Integrity
Sat, 23 Sept 2000, 04:44 pmWalter Plinge7 posts in thread
Integrity
Sat, 23 Sept 2000, 04:44 pmSeveral months ago I reaffirmed a keen interest in directing for GRADS at UWA, by suggesting to key members of the committee that I be considered to direct a production of Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET at the New Fortune Theatre in 2001.
It had been my understanding that GRADS had found itself in a situation that required serious consideration of exploring avenues to bring 'new blood' and new audiences into their venues to engage with their work. It seemed that the timing was right for me to become involved.
I am a graduate of UWA; I have been involved in the Community Arts and Youth Arts industries in Perth for about 10 years and have established a solid reputation in both.
I have directed a Finlay Award winning production (with Playlovers), a Bunbury One Act Festival Best Director Award (with Darlington Theatre Players) and an award winning ITA One Act Festival production (with KADS) - I have reached what most practitioners in community theatre would suggest are the pinnacles of community theatre in this state.
I have also been a very active, professional consultant and facilitator in the Community and Youth Arts areas, in addition to my considerable directing experience.
Imagine my consternation when I was informed that the play that I had submitted for the New Fortune season had been chosen, but that I had not as its director. And that the director who had been chosen was a long-standing GRADS member and a committee member. I was also informed that a 'quick decision' was made and that the reason why I was not considered a serious contender to direct the play was that no one knew me, or my work. I can understand people knowing me and my work, and not liking it, but to not know me in any capacity or for any of the work that I have completed in the last 10 years seems to me to be absurd - it certainly says more about the members of the decision-makers than anything else.
I would like to point out that I appreciate that this is not a state of affairs that is isolated, that no one person is to blame, and that it is not my intention to bring into question the ability of the director that GRADS chose to direct my production.
I do hope that community theatre groups, including GRADS, who are keen to promote growth, evolution and the attraction of new ideas and processes will reflect this desire in their decision-making to the very best of their ability.
Unsurprisingly I was astonished by the short-sightedness of this decision that involved me, and I empathise with others who, for whatever reason, do not know the right people, are not momentarily funky enough, or are not a known and predictable quantity - especially those practitioners who have been around for a while, who have earned their stripes and have come out of their honeymoon period of youthful, funky 'alternative and racey' appeal and are still producing cutting-edge and challenging work that does not require arts-political-journalistic manipulation to be successful.
It had been my understanding that GRADS had found itself in a situation that required serious consideration of exploring avenues to bring 'new blood' and new audiences into their venues to engage with their work. It seemed that the timing was right for me to become involved.
I am a graduate of UWA; I have been involved in the Community Arts and Youth Arts industries in Perth for about 10 years and have established a solid reputation in both.
I have directed a Finlay Award winning production (with Playlovers), a Bunbury One Act Festival Best Director Award (with Darlington Theatre Players) and an award winning ITA One Act Festival production (with KADS) - I have reached what most practitioners in community theatre would suggest are the pinnacles of community theatre in this state.
I have also been a very active, professional consultant and facilitator in the Community and Youth Arts areas, in addition to my considerable directing experience.
Imagine my consternation when I was informed that the play that I had submitted for the New Fortune season had been chosen, but that I had not as its director. And that the director who had been chosen was a long-standing GRADS member and a committee member. I was also informed that a 'quick decision' was made and that the reason why I was not considered a serious contender to direct the play was that no one knew me, or my work. I can understand people knowing me and my work, and not liking it, but to not know me in any capacity or for any of the work that I have completed in the last 10 years seems to me to be absurd - it certainly says more about the members of the decision-makers than anything else.
I would like to point out that I appreciate that this is not a state of affairs that is isolated, that no one person is to blame, and that it is not my intention to bring into question the ability of the director that GRADS chose to direct my production.
I do hope that community theatre groups, including GRADS, who are keen to promote growth, evolution and the attraction of new ideas and processes will reflect this desire in their decision-making to the very best of their ability.
Unsurprisingly I was astonished by the short-sightedness of this decision that involved me, and I empathise with others who, for whatever reason, do not know the right people, are not momentarily funky enough, or are not a known and predictable quantity - especially those practitioners who have been around for a while, who have earned their stripes and have come out of their honeymoon period of youthful, funky 'alternative and racey' appeal and are still producing cutting-edge and challenging work that does not require arts-political-journalistic manipulation to be successful.
RE: Integrity
Tue, 26 Sept 2000, 05:25 pmHi Jamie
I should perhaps begin by clarifying that we're not yet certain that there will be a production in the New Fortune Theatre next year.
Declining audiences, but most importantly rising costs associated with using the New Fortune Theatre have seen the project lose substantial sums of money over three consecutive years. The University Dramatic Society, our long term partner in the project, is understandably disinclined to risk another financial battering and will not be formally involved in any New Fortune Theatre project that might happen next year.
It's entirely a side issue, but i personally consider that it's obscene that a large group of volunteers can work their collective posteriors off for several months only to see the vast bulk of their not inconsiderable earnings line the pockets of paid staff filling roles that could equally well be filled by volunteers. I can accept some costs, but such apparently arbitrary requirements as to employ ushers and front of house staff, go beyond the pale. How many other theatre companies have seen their break even point more than double in a matter of a few years?
If the project doesn't go ahead, the venue is dark, the staff unpaid... we all lose.
> Had I known that the decision about the New Fortune season was
> imminent I would have been prepared to clarify my credentials and
> concept thoroughly
Had the committee known that a decision was imminent, you would have been asked to do just that.
> I am still unclear as to why my credentials would have required
> proving [...] ?
There was no question of evaluating anyone's credentials. It was a matter of priorities. An urgent need for an immediate choice of director/play was deemed more important than due, fair or informed process.
> Are they not familiar with the ITA Festival, the Bunbury One Act
> Festival, the Finlay Awards...?
Some people don't place a great deal of stock in awards.
:)
> Selecting a director, who has very recently directed a GRADS show, to
> direct the highly lucrative (and very troubled) New Fortune season,
> does not reflect a real desire to inject new ideas and new blood.
A question of priorities again. Given the luxury of time, the committee is certainly very committed to providing opportunities for relative newcomers.
As i indicated before, David Meadows, the director concerned, joined Grads at the beginning of this year.
I should have thought that having someone with less than a year's membership with the society directing two major productions and a one act play was a fair indication of a willingness to embrace new ideas and new blood. Perhaps you'd like to submit for a couple of seasons next year?
:)
> GRADS would not be the first group to have been brought kicking
> and screaming into a new age.
I've not noticed much of either going on. Kicking and screaming that is. Would it surprise you to hear that i'm probably currently the committee member with the second longest association with the committee?
> As unfortunate as this experience has been for me I do not
> anticipate that the same mistake will happen again and I do not
> anticipate that it is typical of the GRADS decision-making process.
I don't accept that the committee's decision was mistaken. Given its chosen priorities, it is still the best choice they could have made in difficult circumstances. The chosen process was as atypical as the circumstances were exceptional.
I expect that the committee will be formally calling for submissions for 2001 seasons in the next few weeks. Keep your eyes glued to the site for details.
Cheers
Grant
I should perhaps begin by clarifying that we're not yet certain that there will be a production in the New Fortune Theatre next year.
Declining audiences, but most importantly rising costs associated with using the New Fortune Theatre have seen the project lose substantial sums of money over three consecutive years. The University Dramatic Society, our long term partner in the project, is understandably disinclined to risk another financial battering and will not be formally involved in any New Fortune Theatre project that might happen next year.
It's entirely a side issue, but i personally consider that it's obscene that a large group of volunteers can work their collective posteriors off for several months only to see the vast bulk of their not inconsiderable earnings line the pockets of paid staff filling roles that could equally well be filled by volunteers. I can accept some costs, but such apparently arbitrary requirements as to employ ushers and front of house staff, go beyond the pale. How many other theatre companies have seen their break even point more than double in a matter of a few years?
If the project doesn't go ahead, the venue is dark, the staff unpaid... we all lose.
> Had I known that the decision about the New Fortune season was
> imminent I would have been prepared to clarify my credentials and
> concept thoroughly
Had the committee known that a decision was imminent, you would have been asked to do just that.
> I am still unclear as to why my credentials would have required
> proving [...] ?
There was no question of evaluating anyone's credentials. It was a matter of priorities. An urgent need for an immediate choice of director/play was deemed more important than due, fair or informed process.
> Are they not familiar with the ITA Festival, the Bunbury One Act
> Festival, the Finlay Awards...?
Some people don't place a great deal of stock in awards.
:)
> Selecting a director, who has very recently directed a GRADS show, to
> direct the highly lucrative (and very troubled) New Fortune season,
> does not reflect a real desire to inject new ideas and new blood.
A question of priorities again. Given the luxury of time, the committee is certainly very committed to providing opportunities for relative newcomers.
As i indicated before, David Meadows, the director concerned, joined Grads at the beginning of this year.
I should have thought that having someone with less than a year's membership with the society directing two major productions and a one act play was a fair indication of a willingness to embrace new ideas and new blood. Perhaps you'd like to submit for a couple of seasons next year?
:)
> GRADS would not be the first group to have been brought kicking
> and screaming into a new age.
I've not noticed much of either going on. Kicking and screaming that is. Would it surprise you to hear that i'm probably currently the committee member with the second longest association with the committee?
> As unfortunate as this experience has been for me I do not
> anticipate that the same mistake will happen again and I do not
> anticipate that it is typical of the GRADS decision-making process.
I don't accept that the committee's decision was mistaken. Given its chosen priorities, it is still the best choice they could have made in difficult circumstances. The chosen process was as atypical as the circumstances were exceptional.
I expect that the committee will be formally calling for submissions for 2001 seasons in the next few weeks. Keep your eyes glued to the site for details.
Cheers
Grant
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