Sunday Quickies

So the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is actually walking the diversity talk in a big way. I wonder how they can do it and so many others just can’t.

Far From the Spotlight, a Brewing Fight Over Theatrical Rights
Another fine example of how playwrights get hosed. I have never heard of anyone in Canada getting anything even close to 40% of subsequent author royalties but I know that it has been an issue in some negotiations. Lets just say no to chiseling back money from playwrights. Especially if we are developmental companies whose mandate it is to develop and produce original work.

So with that in mind why don’t we ….. Adopt a Playwright

On the other hand. It doesn’t matter how surreptitious you think you are while checking your phone during a performance those around you cannot help but say….Look! Something Bright and Shiny!

Now this is something that should be taught in all theatre schools.

And as we circle back to the top we find another take on what diversity means

Duck!

The thing is with boomerangs is that when you throw them they travel in a circle. So I read this article today in the Globe & Mail featuring Kelly Thornton and Monica Esteves from Nightwood Theatre.

{Full disclosure: Obsidian is co-producing with Nightwood this season}

I liked what they were saying and the passion with which they said it. I have only one issue and that is the conflating of gender equity with culturally diverse equity. Like the aforementioned boomerang this conflation eventually comes round the corner and has to ask "and how many were non white?" I mean it is important to talk of how many women are getting productions and directing opportunities but then you have to address the diversity as well. It's outstanding to be showcasing women directors but from this corner it seems a shame that the ratio was not a bit more balanced.

Full Disclosure #2

Here are the Obsidian stats since I have been artistic director. In the Director category the male director in all cases is myself.



Actors further breakdown to 12.9% white, 87.1% non-white
In all other categories the artists were all non-white.

Then What?

It's funny that I should stumble over this today. I had an enjoyable conversation with one of the SLIP participants over at the Summerworks Festival and we were discussing whether or not there was actually a large enough theatre going audience to sustain all of the theatre in Toronto. This kind of noodled away at me and somehow I got into thinking how many opportunities seem to be now available and focused on emerging theatre creators.

Then this article popped up.

This is not a great cycle to be creating.

Now what?

So the Equity and PACT negotiations ended with a stunning affirmation of the status quo. Nothing changes for Year 1 and then a pay increase of 1% in Year 2 and 2% in Year 3. Nothing else changes.
How could this happen? With a host of issues that are all hanging fire nothing was resolved.

At the heart of all this is a profound difference of opinion on the way this industry should look going forward.

Now being on both sides I get the buzz from both directions and it’s always a treat to see how things are viewed differently.
I think that both sides feel that they can gain the advantage by waiting for the next negotiating round. But I do not believe that with the limited amount time available there will be room for any substantive change. Nobody is working on negotiations full time. Yes, both sides get input from their members and compile a wish list but the actual talking between the sides doesn’t happen until the last 6 months.

Obsidian abstained from ratification at the PACT AGM and I am abstaining from the Equity vote because I think that the agreement should be rejected and that negotiations should continue until there is a meeting of minds. This, however, will probably not happen with the prevailing mindsets in place.

I am reminded of a story that said that forest fires are so bad now because they have been so assiduously fought that the deadfalls and underbrush were allowed to grow without check. So now the amount of deadwood pushes the fires out of control in a nonce. The only way to get back to a healthy forest is either by ongoing controlled cutting or to let it burn.

The current approaches are not working. We need to change the way we are looking at this industry and find better ways of safeguarding the creators as well as being open to current realities.
This is not a perpetual growth industry. Ticket prices have stalled for the majority of theatres, the audience is aging and grants by and large are plateau-ing.

There will be a winnowing that’s for sure. What we have to do is find the courage to imagine and create a new vision for the future.