All the World's a Stage

Prestige Can't Halt Downfall of Theater

2011-05-19T08:03:00.001-07:00

New York Times

By KATE TAYLOR

Published: May 18, 2011

Just months after the director Kate Whoriskey became artistic director of Intiman Theater, she learned it was broke. In April the theater’s board of trustees voted to close it and layoff the staff.

Intiman Cancels the Rest of Its 2011 Season

2011-04-19T11:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Friend of Intiman,

As many of you know, the past several months have been extremely challenging for Intiman Theatre. While we recently announced that the initial Impact Intiman campaign benchmark was met and that we were launching our strategic planning phase of the campaign, the reality of our financial situation has made it necessary to reevaluate the potential for the current season.

As much as we had hoped to conduct a strategic plan while operating, it is evident that we needed to close the 2011 season following the final performance of All My Sons. With our current income limitations there's no alternative.

Our primary intent has been and continues to be to preserve the future of Intiman - and our hope was to save the season, too. Simultaneous efforts to accomplish both are simply unattainable. While we are driven by that "show must go on" kind of determination, we must ensure that shows go on the Intiman stage for years and that can only happen if we pause, plan, and prepare for strong seasons in 2012 and beyond.

By canceling the current season, we preserve and protect the ability to serve the community in 2012, when the board intends to reopen the theatre and continue Intiman's history of presenting this community with engaging art. We are still working through details of how this impacts our constituents and will have more information available soon. Regretfully, we are unable to refund your ticket purchase price.

We are working to provide our ticketholders with the following:

-Tax deductible donation for remaining balance of subscription or ticket value

-Access to other area venues who have offered to provide Intiman patrons with an arts experience

-Invitation to participate and inform our programming and services in 2012 and beyond

Please spend a moment reading the Frequently Asked Questions document we've enclosed with this message. Over the past two days we've heard from many of our patrons and we want to reply to all of your inquiries. In the next week we will update the website with a comments page and we encourage you to share feedback and ask questions there.

The open support from the community has been very heartwarming. We know you want us to continue and we are grateful for your generosity during this time of repair and regrouping.

We are in the process of figuring out what will be needed for long-term viability. We will continue to communicate with our community in this process. We appreciate the patrons who have supported us during this time and we look forward to seeing you all again when the theatre returns.

With great appreciation,

Bruce Bradburn
President, Intiman Theatre Board of Trustees

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is Intiman closing? Intiman is going on a hiatus from producing plays that were scheduled to run in 2011. The board's intent is to reopen with a new season in 2012.

Is Intiman filing bankruptcy? There is not a plan to file bankruptcy at this time.

Where did the money you just raised go? Intiman has been in a daily cash crisis for many months now and the money raised went to support the artists and staff required to continue with the 2010 and 2011 productions and pay past due payables. The monthly expense of running a theatre the size of Intiman is very high even with budget cuts and staff reductions that were implemented. Since November 2010, we reduced the debt load of the theatre by paying off over $1.7 million of our indebtedness. This progress puts us in a stronger position for the theatre's future.

How do I get a refund? We regret that Intiman is not able to refund money for tickets to shows that will not take place this year. All season ticket holders will receive a tax-deductible receipt for the remaining balance of their subscription. Intiman will also attempt to find alternative options for ticket holders to enjoy theatre experiences in the area. For future planning, additional consideration and incentives for renewing subscribers will be developed for the 2012 season.

Why close in the middle of a season? As much as we had hoped to create a new strategic plan while operating, it is evident that we need to close the 2011 season following All My Sons. With our current income limitations there's no alternative.
Our primary intent has been and continues to be to preserve the future of Intiman - and our hope was to save the season, too. Simultaneous efforts to accomplish both are simply unattainable. While we are driven by that "show must go on" kind of determination, we must ensure that shows go on the Intiman stage for years and that can only happen if we pause, plan, and prepare for strong seasons in 2012 and beyond.

You said you needed $1 million plus the annual goal. Aren't you meeting those established benchmarks?
Our earned income budget for 2011 changed as we reviewed actual revenues and expectations with our consultant. As the extent of the financial crisis became clearer, extraordinary gifts received during the Impact Intiman campaign were not enough to overcome the day to day cash challenges. Even if we met the June and September Impact Intiman goals, the regular annual giving goals, and other revenue projections, Intiman could only continue to survive week-to-week. But, it would not thrive. It could not continue in a fashion that allows Intiman to be what it's been to this community for 39 years: a vibrant theatre that produces high quality art.

How much money will you need to raise now? The hiatus analysis will determine the future size of Intiman. It is unclear how the state of the theatre will impact future attendance and fundraising abilities. A budget will be based on the revenue potential of a new theatre model. The board realizes that it will be a multi-year process to win back loyal patrons and instill faith from the community of ticket buyers, subscribers and donors.

Who is going to lead the rebuilding process? The Board of Trustees will engage in a strategic planning and business model development phase. As part of this process they have engaged Susan Trapnell of Arts Consulting Group, Inc. Susan will work with the Board of Trustees and community stakeholders to identify the direction and leadership choices in order for the theatre to reopen and operate in a fiscally and operationally solvent manner.

What happens to the actors and employees you've hired? Artists and actors for The Call will be compensated according to their contracts for the production. All contracts for future productions will be honored according to the predetermined terms related to cancellations. Unfortunately, the part-time, full-time and seasonal administration and production employees will be terminated. The board regrets these ramifications of the decision to pause.

Have you identified the core problem?
The challenges at Intiman can be summarized in the work necessary to rebuild for the future, which will focus on:
-Governance
-Oversight
-Planning
-Communication

What does it mean to create a new model? The board and staff leadership needs to reexamine what has made this theatre vibrant the past 39 years and determine what it looks like to be Intiman in the future. How many shows can one season have? What types of shows and programs do we offer? What time of year works best for the theatre? How do we use our venue in order to maximize potential? Do we co-produce or present? Can we afford commissions? Should we share our venue? Are there other untapped sources that we should investigate? Who will lead the staff and operations on a daily basis? How many employees can we afford? What is essential to put on productions? And most importantly: what is our mission?

Giving Literature Virtual Life

2011-03-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Giving Literature Virtual Life

By PATRICIA COHEN

Published: March 21, 2011

New digital tools are bringing new ways to teach humanities courses, even Shakespeare.

Stage Matters: A short video on why / how / if theatre matters in America

2010-11-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

Stage Matters: A short video on why / how / if theatre matters in America from Theatre Communications Group

The STAGE MATTERS video captures artists, theatre leaders, patrons, educators, corporate executives and politicians around the country as they emphatically speak about the value of theatre and challenges we face in an ever-changing environment.

Shakespeare Quarto Archive Online

2010-01-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

The Shakespeare Quartos Archive is an open access digital collection of pre-1642 editions of William Shakespeare's plays. A cross-Atlantic collaboration has also produced an interactive interface for the detailed study of these geographically distant quartos, with full functionality for all thirty-two quarto copies of Hamlet held by participating institutions.

Serials Review

2009-09-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Dear School of Drama Faculty, Staff, and Students,

During the Spring Quarter, I advised you that an anticipated cut to the University Libraries materials budget would require a review of our journal, database, and other subscriptions with the aim of reducing our continuing obligations by up to $2 million annually. We are now nearing the end of this review and have linked a list of proposed cancellations to the Libraries Serials and Electronic Resources Review website at: http://www.lib.washington.edu/cms/serialsreview2009. The list, which is accessible to the UW community via NetId login, includes all the titles being considered for cancellation by the UW Seattle campus libraries, excluding Health Sciences. There is also a link to proposed Health Sciences cancellations.

The list can be sorted in title or broad disciplinary order, and it is searchable by title. There is a feedback mechanism where you may comment on titles you feel are essential or desirable to keep. The deadline for feedback is October 10.

Thank you for your help in this important task. If you have any questions about the 2009 Serials and Electronic Resources Review, feel free to contact me directly.

Angela Weaver
5-3693
aw6@u.washington.edu

Arts Programs in Academia Are Forced to Nip Here, Adjust There

2009-08-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

Arts Programs in Academia Are Forced to Nip Here, Adjust There
By PATRICIA COHEN
Published: August 10, 2009
New York Times

Students at public and private colleges and universities around the country will find arts programs, courses and teachers missing when they descend on campuses this fall.

Rethinking Gender Bias in Theater

2009-06-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Rethinking Gender Bias in Theater

By PATRICIA COHEN
Published: June 24, 2009
New York Times

A yearlong research project, conducted by a Princeton economics student, both confirms and upends assumptions about bias in the playwriting business.

Not Excited About the Tonys

2009-05-06T13:13:00.001-07:00

The Tony Award nominations were announced today with a few surprises (mostly of the "Why weren't they nominated" variety) and very little excitement on my part.

Lynn Nottage Wins 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

2009-04-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

Lynn Nottage was awarded the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for her play, Ruined, which was inspired by Mother Courage. Ruined is currently playing an extended engagement at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Stage I at City Center. The play opened on February 10, and MTC is currently offering tickets through May 10. Read more about the play and the Pulitzer Prize at Broadway.com

New Portrait of Shakespeare Emerges

2009-03-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

In a Time Magazine article, Stanley Wells, professor emeritus of Shakespeare Studies at Birmingham University and one of the world's most distinguished Shakespeare scholars, says he has identified a new portrait of the Bard.

Desktop Article Delivery

2009-03-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

Desktop article delivery from the UW Libraries and beyond... at no cost for current UW students, faculty and staff

I want to let you know about a special pilot project the Libraries is conducting this spring that faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, and staff will find useful.

From March through June, the UW Libraries will be piloting a service thatwill provide desktop delivery of journal articles. Libraries staff will pull and scan journal articles from print volumes held by the UW Libraries and deliver them electronically to your desktop free of charge. The purpose of the pilot is to gather data about the actual demand and costs for such a service. At the end of the academic year the results will be evaluated and we'll determine if a permanent pull and scan service is feasible. Of course, our budget situation for the coming year is uncertain at this point, but we think it's important to gather the data now so that we'll be in a position to make a decision in the future.

More information about the pilot project is available at http://www.lib.washington.edu/ill/pilot.html

Intiman Artistic Director Wins Tony

2008-06-16T09:19:00.001-07:00

Bartlett Sher, Artistic Director of Seattle's Intiman Theatre, won the Tony Award for Best Director for his revival of South Pacific. Read more about his win and the other award winners in the New York Times.

Artists in the Workforce

2008-06-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

The NEA has released a 250-page report, Artists in the Workforce" that tracks the number of professional artists across disciplines over a fifteen year period from 1990-2005. Not surprisingly, California had the highest number of actors per capita. There's an article in today's New York Times about the report with a breakdown of some of the statistics and a graph of artists by the numbers.

Tony Nominations

2008-05-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

From the New York Times: In the Heights Leads Tony Nominations Intiman Artistic Director Bartlett Sher was nominated for a “Best Direction of a Musical” Tony for the first-ever Broadway revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific. This marks Bart's third Tony nomination in four years.

I'll be off to the East Coast next week, maybe I'll get the chance to see some of the Tony nominated shows that are still running. Wish me luck!

Tracy Letts Wins 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

2008-04-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Letts won for his play, August: Osage County. You can read a review of the play in The New York Times. There's also a Times Topics page on Letts.

The Drama Library has Bug, Killer Joe, and Man from Nebraska.

New Due Dates for Plays

2008-02-05T12:50:00.000-08:00

Effective January 31, 2008, all acting editions, plays, collections of plays, and monologues will have the same loan periods as other books in the Drama Library collection. Undergraduates will be able to check out plays for four weeks and graduate and faculty will be able to check out plays for twelve weeks.

Drama Library Renovation

2007-12-28T10:19:00.000-08:00

Although we've still got some cleaning up to do and decorative items to add like more poster cases, the bulk of the Drama Library renovation is complete. We won't be rivaling Seattle Public any time soon for style and flash but the renovated space is a far cry from what the library used to look like. The space was painted, we added a Periodicals/Open Reserves/Monologue section with seating, had end panels put on our book shelves, created a new open Acting Editions section, added a couple of lounge chairs and a table, purchased a new circulation desk, and had security gates installed. Take a look at some of the after pictures.

Uncle Vanya

2007-06-26T10:52:00.000-07:00

A friend and I caught a matinee showing of Uncle Vanya at Intiman this past weekend. If you've never seen a Chekhov play, this production will be an entertaining and thoughtful introduction to an oft produced/seldom produced well dramatist. With direction by Bartlett Sher of a Craig Lucas adaptation, the production manages to walk the fine line between comedy and pathos necessary to navigate the triumphs and pitfalls of life as portrayed by Chekhov in his plays.

When Vanya is first introduced to us he seems buffoonish, idle, and unecessarily bitter towards and jealous of his brother-in-law, Professor Serebriakov, a scholar of literature and the arts. However, by the end of the play, the audience comes to understand Vanya's despair and his sometimes outrageous desires and hopes. Indeed, his actions begin to seem not only justified but appropriate in response to his provocations.

Featuring an amazingly fluid set by John McDermott, a haunting score by Adam Guettel (of The Light in the Piazza fame), and uniformly engaging performances (particularly by Mark Nelson as Vanya), this is a Vanya not to be missed.

Welcome!

2007-06-26T10:32:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the new Drama Library blog, All the World's a Stage. I will be posting interesting bits of library news and play reviews as well as soliciting information from you, the Drama Library user. Check back later in the summer for pics of our library refurbishment. Take care and have a great summer!