With London's Menier Chocolate Factory's production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George previewing this week at the non-profit Roundabout Theatre's Studio 54, I thought I'd write a little something about the importance of The Roundabout and other non-profit theatres. The Roundabout is the largest non-profit theatre in New York. Founded in 1965, it was developed "to support its artistic mission of fostering emerging talent in play writing, performance, and stagecraft". The Roundabout was founded to offer alternatives to Broadway fare and to revive the classics which might appeal to a large audience but not to a mass audience. These theatres are an important part of the cultural fabric of the city but have met with much criticism in the past few years because it is felt that their productions are vying with Broadway and blurring the edges of non-profit and commercial theatre.
The non-profits have tax-free status and critics feel that if they are non-profit they should not receive government aid. The truth of the matter is that less than 1% comes from government funding. They subsist on subscriptions and private funding and all the proceeds go back into the productions enabling them to present theatre pieces that probably would not have a chance on Broadway. The theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres. Broadway investors will only invest in theatre that will attract large audiences to large theatres for large profits making it close to impossible for a newcomer to get their show biz break. Because of the private funding and the loyal support of subscribers, they can take more chances and do more cutting edge type of productions allowing newcomers a chance to debut their work in small venues with low overhead allowing for cheap ticket prices, some as low as $20. Broadway and even off-Broadway ticket prices are a barrier to younger audiences thus the often heard expression "the graying of audiences".
Take the recent Roundabout Theatre's Underground initiative which presented a play by a 27 year old playwright in this 62 seat, state-of-the-art theatre. Speech & Debate has been critically acclaimed and has just been extended for a second time and will play to sold-out audiences until February 24th. And who knows after that? It could be extended again or might even move to a larger off-Broadway or even a Broadway theatre. This could not have happened if it weren't for the non-profit's ability to take a risk.
In the case of Sunday in the Park with George, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine (librettist) wanted to do the Chocolate Factory's production of it at the Roundabout and approached Todd Haimes, the Artistic Director. They thought it would be better in a smaller "protected environment". Of course Roundabout was criticized for this and accused of going to London "to shop" for theatre to import. They were also criticized when their revival of Cabaret won the Tony Award in 1998 for Best Revival of a Musical stating that the Tony Awards should be a tool to promote commercial theatre and if Roundabout wants to vie for Tonys they should lose their tax-free status. Golly, and all this time I thought the Tony Awards were for excellence in theatre.
The wonderful thing about New York theatre is diversity. There's something for everyone's taste. New York needs the non-profits to showcase new artists, to make theatre affordable thus making it more accessible and then there's also educational functions. There's also something to be said for an intimate setting. Who knows, Stephen Karam who wrote Speech & Debate could be the next Neil Simon or Noel Coward.
A poster on a sign in my daughter's art classroom says, "All artists were first amateurs" - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Essayist/Poet. Isn't it wonderful that there are organizations with vision, determination and courage to turn an amateur into a pro.
The non-profits have tax-free status and critics feel that if they are non-profit they should not receive government aid. The truth of the matter is that less than 1% comes from government funding. They subsist on subscriptions and private funding and all the proceeds go back into the productions enabling them to present theatre pieces that probably would not have a chance on Broadway. The theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres. Broadway investors will only invest in theatre that will attract large audiences to large theatres for large profits making it close to impossible for a newcomer to get their show biz break. Because of the private funding and the loyal support of subscribers, they can take more chances and do more cutting edge type of productions allowing newcomers a chance to debut their work in small venues with low overhead allowing for cheap ticket prices, some as low as $20. Broadway and even off-Broadway ticket prices are a barrier to younger audiences thus the often heard expression "the graying of audiences".
Take the recent Roundabout Theatre's Underground initiative which presented a play by a 27 year old playwright in this 62 seat, state-of-the-art theatre. Speech & Debate has been critically acclaimed and has just been extended for a second time and will play to sold-out audiences until February 24th. And who knows after that? It could be extended again or might even move to a larger off-Broadway or even a Broadway theatre. This could not have happened if it weren't for the non-profit's ability to take a risk.
In the case of Sunday in the Park with George, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine (librettist) wanted to do the Chocolate Factory's production of it at the Roundabout and approached Todd Haimes, the Artistic Director. They thought it would be better in a smaller "protected environment". Of course Roundabout was criticized for this and accused of going to London "to shop" for theatre to import. They were also criticized when their revival of Cabaret won the Tony Award in 1998 for Best Revival of a Musical stating that the Tony Awards should be a tool to promote commercial theatre and if Roundabout wants to vie for Tonys they should lose their tax-free status. Golly, and all this time I thought the Tony Awards were for excellence in theatre.
The wonderful thing about New York theatre is diversity. There's something for everyone's taste. New York needs the non-profits to showcase new artists, to make theatre affordable thus making it more accessible and then there's also educational functions. There's also something to be said for an intimate setting. Who knows, Stephen Karam who wrote Speech & Debate could be the next Neil Simon or Noel Coward.
A poster on a sign in my daughter's art classroom says, "All artists were first amateurs" - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American Essayist/Poet. Isn't it wonderful that there are organizations with vision, determination and courage to turn an amateur into a pro.
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