Off Stage Conversations

Hello everyone, it's Andie Arthur, executive director of the South Florida Theatre League, here with Off Stage Conversations, where I take a look at what's happening in the national and international theatre community.

But first... we're launching the Summer Theatre Fest next week, so please get in bed with the arts with us sometime over the next three months! There's play readings, free night of theatre, and the opportunity to get back in bed with the arts again.

The Tension between Commercial and Non-for-Profit Theatre

Diane Ragsdale has published In the Intersection: Partnerships in the New Play Sector, about the partnerships between commercial and non-profit theatre companies. While I haven't read the report yet (it's now on my kindle), I have read two thoughtful responses to it: Tory Bailey (the Executive Director of the Theatre Development Fund) provides a good overview of the history and of the conversations that generated the report and Todd London (the Artistic Director of New Dramatists) talks about how these partnerships distract from mission and further divide artists from administrators.

Bringing Together Different Audiences

Museum 2.0 looks at the age old problem that a museum is supposed to be for everyone, but marketing to everyone means appealing to no one. Their solution -- bringing together very different niche audiences with social bridging.

Overhead isn't evil

The Guardian has a piece on how good charities spend more on overhead in order to better fulfill their missions, despite the call for low-overhead from funders.

And Solid Funding Advice

A short piece on word of mouth fundraising.

Theatre Companies: Please stop doing this

An actor remarks on why he's tired of being an Asian Actor. A funny/sad look at white washing in casting from the point of view of the not cast.