Staying at home

Theatres adapt to lower budgets


The Perils of Playing it Safe.

So a couple of links that, although from the States, have a certain relevance to Canada. I just finished looking over a semi comprehensive list of the 2009-2010 theatre seasons from around the country and boy oh boy is the playing it safe paradigm ever at work. Maybe it was ever thus but when you look at the whole picture it sure leaps out at you.

Also what leaps out is the size of the shows and who is directing them. By my quick count it seems that the artistic directors are taking on a bigger directing load this season. Bob Baker [3], Steven Schipper [4] , Peter Hinton [3], Richard Rose [3], Ron Ulrich [4] and Messers Hinton and Rose are also directing away from their own venues as well.

So this must be the sign of the times. More tried and true recognizable theatre with slightly reduced opportunities for outside directors. I am not sure this is a workable plan if it goes on for more than a year or so but it would be nice to open up the discussion of how theatres are looking to the future.

Put to Rest

Well! All done. Over. Finis.
The 2008-2009 Season that is. The Mussorgsky Project was this afternoon and we had a full house, good food and many kudos floating in the air.
I have to say that this is probably the most special event for me as it was the first new thing that I created after taking over as artistic director. So many of the previous playwrights unit have gone on to further develop their pieces and create new work that I feel this was the right thing at the right time. I feel kind of like that I was able to create a space and people came in and made a garden. Some flowers, some veggie and some herbs. Everything that you might need to tease the palate and entice the eyes.
Next season we go to a slightly different model whereby we will be working on full length plays with and eye to down the road production but the M-Project will arise again the year after.