Changes and awards, musicals and economics

C. Andrew Mayer's article Major Leadership Changes are Coming and the comments on the changes the Twin Cities theatre scene as the community transitions from the Baby Boomer to Generation X is essential reading. Further, it reminded me how successful artists have been in the Twin Cities by deciding to go their own way, whether it be through the "Build Your Own Theatre" model or by being a nomadic company. And maybe those models haven't worked for everyone (you only hear about the people dolphins rescue, never the ones they ignore or drag further out to sea), but it has worked in the Twin Cities. Speaking of the Baby Boomer theatres, it is difficult for me to conceive of Frank Theatre without Wendy Knox or the Jungle Theater without Bain Boehlke. Those are the names that built their respective theatres. But before Rick Shiomi's retirement, could I have imagined Randy Reyes taking over as artistic director? This shift won't happen overnight, but it is happening. Local If you think the taxman is out to get you, you might just be subjected to the normal paranoia that surrounds tax season. Or you may be Venus DeMars and Lynette Reini-Grandell, who have been subjected to an audit by the Minnesota Department of Revenue that genuinely seems out to destroy them. The auditor has made a preliminary determination that they were "hobbyists, not artists," and the tale told is one of outright condescension from the department. Further: "...He basically is saying that if we really knew what we were doing, we should have been more profitable by now, and should have known to give up." I had read about this story a couple weeks ago when it first hit, but neglected it until it cropped up in my feed again this week. It's one of those news stories that comes out of nowhere and leaves you gasping with rage. Thank you, Minnesota Department of Revenue, for fighting the really tough battles. Also please don't audit me. National It's Tony Awards time, and Playbill has a list of nominations, along with interviews with the nominees. If you scroll down to the bottom of those nominations, you'll notice several nominations for "Honor for Excellence in the Theatre", one of them The Lost Colony. They've been telling the history of Roanoke Island for 76 years, providing artists with work and stimulating the local economy. That seems like it deserves some recognition. "Congrats on the nomination!" you might think. Actor's Equity doesn't think so. As Michael Riedel's snark-filled write-up explains, Actor's Equity has made an issue of the nomination because The Lost Colony employs non-union actors. And yes, Actor's Equity has a say in that, but their response appears overblown and unnecessary. I'm thinking that Actor's Equity and the Minnesota Department of Revenue can get together and take a class on knowing when to pick their battles, since both are coming off as bullies. I cannot speak for the quality of The Lost Colony either, but Riedel seems to know everything about them by looking at their website. I was looking for objectivity from him but didn't find it. International I am not an economist, but I believe in investing in the arts and the sciences--feeding the heart and the head, as it were. In the U.K., the case is being made that art and culture are substantial contributors to the economy, and that government funding is necessary to continue to grow their cultural influence. That I am writing about this encapsulates why the US theatre community looks to the U.K.--they are a theatrical/arts juggernaut. Who doesn't want to spend time seeing the next big show by the Royal Shakespeare Company, tool around in the West End for the next piece of experimental theatre, and bide their time until the next show with a visit to the British Museum? For many, that's an ideal vacation. This conversation is preceding the Comprehensive Spending Review, and it does not look like the outcome will be positive for the arts, even with campaigns like My Theatre Matters! advocating against cuts. Government funding of the arts in the U.K. could be decreased by as much as 10%, similar to what we're experiencing under sequestration. The more I think about all the cutting going on for arts (and almost everything else), the news I read about a spreadsheet error at the center of austerity economics seems a crueler and crueler joke. Anyone Want to Bust Their Butt for a Weekend to Create a Musical? In New York, musician Ben Folds worked with playwright Jonathan Marc Sherman to create a 20 minute musical about a man shaving his mustache for his lady love during a 24-hour musical workshop, which got me thinking about what a similar project in the Twin Cities would look like: what could playwright Matthew A. Everett or Alan Berks come up with in a day paired with a Mark Mallman or Har Mar Superstar? Whatever it was, you'd watch it. This is a yearly occurrence by The 24 Hour Company to raise money for the Orchard Project, a retreat for theatre artists in the Catskill Mountains. We already have a Theatre Unbound and Bedlam Theatre doing 24 hour play projects, so why not a 24 hour musical project? Looking over at the upcoming schedule at Hennepin Stages, there is little I'd consider new work and not based off previous intellectual property. Sister Act? Adaptation of a movie. Ghost? Same thing. Shows don't come from just anywhere, but I do wish there were more Avenue Qs and Books of Mormon to balance every musical based off a book or movie adaption. (runs to wikipedia to make sure Avenue Q and The Book of Mormon are original works) Of course, that doesn't exactly stop me from wanting to see the Matilda musical, or even this stage adaptation of Princess Mononoke. h/t David Philip Norris. On the Cutting Room Floor Sonnet 29 shows that even Shakespeare gets depressed. Alfred Molina levels the critical scalpel at the performances of school children. The Drama Critic's Circle has announced their awards! Dame Helen Mirren tells off noisy musicians who've interrupted her play. Speaking of Matilda I watched the film version probably a dozen times, and the Trunchbull was intimidation incarnate. I cannot wait to see it, and it's for sequences just like this. --- If you have feedback or comments on any of the articles above, or suggestions for future blog and news items, please leave them in the comments or e-mail me at [email protected].