I will confess from the outset that these should not be
considered minutes. Our group was small but the conversation intense, and I
took few notes, so this recap relies on my ever-feebler memory. I also call on
any present to add or correct or edit as necessary.
I also have to say, every time we hold one of these forums,
I’m reminded why I do what I do where I do. There are some amazing people in
this town, and we can all take pride in the project of telling stories.
But anyway…
We kicked off the meeting reporting on the last forum and
the progress of some of the projects launched there. Rob Raas-Bergquist laid
out plans for the Community Resource Database, which will catalog lendable and
rentable props and costumes and set pieces around the city, and which TPS
agreed to host. It is being developed with help from Shane Regan.
Outreach to the big houses was suggested, as they routinely
have to scrap entire sets. Consensus that there needs to be administration –
nobody wants to wait around for the person that said they wanted your set – and
the idea floated that we connect with carpenters, the boots on the ground.
Tabled for further discussion.
Beth Raas-Bergquist talked about the committee working on a
revival of the Fringe Festival (one of the best moments from August’s forum
came when someone talked about organizing a fest revival, and Beth raised her
hand to say her recent grad school final project was a business plan to
re-launch the festival). They are planning to run a pilot, pulling from
business plans by Beth and Jake Groshong and fiscally sponsored by TPS, in
October 2012. This project team has suffered attrition. Meaghan Darling
volunteered to help on behalf of Annex Theatre, and the idea to recruit a rep
from each fringe company was floated and will be pursued.
Introductions by attendees got into our reasons for sitting
in a basement in Ballard on a Sunday evening, and came universally to caring, a
lot, about what we do.
David Orace Kelly spoke first, presenting ideas gathered
initially in a graduate school thesis project and continued ever since – the
Theatre Values Project. David shared the results of a multi-year survey of
values held across the country by theatre practitioners. The results of the
2010 survey and more can be found at David’s website - http://www.dokmfa.org/. I was personally
struck by the idea of the “ethical implications” of the choices we make – I
hope it is something we can be more open and reflective about as a community.
Paul Mullin spoke next, and focused on his idea of “whole
theatre” - a very holistic, multi-levelled way to think about the creation and consumption of theatre, with an intense localism at its base. He kindly published the full text on his blog.
From there, we riffed and covered a lot of ground, often
coming back to the idea of needing new business models, of trying to keep artists
working and also surviving. We talked about alternative ways to
compensate/support actors, like asking Metro to donate some bus passes to
working actors.
In the end, we tried to focus the discussion, as last time,
into making a list. The list was to be statements we believe to be true – each
proffered and group-edited, seconded and added to the list on consensus.
-
There are ethical implications to the art and
the business of theatre.
-
When we make theatre in Seattle, we make theatre
for Seattle.
-
Seattle theatre must recognize and operate from
its position of strength.
-
Making a living and making art should not be
mutually exclusive.
At this point, we retired to People’s Pub for libations and
deep fried pickles and further plotted to change the world for the better, but
was is said at the post-STWN bar session stays in the bar. You’ll have to come
next time.
Many thanks to the Raas-Bergquists of Ghost Light
Theatricals for hosting. Great venue, and perfect for this forum (couches plus
bar in the lobby). And thanks to
the People’s Pub for holding some space for use and offering up a drink
discount.
The next two months have too many holidays to try and gather
again, but let’s start thinking about February.
