Off Stage Conversations

Hello everyone, It's Andie Arthur, executive director of the South Florida Theatre League, and I'm back after a week hiatus with Off Stage Conversations, where I look at articles and discussions of interest to the national and international theatre community.

Someone Wrote That Song, or To Be Shamed By Puppets

I was out last week as I was in New York City for the Dramatists Guild Annual Meeting in my capacity as the Regional Representative for Florida. One of the things I got to witness was the premiere of this youtube video from the Dramatists Guild called, "Someone Wrote that Song," using puppets to shame people into thinking about the ramifications of illegal downloading.

Hopefully puppet-based shame will make an impact on how people view copyright. As a community, we could be better about how we treat our playwrights and their work. And if you already get that message, well, you should still watch the video because singing puppets make everything better.

Our Town In Prison

Director Kate Powers talks about her experiences as she begins to direct a production of Our Town in Sing Sing.

Defining Professional

In a profession, where the distinctions are so very blurry, Melissa Hillman asks what makes a theatre professional?

A Critical Perspective

Amy Taylor, a critic in Edinburgh, writes about the critic's side of the relationship between critics and artists. It seems that us artists have a lot more in common with critics than you may think.

Don't "Support" The Arts

Pete Hemminger takes issue with the phrase "supporting the arts."

Practical Advice

Rick Bond looks at smart ways to deal with dead wood on your board.

Nell Edgington writes on ways board members can raise money without fundraising.

And Marc van Bree writes on why performing arts organizations shouldn't waste money on developing an app.