, if you have several theaters putting up shows fairly routinely, you can create a habit in a new theater goer -- this is something your DVD player and High-Def television will NEVER give you. But if he/she walks out and there isn't another show for two months, the enthusiasm could cool.
So those other non-professional theaters are keys to creating a scene. In a town like Lexington, you will not have three or four pro theaters. Yes, not all of the shows will be as successful as The Foreigner and All My Sons. Some will even suck. But that's also how you create a discerning theater goer. You need to see some bad plays to recognize the good ones.
I do agree with Timxx that price is an issue. In high school or early college, if you gave me a choice of spending $25 on a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert at the Boathouse or $15 on an Arthur Miller play, hate to say it but I'd be rockin' with Anthony & Co.
PEOPLE- if you;'re going to post anonymous, how bout adding your name at the bottom of the post? Or at least coming up with some cool code name, so we'll know who's who... not required, but it would be nice...btw - anonymous guy/gal with the CHILI PEPPERS reference (ah- a Chili Peppers show for only 25$- THOSE were the days!)...I totally agree..what this town needs is MORE theatre, not less. Remember - the rising tide lifts all boats!
jesus! so much i missed in a few short days.
quick 2 sec blurbs:
rick8, you got the ny thing down to a T...my apt is only a $1200 5th floor walkup, but its also a huge squeeze to fit 3 people inside. and you can find good headshots for $1000.
it is true the distinction of professional meaning how one earns their living. though it certainly doesn't dictate talent level (as is wholly evident in many ny theatre productions that would be lucky to hit some community theatre levels of good), what it does is enable the worker to devote more time to that work, with less external distraction (ie stupid day job etc). this is not a requirement for a good performer, director, etc, but it certainly helps. having done both in the past, i would have to say that my work was better when i could afford to be doing only that. just to throw in a bit of a different perspective.
and actually, i have to get back to the stupid day job (speaking of which) so the other points i was going to hit on must be lost in the swamp that is my brain.
Ok...for those of us who live here in Lexington...and only perform/direct, etc, etc here in Lexington...I don't think there's any need for snobbery. I, and most of the actors that I know here in Lexington have (at one point or another) divided their time between paying gigs ie. Actors Guild, Children's Theater, Shake's Fest, and non paying gigs ie Studio Players, ActOut, Woodford County. My passion for acting exceeds just about everything else in my life. I myself have attended college, I conduct myself in a professional manner, I work very hard at what I do. I believe that I've paid a lot of my dues. Sometimes we get paid for it...and sometimes we don't. In the past 5 years...I've seen amazing productions at Actors Guild, Children's Theater, The Shakespeare Festiveal...but I've also seen seen things that were about as compelling as my 100 year old great grandmother doing a staged reading of "Hedda Gabbler". And in the past 5 years I've seen amazing productions with stellar performances from the likes of Studio Players and Woodford Co. (Woodford Co's production of Dracula? SP's production of Proof? ActOut's production of The Laramie Project? I think a lot of it has to do with the show or character. For instance, a couple of years ago Studio Players obtained the rights for Proof...before Actors Guild. 3 of the 4 actors in the play had never worked with Studio Players. However, they decided to do it, (without pay) because it was a good play, with a good director. I think (in terms of Lexington theater) that actors audition for roles that could challenge and inspire them as artists....regardless of "community" or "professional" titled theaters. Plenty of actors have built up their acting chops here in Lexington...and then went on to do (and are currently doing) great work in other parts of the world. Once again, I'm only speaking of Lexington theater. I agree with what others are saying about other parts of the country. NYC, Chicago, Seatlle, Atlanta, LA, San Fran, etc....but here in Lexington I think that we're all one big theater community...and that we should continue supporting one another. I myself plan on leaving Lex next year to pursue my dream...I may succeed...I may not. Regardless, I owe a LOT to the Lexington theater scence...and it's directors/actors, etc.
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