Competing Arts Organizations

I was reading a favorite Theater Arts Blog - Butts in the Seats - and Joe makes a interesting point in Never Shall the Twain... post. He talks about several competing theater groups that split due to a political problem, and makes the point that he'd like to see groups collaborating more.

This brought to mind something I've thought about for a while. We have about two dozen theater groups within an hour drive (roughly the area I cover). In the last two years we've had a lot of repeat or duplicate shows. Little Shop of Horrors, Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof (you can read my reviews of two productions I saw in the same weekend, spaced only about 10 miles apart here and here)

Now these are all wonderful shows, I don't deny that. AND these are all great theater groups that tap the talented groups of actors we have in the area. But I have to believe there is a finite audience for each show in the same general area, and when they are scheduled so closely together sometimes directly competing by overlapping, at other times only a few weeks apart.

So why compete? I think it's because the groups, for the most part, don't talk to one another.

Think about the pool of resources that would be available if they did. The sheer amount of costume pieces available to borrow or rent, the flats and staging pieces, the props! Groups offering a series of shows that go together, but don't directly compete. Pooling resources would benefit the whole area's groups.

What do you think? Is it Possible? or are the groups too different to ever collaborate?

Lie of the Mind

Sam Shepard's a Lie of the Mind will be presented by the Star Mountainville Group in Woodstock this June.

The play will run Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm for two weeks June 12th through June 22nd. Tickets are $15, seniors and students $12.

The show will be at the Byrdcliffe Theater on Upper Byrdcliffe Road in Woodstock. Reservations can be made at 679-4561.

This full length drama with much comedy, wit and grit concerns the aftermath of spousal abuse between a married couple and their immediate families. Shepard themes of tortured love, family dysfunction and great humor born out of pain are featured throughout this complex play.

Star Mountainville Group has produced 27 plays in the last 5 years throughout the Hudson Valley including FULLY COMMITTED, TAPE, GOLDA'S BALCONY, TALES OF A JEWISH AMERICAN PRINCE and CLAZZ. This production marks the 20th production of a Sam Shepard play directed by Glenn Laszlo Weiss.

Respect for your Volunteers

Volunteers are the life of almost every community theater organization in the Hudson Valley. They build sets, create & find props, promote the show, work backstage, run sound and lights, usher and act. Each and every one of these volunteers is essential - they spend their valuable free time making community theater in this area great. We're talking hundreds of hours of work.

So why do so many of these talented, valuable people feel abused?

It's come up in conversation quite a bit lately - from a wide variety of thespian and community theater supporters, enough so that I felt that it is enough of an issue that I should at least start a dialog about it.

Say thank you - These two words go a long way to making most people happy. It's the simplest and easiest thing an organization can do. Thank your volunteers in the program, in the newsletter and most importantly in person.

Respect Volunteers Time - Everyone has busy full lives these days. Be organized, make the most of the people who show up to help and for goodness sake start on time!

Be Honest - If a show is pre-cast or partially cast, be honest and let audition candidates know what roles are open. Don't call it an "open" call if some roles were offered to individuals prior to the audition dates - in some cases prior to getting the show rights. People will talk and your organization loses credibility.

Give everyone a fair chance - if it is in fact an open audition individuals should be given a fair audition. What does fair mean? Equality. If you let a "friend" or "long time supporter" sing a whole song even though he/she can't carry a tune (This one I have seen in person) - you better let every single candidate sing as well. Especially if it is an open audition and every single person in the room hears it. If you are pressed for time keep it to 16 bars. Be consistent.

Respect - Honor your volunteers and long time supporters - even if they take time off. I'm not advocating giving roles to people who have supported your organization if they are not the strongest candidate/ right for the job. I am advocating giving them an opportunity to come back after some time away. We all need to take time for our lives, sometimes a new job, a new baby or a long illness takes people away from volunteering. Don't write them off, give them an attitude or disrespect them - they have had to make difficult decisions, and need to feel like they still belong.

Respect (part 2) - Respect your current Volunteers also. A director should never lose it and say anything like "you guys really suck" (yes it really happened). Everyone in Community theater is a volunteer (except for musicians, but that's another story) - honor their contribution, guide them if they need help, but for goodness sake don't insult them or treat them like dirt. Again, I'm not advocating taking abuse either, because I know it is difficult to be on the production side of things - directors are not good carpet material either. So perhaps this section should be reciprocal respect.

Be friendly - The best way to grow your organization is to be approachable. If you are distant or standoffish, people are not going to work with you again.

So those are my thoughts around some of the issues facing community theater groups in the mid hudson valley. What do you see as the biggest issues with community theater groups, and so this doesn't become a bastion of negativity, how do you propose to solve it?

A couple of other posts that touch on some of these items:
MagicKat
An Actor Darkly