I already did, but this Playbill feature makes me really want to see it:
“I compare it to a musical in terms of the energy it takes,” said Greg Germann, who replaced Whitford in September. “It’s a freight train — or I should say a high-speed train going at full tilt. You just got to get on board and hold on.”
Missi Pyle joined the cast the same time as Germann, following Mary McCormack into the role of the domineering German stewardess Gretchen. “It’s by far the most taxing thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “I met Mary before taking the part. The cast was all bruised and battered. I said ‘What’s going on?’”
This is an amazing address about the current state of the performing arts (particularly theater). Diane Ragsdale is Associate Program Officer at The Mellon Foundation and my new idol. There’s too much in here to unpack in this blog post, but some highlights:
* In her article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy,”Let’s Put the Word ‘Nonprofit’ Out of Business”Claire Gaudiani has proposed that we replace the word “nonprofit” with “social profit.” I like this idea because it encourages us to remember that we are nonprofits because we exist to create value for society, rather than profits for shareholders. It reminds us that, we exist within a social and cultural context-and if that context changes, then we must change.
* What about patron as critic? If the consumer has achieved taste-making status artryay, then why not
elevate seasoned patrons to the role of reviewers and encourage them to write formal reviews, posted
as blogs on your Web sites? I was the managing director of On the Boards in Seattle prior to coming
to the Foundation. The artistic director, Lane Czaplinski, and I (with the help of Doug Mclennan of
ArtsJoumal.com) started apatron review blog in late 2003. It’s been incredibly successful. We
found that patron reviews not only give your organization critical information about what patrons are
thinking, but help patrons build community, and improve their capacities to process, discuss and
understand what they have experienced-in other words, develop cultural literacy. A blog
welcomes and promotes alternate viewpoints from those espoused by the local art critic and people
may trust your patron reviews more than they trust the local critic, anyway.
* Whether you’re trying to reach younger or more diverse audiences, like Center Stage, you need to do
it consistently and authentically and you may need to be prepared to lose some current patrons in
order to gain new ones.
Best of all was the reaction of the audience: enthusiastic standing ovations at the end, real concentration during the performances, and some judicious beer-swilling.
It’s an overstatement to say that allowing an audience to drink beer will make that audience trend younger, but there’s certainly a kernel of truth there. The beer, of course, is more a symbol than anything else; it signals to younger folks that the space is less formal, more welcoming, and more of a party than a lecture.
“The commentary has to be rewired,” said Chuck D of Public Enemy, speaking on the phone from Long Island. “It’s a big difference between pointing the finger at a government run by George Bush or Ronald Reagan to a situation at hand where you feel you can address President Obama.”
He said the critique might move from “rant and rage” at the president to community ills, internationalism and the status of women.
“We are believing in certain aspects of politics now,” Common said in a phone interview. “November 4 is the first time in my life that I ever felt that America was one.”
“The next generation of kids will have something new to rap about,” said Nas.
Not surprisingly, the article doesn’t cover reactions from folks like Dead Prez, Immortal Technique, or Rebel Diaz, but it’s worth reading all in all.
Here’s what I have to add, and I add it seriously: there’s something important about the fact that this guy was a Sportscenter anchor. We distance sports and entertainment from politics and cultural issues. It’s great to see someone moving in the different worlds like this.
But that’s really not the point. Watch this a few times to take it all in. Pay special attention to about 5:35 – 5:40 — that sums up not just this argument, but really all the arguments.
Actually, you know what? I’ll go one step further. Olbermann starts out his comment by stating that he doesn’t have a horse in this race; no close friends or family impacted by the gay marriage question. I do. I’ve got several friends, some who might be reading this, who very well could be in position to marry their partner in the near future. Hell–I’ve got friends who married in California earlier this year. Prop 8 is wrong. I wish I spoke out more ahead of time.
LGBT New Yorkers and Straight Allies Please Join Us…
Wednesday, November 12, 6:30-8:00pm at New York Manhattan Mormon Temple, 125 Columbus Ave at 65th Street
Tens of thousands of our brothers and sisters are in the streets in California and Salt Lake City and around the country protesting the votes banning same-sex marriage in California. Join them! Make your voices heard right here in New York City.
We will tell the Mormon Church how we feel about its relentless campaign to condemn and control our lives. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was, by far, the biggest financer of California’s heinous and hateful Proposition 8. The Mormon Church begged their members to donate money to Prop 8, pouring 20 million dollars into the campaign. And their attacks on us didn’t start there and aren’t about to end. They’re plotting right now to bring their money and influence to bear against the LGBT community everywhere in this country, including trying to prevent marriage equality in New York.
PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION – BRING SIGNS — ALERT THE MEDIA
