New Poll - Ensemble or Mixed Bag?
Wed, 30 Apr 2003, 12:47 amcrgwllms7 posts in thread
New Poll - Ensemble or Mixed Bag?
Wed, 30 Apr 2003, 12:47 amNew Poll topic - Ensemble casts.
One of the recommendations to Government of the WA Alexander Report is that funding is made available to allow a company (new or existing) to operate as an ensemble company in Perth.
An ensemble company employs a team of artists (not just actors - ensembles can include designers, choreographers, musos, directors...any artist really) for a long term contract that spans over a full season of productions.
Obviously it's pretty good to be employed in an ensemble, and have a long period of guaranteed work. Similarly, it's not good to be left out and have reduced opportunities to join the team until next year's auditions. But I guess that depends a bit on whether the team functions well or not.
Artistically, there are benefits to having a team work together and develop a style and process over many projects rather than have to start from scratch each time with new blood. But there's less freshness and variety; and perhaps the best choice for a single particular role is overlooked in favour of a Jack of all trades who can fill several roles in a year.
Traditionally, most local amateur groups tend to have ensembles, where the same pool of people are used over and over again each production. Opportunities for individuals to grow within a group are pretty high...again, important to get the right group.
Professional companies with high degrees of specialisation (Bizircus, Spare Parts, Barking Gecko) often operate from an ensemble basis or something close to it, supplementing their casts with the odd newcomer as required. And individual directors will often have preferences for working with certain groupings of people. True professional ensembles have continual contracts though, rather than employing casts one show at a time...this can be expensive up front, but it kind of forces them to be continuously developing product.
Poll question is: As an AUDIENCE MEMBER ...what do you prefer?
Do you enjoy seeing a regular group develop new plays together and come up with something different each time? Or are you sick of the same old tired faces and want to see someone else have a go?
Cheers
The Poll-tergeist
[%sig%]
One of the recommendations to Government of the WA Alexander Report is that funding is made available to allow a company (new or existing) to operate as an ensemble company in Perth.
An ensemble company employs a team of artists (not just actors - ensembles can include designers, choreographers, musos, directors...any artist really) for a long term contract that spans over a full season of productions.
Obviously it's pretty good to be employed in an ensemble, and have a long period of guaranteed work. Similarly, it's not good to be left out and have reduced opportunities to join the team until next year's auditions. But I guess that depends a bit on whether the team functions well or not.
Artistically, there are benefits to having a team work together and develop a style and process over many projects rather than have to start from scratch each time with new blood. But there's less freshness and variety; and perhaps the best choice for a single particular role is overlooked in favour of a Jack of all trades who can fill several roles in a year.
Traditionally, most local amateur groups tend to have ensembles, where the same pool of people are used over and over again each production. Opportunities for individuals to grow within a group are pretty high...again, important to get the right group.
Professional companies with high degrees of specialisation (Bizircus, Spare Parts, Barking Gecko) often operate from an ensemble basis or something close to it, supplementing their casts with the odd newcomer as required. And individual directors will often have preferences for working with certain groupings of people. True professional ensembles have continual contracts though, rather than employing casts one show at a time...this can be expensive up front, but it kind of forces them to be continuously developing product.
Poll question is: As an AUDIENCE MEMBER ...what do you prefer?
Do you enjoy seeing a regular group develop new plays together and come up with something different each time? Or are you sick of the same old tired faces and want to see someone else have a go?
Cheers
The Poll-tergeist
[%sig%]
Re: New Poll - Ensemble or Mixed Bag?
Fri, 9 May 2003, 09:09 amWalter Plinge
As a member of an amateur theatre, I would like to put a different slant onto this topic.
Although audiences enjoy seeing familiar actors in shows, it would become very boring and tedious if the same people were in every show through the year. Although amateur audiences love to see familiar faces, they also enjoy watching new people on the stage, developing and showing their skills. Amateur shows are not normally sold to audiences based on who is in them, rather than the type of show, director, theme/storyline etc.
If the same actors always have the lead parts in most shows put on by an amateur theatre group, it does not give new actors or members the opportunity to play a part which may be just ideal for them.
I think the goals of amateur theatre are so much different from those groups who are trying to "earn a living" out of the productions they stage.
There is definitely a place for both types.
Although audiences enjoy seeing familiar actors in shows, it would become very boring and tedious if the same people were in every show through the year. Although amateur audiences love to see familiar faces, they also enjoy watching new people on the stage, developing and showing their skills. Amateur shows are not normally sold to audiences based on who is in them, rather than the type of show, director, theme/storyline etc.
If the same actors always have the lead parts in most shows put on by an amateur theatre group, it does not give new actors or members the opportunity to play a part which may be just ideal for them.
I think the goals of amateur theatre are so much different from those groups who are trying to "earn a living" out of the productions they stage.
There is definitely a place for both types.