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Universi^ M icrollm s International 300 N /Hf B ROAD, ANN ARBOR. Ml -1810(3 18 Bi:Df CRD ROW, LONDON WC 1 R 4L.I, LNOLAND 1314450
BAKER, HARICEL QUINTANA THE WASHINGTON THEATER CLUB*
THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, H.A., 1979
COPR. 1980 BAKER, HARICEL QUINTANA UniwersiV Mlcrdrilrns International soon zlebroao.annAneoR.miasiog
0 C0PYRK2ÎT
by
MARICEL QUINTANA BAKER
1 9 8 0
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THE WASHINGTON THEATER CLUB
by
Maricel Quintana Baker
Submitted to the
Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences
of the American University
in Partial Fulfillment of
the Requirements of the Degree
of
Master of Arts
in
Arts Management
Signatures of Committee:
Chairman /
/ l — ^ y Dean ofir rnethe uoixegeCollege y / ' / j
-, ‘7 / V79 Date ' Date
1979
The American University Washington, D.C. 20016
THE AliLRI LUl UilIV^aSIVY LIBRARY
5 7 ^ 8 PREFACE
The following chapters are a study of the problems which befell the
Washington Theater Club and which eventually caused this professional resident theater to permanently close its doors.
The first chapter is a historical overview designed to give the reader an understanding of the birth, evolution and growth of the organization. Chapters II and III are an analysis of both the management structure and the financial records of the Club. It is in these two chapters that the reader perceives the problems which are examined as conclusions in Chapter IV. Chapter V proposes certain recommendations based on the research and evaluation of the four previous chapters.
My thanks to Hazel Wentworth and Martin Thaler, whose help and assistance made the research possible. To Valerie Morris for her patience and help in completing this document. To my mother for always instilling in me an ambition and thirst for knowledge, and to Ken for his love and support throughout all.
11 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ...... il LIST OF FIGURES ...... iv
Chapter
I. A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ...... 1
II. WTC'S MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE...... 23
Wentworth's Early Control: 1957-1963 ...... 25 Marlin-Jones' Leadership: 1964-1969...... 26 Marlin-Jones* Controversy: 1970-1972 ...... 29 Merger Prolongs Life: 1973-1974...... 32
III. WTC'S FINANCES...... 36
Financial Information— A History of Crises...... 36 Grants and Contributions...... 44 Loans and Trusts...... 47
IV. CONCLUSIONS ...... 49
Lack of Strong Leadership ...... 49 Lack of Sound Management...... 50 Limited Financial Resources ...... 50 Decline in Box-Office Appeal...... 51 Internal Conflicts...... 52
V. RECOMMENDATIONS...... 54
Employment of a Qualified Business Manager...... 54 Low Overhead Costs...... 54 Striving Towards Financial Stability...... 56 Balanced Seasons...... 57 Other Recommendations ...... 58
APPENDIX A: WASHINGTON THEATER CLUB PRODUCTIONS...... 59
APPENDIX B: WASHINGTON THEATER CLUB BOARD OF TRUSTEES PAST AND PRESENT...... 63
SOURCES CONSULTED ...... 64
iii LIST OF FIGURES
1. Stage A: 1957-1963 ...... 24 2. Stage B: 1964-1969 ..... 28 3. Stage C: 1970-1972 ...... 30 4. Stage D: 1973-1974 ...... 33 5. Stage D: 1974 (after the merger) ...... 35
i v CHAPTER I
A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
In Washington, D.C., on August 13, 1957 a meeting was called by a group of local citizens to discuss the organization of a theater club.
The formation of a club was a necessary step which allowed the group to occupy a newly acquired building at 1532 "O" Street, N.W. as a non commercial organization, and still comply with the area's zoning regula tions.
'Club' is a misnomer that was necessary because District zoning laws prohibited a theater in the residential neighborhood of north west Washington where the group found quarters in a former coach house and stable.^
The Washington Theater Club came into existence. John and Hazel
Wentworth were the founders of the Washington Theater Club (WTC) and of
its parent corporation, the Washington Drama Center, Inc. The
Wentworths purchased the building at "O" Street, and leased it to the
Corporation. The Club contracted with the Corporation to produce the plays, and in turn, it was to give a percentage of the net profits to
the Corporation. The Corporation also sponsored other activities
designed to involve the theater with the local community. These activ
ities were the Center Stage, Junior Stage and the Teenage Theater.
Since, according to law, only members and/or their guests can view
a show or engage in the activities of a club, the WTC had to sell club
memberships to those persons wishing to attend any functions. There
were two types of membership sold: Active and Associate. Active
^Joseph Wesley Zeigler, Regional Theatre (New York: Da Capo, ]977), p. 97. members paid a higher fee, and had the privilege of voting. Stock in the corporation was also sold to members of the club, although member ship was not to be confused with ownership of stock,
John and Hazel Wentworth invested $2,500.00 of their own funds as seed money in the corporation, in addition to purchasing the theatre building. To finance the renovation of the building and convert it into a theatre, more cash needed to be raised- Shares in the corporation were initially sold for $50.00 each. There were two types of stock offered, preferred and common. Owners of either type of stock were automatically members of the Theater Club. The sale of stock was not as successful as expected, raising only about $5,000.00 to $6,000.00 in cash during the early days of the organization.
The Wentworths purchased the building (a carriage house and stables} at "O" Street for $25,000.00. At the time of purchase, the building was filled with second-hand furniture. Some of it was sold and the rest of it was disposed of in various other ways. For instance, John
Wentworth tells of the reputable local antique dealer who took three very valuable Tiffany lamps with him under the promise to bring the money by later. The dealer was never heard from again.^
John Wentworth went to the drawing board to devise a plan for a theatre which would house about 150 seats, concentrating first on the type of stage which would fit best with the present shape of the building. The Wentworths moved their family's living quarters upstairs so that their rent paid the mortgage, and proceeded to renovate the rest of the building. This was truly a family affair. John, who according
^Interview with John Wentworth, Washington, D.C., 28 May 1979. to his wife, "had barely put up a curtain rod"^ beforehand, did a lot of the work with his own hands. The renovation work went on for two years. "We'd do some work, then run out of money and have to wait until we had some more. John put up the floor above the theater him self. Money often was raised through the sale of shares of steel and
AT&T stock which John had inherited from his mother upon her death in
1956.
John Wentworth recalls that in the beginning the theater’s lights were hand-made from stove pipes and coffee cans. His son-in-law made the first light board using a rudimentary dimmer system which when turned on, took a few minutes to warm up and get going. The home-made lights were hung on racks and personally inspected by Wentworth.
The results of all this work was a small theater seating 145 persons, which was a suitable size for the intimate feeling the
Wentworths had in mind. In the future, as they would grow, it was understood that the building could be remodelled to accommodate the larger audiences which they felt the company would attract. The stage was three-sided, and the theater provided ample space for a lobby, rehearsal room, storage space, dressing rooms and a small shop. The location was excellent, being in a reputable neighborhood easily acces sible to the immediate community and to the closer-in suburban areas.
The Washington Theater Club, in the words of John Wentworth, was created to "build and support a professional theater in Washington for actors to live and work in the Washington area, who want to work
^Meryle Secrest, "Their World is a Stage," Washington Post, 15 May 1962, Style Section.
"ibid. professionally in the theater."®
During the early days, John Wentworth kept a close watch on the
Club's activities in order to insure consistent policies. All working committees and volunteer groups reported directly to him. As the elected President of the Club, Wentworth carried out these responsibil ities in addition to his regular duties as a full-time employee of the
Embassy of Japan.
For the first two years, the Wentworths explored the needs and wishes of those individuals who were interested in the WTC, shaped the theater's future direction and conducted activities which involved the community surrounding the theater. The Club's activities in the early days consisted of fencing classes, a Shakespearian workshop and improvisational theater. Other activities were soon added. These activities developed and grew, and remained a vital part of the organization under the direction of Hazel Wentworth. The Junior Stage offered classes to children between the ages of six and twelve. Adult classes were offered during weeknights in acting, playwriting and directing. Teenage Theater offered classes in acting, fencing, dance, speech and improvisation techniques to young adults. (Teenage Theater had been running since 1950, when the Wentworths lived at the corner of
36th and Volta Streets in Georgetown. There, at their home, with the aid of an old piano, they managed to train youngsters in the basics of theater. In the beginning, kids enrolled in the program had to sell the appropriate number of tickets required to pay for their tuition costs. It was John Wentworth's philosophy that the children would be more appreciative of their audiences, and at the same time, would
®John B. Wentworth, from the WTC files at the Martin Luther King Library for the Arts, Washington, D.C. experience the economic dilemmas of being a performer.)
During the early days of remodeling, the membership ranks increased slowly. By the Fall of 1963 there were "sixty active members and sixty patrons . . . who had voting privileges.
In its early days, the Club moved back and forth among amateur, semiprofessional, and fully professional standings, depending on the project of the moment; it was the strongest of several groups in orbit around the larger Arena Stage.^
In 1960, the Wentworths initiated their professional theater policy undertaking the responsibility of maintaining Equity (Actors' Equity
Association) status. This first professional season was unanimously acclaimed by Washington critics. With the establishment of an Equity company, the WTC took its first step towards becoming a resident profes sional theater. (Later, the WTC joined the League of Resident Theaters
— LORT). In becoming an Equity house, the WTC essentially agreed to recognize Actors' Equity Association as the exclusive bargaining representative of all the actors (principals and chorus) and stage managers employed by the theater and abide by the rules and regulations established by the Actors' Equity Association.
After two successful summer seasons as a professional Equity theater the Wentworths prepared to present the WTC's first winter season. Chosen to direct this effort was the highly regarded Sam Rosen,
Director and co-founder of both the Phoenix Theatre in Los Angeles and the Surrey Theatre in Maine. The Wentworths' plan was to produce four unfamiliar plays by well known writers. This 1962 season began shortly after the new year and continued until the month of August.
®Minutes, Board Meeting, September, 1963.
^Zeigler, Regional Theatre, p. 97. The next season, in 1963, the WTC imported from London The
Establishment, a well known original British satirical revue. That season a production of Brecht on Brecht featured the then unknown talents of Micky Grant, Roscoe Lee Browne, Logan Ramsey and Dolores
Sutton. Both productions were well received in the area. An excellent production of The Blacks by Jean Genet, starring Billy Dee Williams as
Deodatus opened the 1964 season.
The 1964 season also saw the departure of John Wentworth as Artistic
Director. Unfortunately at this time, and after many years together, the Wentworth marriage dissolved, leaving Hazel to deal with the every day duties and problems of the theater. Hazel Wentworth was subsequently elected Executive Director.
In January of 1964 the WTC acquired the status of a nonprofit corporation. A nonprofit corporation is governed by rules and regula tions which dictate that:
• it must have a board of trustees;
• it must have as its purpose the public good and/or public service;
• it must not issue dividends to its members and/or stockholders;
• it may receive tax-deductible contributions, and
• it must compile a set of by-laws at the time of incorporation.
Under its new non-profit status, the WTC received its first grant.
In 1965 the Stern Family Fund granted the WTC the sum of $6,000, to be used to hire a much needed Business Manager. The financial state of
the organization was insecure :
Much more money is needed to insure the coming season. Currently, many bills are in arrears, including telephone, Internal Revenue Withholding, etc."®
®Minutes, Executive Committee Meeting, WTC, May 3, 1965. On September 1, 1965 with the monies received from the Stern Family
Fund, Davey Marlin-Jones was hired. When Marlin-Jones arrived, his title was that of Artistic Director. Marlin-Jones accepted the position with the understanding that he would be Artistic Director and also perform the duties of Managing Director.
The presence of Davey Marlin-Jones at the WTC was the beginning of a new era. During the next few years, the WTC attained an excellent artistic reputation while suffering serious and continuing financial and management problems.
The first show for 1965-1966 featured Billy Dee Williams in Slow
Dance on the Killing Ground. Later in that season, the WTC was a pioneer, presenting Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party two years before its New York run. The last show of the 1965-1966 season. Spread Eagle, an original musical satire/revue, was the first of many shows of its kind, with a new and different edition created and performed once a year for the next six seasons.
During the 1965-1966 season, attendance doubled, receipts increased and artistic reputation spread nationwide. WTC presented eight profes sional Washington premieres, five or six of which were world premieres.
Financially, the Club had approximately $3,000 in back debts. The next season's budget showed a projected deficit of approximately $26,000.®
The 1966-1967 season was successful in attracting audiences, play ing to 98% capacity. (During 1964-1965, season subscribers had numbered only 43 persons. By the end of 1965-1966, there were 342 subscribers, and 1540 by the end of 1966-1967.^ During this last season, there
®Minutes, Board Meeting, May 3, 1966.
Geoffrey A. Wolf, Washington Post, 23 April 1967, Style Section. were some definite artistic successes with The Fantasticks and Waters of
Babylon. Other productions were labeled "good, honest and thoughtful
The combination of good artistic reviews, full houses but little money had become the norm for WTC. More and more, different people started to express the need for larger WTC quarters :
Phillip Stern said one way to bring more money would be to present one of the most popular shows over the summer season. But we need to find more room— either to fit more seats into this building or to find a larger building. We could run a theater twice this size for little more expenditure.
There's no doubt that this group would benefit greatly from larger quarters, but its mentors have the imagination to turn a minus into a plus.
In addition to the regular season, other activities kept WTC staff members busy. with funds provided by the Mayor's Council on the Arts in 1956, WTC conducted a five-week summer training and performing program for members of the Black Drama Club of Anacostia, in which approximately fifteen under-privileged teenagers participated. The summer theater training program continued throughout the life of the theater. In addition, a grant from the Hattie M. Strong Foundation funded special courses in fencing, dance, speech, improvisation and acting techniques for thirty Black teenagers. Later on that year, an
HEW grant enabled WTC to conduct classes in professional theater for the Bowie State College in Maryland.
Readings of new plays were held at the theater on the customary dark Monday nights. One featured José Quintero, the well known director,
Alan Kriegsman, Washington Post, 21 January 1967, Style Section.
Minutes, Annual Meeting, November 17, 1967.
Richard L. Coe, Washington Post, 7 October 1967, Style Section. participating in a round-table discussion on Latin American Drama.
That evening, the presentation of five Chilean plays drew a sizeable
audience which included the Ambassador to the U.S. from Chile, Sergio
Gutierrez Olivos.^"
Monday nights were shared by the then newly formed Theater Chambre
Players, a chamber music group formed to perform new contemporary music.
According to Lawrence Sears, music critic for the then Evening Star:
"Audience attention was hardly a problem at the Monday night concert
of modern music by the Theatre Chamber Players."^®
In later years, among other Monday night happenings, was the
premiere of a fifty-five minute, four-part work by a Washington area
jazz artist, Marshall R. Hawkins, with the participation of Roberta
Flack.
The 1967-1968 season began with My Sweet Charlie, a then unfamiliar
play about a white girl and a Black man trying to understand each other.
That season saw the world premiere of No Man's Land and the American
premiere of Five Evenings.
The 1968-1959 season opened with The Gingham Dog. It was announced
at that time that the WTC would open the 1969-1970 season at a future
location in Capitol Hill. The plan was to enlarge and renovate the
Capitol Hill Penn Theatre. However, the season was an overall success,
with its share of artistic and box-office ups and downs.
Throughout this 1968-1969 season, the WTC, its staff and Board of
14 LeRoy F. Aarons, Washington Post, 22 October 1968, Style Section.
15'Lawrence Sears, (Washington) Evening Star, 4 February 1959, Arts and Entertainment Section. 10
Directors, continued to seek a larger home for the theater An old church was for sale at 2 3rd and L Streets, N.W. A group of WTC people saw the church, became interested and agreed that the building seemed to be suitable for WTC's purposes. Inside, the church had a large auditorium, several rooms suitable for dressing rooms and offices, and adequate toilet facilities. Also available were a large kitchen, a lobby area and as possible rehearsal space a large room downstairs.
Under the leadership of the President of the Board of Directors,
Washington attorney Martin S. Thaler, the WTC moved to take the neces sary steps to acquire the building on 23rd and L Streets. A proposal was made to the church to lease the building; however, the owners only wanted to sell. An offer was made to purchase, and an all cash price of $435,000 was accepted by the sellers. The First National Bank of
Washington financed the loan, provided that the Stern Foundation guaranteed the repayment. In the final purchase agreement, the Bank approved the loan to the WTC, with the backing of the Stern Foundation.
The Foundation obtained the personal commitment of each of the WTC
Board members, totalling 50% of the loan. Settlement date was set for sixty days after the signing of the contract, thus allowing occupancy by April 1. Award-winning Washington architect Hugh N. Jacobson took charge of the renovation plans. Provided all renovation activities went according to schedule, the WTC would start the 1969-1970 season in the new theater.
Architect Jacobson planned a theater that was to seat 400 patrons on a large orchestra floor, with an existing rake and a short balcony.
The stage was to measure about forty feet across, with a system of interlocking modules and several rows of movable seats, to provide for a flexible stage design which could change from the standard proscenium IX to a modified 3/4 round. The interior decor, a part of Jacobson's entire design, was set in blues, reds and white. Dark blue walls and blue carpeting provided a striking contrast with the maroon chairs.
The estimated $90,000 cost for the renovation included the restyling of the blonde-brick exterior, with the addition of a driveway and a marquee.
The next few months were of vital importance for the WTC's renova tion efforts at the church. Several problems surfaced because of specific building code regulations not previously known, as well as rising labor costs. These snags prompted the formation of a special monitoring committee for the process of renovation. This committee was to approve any expenditure on the new building. A $20,000 grant from the Meyer Foundation provided the first monies to carry out the remodel ing plans. The property settlement was finally accomplished on May 26,
1969, not in April, as initially expected.
While the remodeling plans were foremost in the minds of the WTC
Board and staff, another important event took place. This was the announcement that the WTC was the winner of the coveted Margo Jones
Award. The WTC was chosen among all resident professional theatres in the nation to receive the Margo Jones Award in recognition of its outstanding work in the development of new American playwrights. The
WTC had indeed been very active in the development of new playwrights.
During the four seasons prior to the award, the WTC had presented the work of sixty-three writers new to Washington audiences. The season of the Margo Jones Award saw WTC produce four works which were to go on to new audiences after their run here :
• THE GINGHAM DOG, 12
• LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS,
• MR. TAMBO, MR. BONES,
• WHO'S HAPPY NOW?^®
With the receipt of the Margo Jones Award, the WTC was recognized as a national leader in the production of new plays and the development of new playwrights. The Ford Foundation took this into consideration in awarding the WTC a grant in the amount of $250,000, with the first installment being $100,000. This grant temporarily eased the WTC’s financial difficulties.
Because of the delay in settlement on the church property, and the subsequent delays in the renovation procedures, the WTC was forced to open the 1969-1970 season at the "O" Street Theater The new theater was barely ready for the opening of the second production of the season, the musical The Decline and Fall of the Entire World as Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter. The official gala opening occurred in January
1970 with Mayor Walter Washington presiding, and other Washington VIP's in attendance.
The 1969-1970 season increased the number of subscribers to an all time high of 9 0 0 0 . Artistically, the season received mixed reviews
(three out of eight shows received negative reviews from the resident
Washington critics). As time went on, opposition to Davey Marlin-Jones grew.
At the June 2, 1970 Board meeting, Mr. Thaler reported that twenty
Board members had pledged for the support requested at the April 13
16 WTC files. Promotion Fact Sheet on Margo Jones Award.
Minutes, Board Meeting of October 10, 1969. 13 meeting, and that he had drawn a loan in order to pay the contractors and stop foreclosure.^® By the July 21 meeting, subscriptions for the fast approaching 1970-1971 season were not high as the Board had anticipated.
Mr. Walton distributed copies of a subscription report. We are still about $50,000 short of the budget on subscriptions, and this amount will have to be made up from other sources. The budget for for the year shows a deficit of about $140,000.^®
The 1970-1971 season opened with The Effect of Gamma Rays on the
Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds. This play ran for seven weeks and grossed
$47,000 at the box office (73% capacity of house). The next production.
The Last Days of Issac, ran for five weeks at 81% capacity and grossed
$36,500.^® About this time, WTC received a grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts, for $25,000. A $25,000 gift was also received from the Cafritz Foundation. Although the Ford Foundation grant allowed the WTC to relax a little, substantial monies still needed to be raised in order to economically survive the season.
Means of dramatizing the fund drive were mentioned. Mrs. Saltzman suggested a mailing asking for contributions. It was agreed to a card and envelope to go out with the mailing of tickets. The implementation of other ideas must be carried out.
By March of 1970, the financial picture was not any better. Mr.
Thaler advised that liens had been filed against the L Street property by contractors, and that unless $75,000 could be raised by April 30, the theatre would be closed down. This prompted a resolution by the
Minutes, Board Meeting, June 2, 1970.
Minutes, Board Meeting, September 28, 1970.
Minutes, Board Meeting, December 18, 1970.
Minutes, Board Meeting, October 10, 1969. 14
Board requesting $3,000 from each member by that date. This figure would be deducted from any subsequent cash contributions which each member brought in as a result of fund raising.
Davey Marlin-Jones' contract had been renewed, although he and his supporters encountered some opposition from several Board members, and he was functioning solely as the WTC's Artistic Director. William
Walton was simultaneously hired to function as Managing Director.
Thomas N. Tully, Jr. was brought in by Mr. Walton to take charge as the
Fund-Grant-Gift Coordinator, and Hazel Wentworth remained as Executive
Director in charge of the theater school.
Davey Marlin-Jones' contract was renewed for the following season.
The contract, for one year in length, stated that the artistic director would not direct more than four plays without the approval of the
Board. A memorandum was also drafted to the effect that Mr. Marlin-
Jones' activities as an arts critic for the Post-Newsweek station,
WTOP-TV, would not interfere with his duties at WTC.^® Plans were also made to have some of the next season's plays directed by guest directors. Upon her request. Hazel Wentworth's position was redefined and resulted in the conclusion that the Executive Director be considered a member of the Executive Committee of the Board, and as such, be included in all policy-making decisions, and be informed in advance regarding changes in operation.^
At this point in its history, the WTC Board made an attempt to
Minutes, Board Meeting, April 13, 1970.
Minutes, Board Meeting, May 11, 1971.
^"ibid. 15 improve and/or re-design its internal structure. Board President
Martin Thaler, in a memorandum to the Board, stated:
The Washington Theater Club administers many varied activities at a cost of almost a half-million dollars each year. It has never had active committees with continuing responsibilities. We now have an opportunity— and particularly the chairmen of the respective committees— to create an effective committee system to serve the Washington Theater Club for many years to come.
All Committees should function independently with their own secretarial help. We are all aware of the limited resources of the theater. The staff is overworked and should not be called upon for secretarial or other assistance unless there is no alternative.
Some of these committees were very successful in their endeavors :
A letter from Mrs. Salzman, Chairman of the Committee on Productions, was read to the Board meeting and her report on the various plays under consideration was passed around. Mr. Walton said the Committee on Productions under Mrs. Salzman's chairmanship functioned extremely well.
Mr. Abramson reported for the Publicity and Public Relations Committee as Co-Chairman. He said WTC is stronger in these areas than it has been. We are getting better publicity and better continuity of notices than any other theater he knows. Regarding TV stations, he has asked them to put into writing the number of times when they put in free spots for WTC. Usually these spots are late at night. Forty commercials were run during August. Over $4,000 worth of free time has been donated— 1,500,000 exposures to people. WMAL-TV has just begun to run our material. He said he committed us today to something at the Advertising Club of Washington— a night at the WTC or some sort of publicity.
The 1971-1972 season opened with Adaptation/Next, a straight play which did $4,000 better than any other previous straight play at the
WTC.
The 1971-1972 season, which proved to be the last season with
Marlin-Jones as Artistic Director, drew mixed reactions from the local
Memorandum from M. Thaler to Board, May 13, 1971.
Minutes, Board Meeting, September 13, 1971.
27 Minutes, Board Meeting, October 27, 1971. 16 critics.
Many Washingtonians attended the opening night performance of Lady
Audley's Secret. This play closed the 1971-1972 season, and ended
Davey Marlin-Jones' seven-season association with the WTC. Tom Shales seemed to disagree with a lot of people in Washington as well as some from New York when he stated that:
You have your choice. A piece of crap at Arena Stage or a piece of shit at Washington Theater Club. This is truly ending the season with a bang— two bombs. Arena's is called Tricks and Theater Club's is Lady Audley's Secret.
Among those attending were Ms. Ethel Merman and Ms. Perle Mesta.
They, in the company of many others, enjoyed the party hosted by Ms.
Mesta in honor of her long-time friend and star of the show, Mr. Russell
Nype. Present also were the show's producer and backer, ready to take the play with most of its cast to open on Broadway three months later.
The season's subscriptions amounted to over 8,000 (lower than the 9,000 of the previous season). In spite of the lower numbers, the Board was pleased with the results, especially in light of competition from the newly opened Kennedy Center, the young Washington Performing Arts
Society, the reputable Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage, and of course.
Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts.
The summer of 1972 brought with it a search for a new artistic director. The Board decided that WTC should have a resident artistic director who would personally direct two or three plays per season, and who would take charge of hiring and supervising visiting directors.
Tom Shales, Washington Post, 1 June 1972, Style Section.
Judith Martin, Washington Post, 1 June 1972, Style Section. 17
Stephen Aaron was hired to fill the vacancy left by Marlin-Jones, Mr.
Walton remained as Managing Director, Ms. Wentworth as Executive
Director, and a Director of Communications was hired. His duties would consist of public relations, fund raising, subscription drives and group sales.
The 1972-1973 season opener was another Spread Eagle revue. Spread
Eagle Papers had a record-breaking box office.
Ceremonies in Dark Old Men was the most successful production of this season. A combination of expert direction and a solid play were responsible for "a fine, stirring production for this first-rate drama.
The last play for the 1972-1973 season was The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, a United States premiere. The Ecstasy of Rita Joe played to full houses at the WTC. Chief Dan George, Indian chief turned actor at the age of
60, starred in the production. He had received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the movie Little
Big Man.
Davey Marlin-Jones' resignation as Artistic Director brought into stronger light some of the internal struggles that had been going on at the WTC. Rumors had persisted since the previous season that there was friction between the artistic and business sides of the theater, principally between the Artistic Director and the Managing Director.
Bill Walton stated that he and Marlin-Jones had "never had any arguments whatsoever," but Marlin-Jones said that "there are always clashes when
30 Richard L. Coe, Washington Post, 18 January 1973, Style Section, 18 strong personalities get together."
Board members were asked by the Board's Executive Committee to be present at as many meetings as possible. Also, it was suggested that
"it be reiterated that Board members become season subscribers."®^ The following entry in the Board minutes suggests friction between the Board and staff;
The President asked that Board members refrain from calling staff members directly demanding service of one kind or another. He stated that he has instructed the staff to notify him of any such demands made by Board members. The idea is to coordinate Board activities and to see that Board members do not exceed their authority with the staff.®®
Bill Walton, Managing Director, submitted his resignation during the fall of that year. This created some apprehension on the part of the staff. Because a manager is necessary to conform with certain
Equity requirements, Mr. Aaron was appointed to serve as Managing
Director as well as Artistic Director.
The financial picture during this time was as it had been many times before: BLEAK.
Mr. Murray [Board President] discussed briefly the financial picture of WTC and then turned the meeting over to Mr. Good, who presented the necessity of obtaining a second-trust of $140,000 to pay off short-term loans and to provide operating capital. To obtain the second trust, it would be necessary for Board members to sign pledges of credit. After much discussion, Mr. Good moved that the President be authorized to borrow $140,000 from First National Bank and such short-term financing as necessary. Motion passed unanimously.®"
®®Tom Shales, Washington Post, 20 July 1972, Style Section,
®^Minutes, Board Meeting, August 31, 1972.
®®Minutes, Board Meeting, October 4, 1972.
®" Ibid. 19
Although fund-raising plans were developed by the Fund Raising
Committee, the financial troubles continued on into December of that year ;
Mr. Aaron stated that WTC was in dire straits and additional monies must be in hand within four days to keep the theater open. Mr. Good asked for additional pledges and increases in current pledges. Several members complied with his request, raising enough for the immediate crisis.®®
To add to the financial worries of the WTC, earlier that year a
D.C. Superior Court Judge had denied the club's request for an exemption from real estate and property taxes on the basis of its standing as a school. The judge ruled that the WTC had to pay some $30,000 in back taxes for a three-year period. Earlier that year, the club's Artistic
Director, Stephen Aaron, had resigned, only to be followed a few weeks later by the resignation of the Board President. About the same time that the president resigned, the club was faced with having to raise an immediate $17,500 in cash for operating expenses. This cash was donated by the Board. In the midst of all this. Hazel Wentworth,
Executive Director, described the theater's economic situation as
"stabilized and improved," and reported the club "doing well on the current show (Something Wild)."®®
Something Wild was the last Equity production of the WTC. An evening of three short plays by Tenessee Williams, the production was well received by both Washington critics and audiences alike. Other
shows (all imports from New York) followed Something Wild. Some were
successful: Inner City, a black musical which received excellent
®®Minutes, Board Meeting, December 11, 1972.
Tom Shales, Washington Post, 20 June 1973, Style Section. 20 reviews, and Behind the Broken Words, an evening of poetry and drama readings by two very talented actors, Anthony Zerbe and Roscoe Lee
Browne.
The summer of 1973 saw the merger of the Washington Theater Club
(WTC) and the New Theater of Washington. Several factors contributed to this merger :
• The aforementioned refusal by a D. C. Judge to grant the WTC
an exemption from owed real estate and property taxes which
amounted to $30,000 for a period of three years;
• The latest and most immediate cash flow crisis of $17,500 for
operating expenses;
• The resignation of both the Producing Director and the President
of the Board ;
• The lack of subscription renewals, which had only risen to 1000
by the middle of June, and
• The inability of the WTC to raise any more than about half of
the $120,000 goal for the coming year in grants and private
gifts.
The two theaters first came together in summer of 1972 when Paul
Allen’s New Theater of Washington leased the WTC facilities. This arrangement started Hazel Wentworth and Paul Allen to start talking of a possible future joint venture. The financial troubles of the WTC, and the lack of a suitable and permanent home for the New Theater speeded up the merger process. A grant from the Eugene and Agnes Meyer
Foundation made this alliance possible. WTC subscribers received notices that a six-play season would begin in January 1974.^^
Richard L. Coe, Washington Post, 8 November 1973, Style Section. 21
Unless it can come up with $25,000 by July 1, the WTC faces the loss of the 380-seat theater at 23rd and L Streets, N.W. The First National Bank of Washington will hold a foreclosure sale on the building because the club has been unable to dent mortgages totaling more than $500,000 and back interest that amounts to more than $30,000.^®
During 1974, the club tried several ideas to save itself. Both the Kennedy Center and Arena Stage were approached to have the WTC theater building adopted as an experimental showcase— both attempts
failed. In a last effort to raise the money needed by July 1, 1974,
full-costumed actors stood outside the theater for two days and per formed skits, sang songs and passed the hat for donations. The effort was not successful, and "netted only a couple of thousand dollars, and left the theater with a long way to go."®® The theater got a reprieve when the July 1 deadline had to be extended by the bank due to technical delays in the legal proceedings.
Hazel Wentworth's letter of resignation came in June. "Of course," she wrote, "I will continue to work on a voluntary basis to raise money to help the Washington Theater Club keep going."**®
The final days came in September 1974 when the theater building was finally sold at an auction to eight of the club's former trustees
for $435,000. Ironically, the sale price was the same as what the
Theater Club had paid for the building when it was first purchased in
1969. The eight purchasers had been those Board members who had
guaranteed a $140,000 second trust taken on the building in 1972 in
®®Tom Shales, Washington Post, 7 June 1974, Style Section.
®®Tom Shales, Washington Post, 2 July 1974, Style Section.
‘*®Hazel Wentworth to WTC Board of Directors, 10 June 1974. 22 order to pay for mounting debts. "The purchase price pays off the first trust, leaving the second trust, $140,000, still to be raised."**^
Even after the sale of the theater building and the official resignation of Mrs. Wentworth, the spirit of the WTC kept trying to revive itself. The last and unofficial meeting of what was left of the Board of Directors took place at the home of one of its members on April 13, 1975.
The summer of 1974 had been a crisis summer for several cultural organizations in Washington, D.C. During those summer weeks, the
National Ballet Company folded; the American Theatre at L'Enfant Plaza flopped after one season as a legitimate stage; the D.C. Black Repertory
Company suffered, but survived, crucial financial crunches; the Opera
Society of Washington lost a $38,000 Ford Foundation grant because of its inability to come up with matching funds; and the Washington Theater
Club ceased to exist.
41 Tom Shales, Washington Post, 10 September 1974, Style Section.
42 Tom Shales, Washington Post, 7 July 1974, Style Section. 23
CHAPTER II
WTC'S MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
During its seventeen years of existence (1957-1974), the Washington
Theater Club went through several developmental stages in its management structure. This chapter describes the following stages:
A - Wentworth's Early Control: 1957-1963
B - Marlin-Jones' Leadership: 1964-1969
C - Marlin-Jones' Controversy: 1970-1972
D - Merger Prolongs Life: 1973-1974
In its earliest days, the WTC was a dream and a venture jointly shared by John and Hazel Wentworth. Slowly, interested friends joined them in the fulfillment of that dream and shared in their venture.
John Wentworth, as the President of the organization, kept very close control of the activities. He delegated many of the everyday duties of the operation of the theater and the adjunct school to his wife
Hazel.
When the theater was organized in 1957, in order to comply with zoning laws (as described in Chapter I), it was necessary to define its management structure as a club. Officers of the club were elected from amongst those present, and a committee was selected to draw up the by-laws. As stated in these by-laws, the purpose of the club was :
To promote the study of participation and enjoyment of the legitimate theater in all its phases; to promote full discussion and exchange of ideas regarding the planning and conduct of these activities; and to engage professional groups for the entertainment of the club members.*
*Minutes, Board Meeting, September 9, 1957. 24
/ Washington / Drama \ Center
Washington Theater Club
John Wentworth, President
• Vice Pres • Secretary • Treasurer Hazel Wentworth
Community Activities ;
Committees : Guest Director Teenage Theater Center Stage • Membership and Staff junior Stage • Fund Raising • Publicity e Activities • Play Contest • Membership
General
Membership
Fig. 1, Stage A; 1957-1963 25
Stage A: 1957-1963
This first stage of organization found John Wentworth elected
President and in charge of all matters pertaining to the Club. He kept close reins on all activities. {The loss of this tight control was one of the motivating factors for John's eventual departure from the
WTC. )
Figure 1 clearly explains the initial management structure of the
WTC.
In 1963, the Washington Theater Club became a nonprofit corporation,
The law requires that all nonprofit corporations must have a Board of
Directors and Articles of Incorporation (By-laws). This lessened John
Wentworth's control— the By-laws state in Article II, Section 1, that;
The governing body of directors of the club shall be knows as the Board of Trustees, and said Board shall have final power and authority in all matters.^
When Wentworth was questioned in an interview about his reasons for leaving WTC— after some evasiveness and an attempt to avoid the question altogether— he replied:
I wanted to be a director--an artistic director. I wanted to pick plays, direct them and teach . . . I was fed up with all of the administration, I put up all this money and effort and I still was not able to direct as I wanted!^
In 1964, when Mr. Wentworth terminated his relationship with the
WTC, someone had to be found who could fill the spot he had vacated.
As a nonprofit organization, the WTC became eligible to receive grants and gifts as tax-deductive contributions. The first grant received
^WTC Articles of Incorporation, Article II, Section 1, September, 1963.
^Interview with John Wentworth, Washington, D.C., 28 May 1979. 26 was from the Stern Family Fund, and it was designed to enable the theater to hire a Business Manager for the first time.
With the departure of John Wentworth, the Board of Directors assumed the leadership role, and appointed Hazel Wentworth as Executive
Director. According to the new By-laws, the Executive Director was the
"principal executive and administrative officer of the club,"** and had the authority to "employ and discharge persons for the purposes of the programs and activities undertaken by the club."® However, the By-laws also stated that the Executive Director was under the supervision of the
Board and "the club would not be bound by any contract of the Executive
Director except if such contract has been authorized by resolution of the Board of Trustees."® (Eventually, Hazel Wentworth lost most of the power and control that she had enjoyed when her husband John was with the club, and essentially she was delegated to running the theater school.)
Stage B; 1964-1969
Davey Marlin-Jones was hired for the position of Business Manager, but with a twist: he would be the Managing and Artistic Director. This move may have been the WTC’s first mistake, in that he seemed to have the qualifications for Artistic Director, but not for Managing Director.
Marlin-Jones came to the WTC with some definite ideas regarding the organization's artistic path, and guided it in his direction for several years. By 1969, the WTC had received the coveted Margo Jones Award for
**WTC Articles of Incorporation, Article VII, September, 1963.
®Ibid.
®Ibid. 27
Artistic Excellence, and the theater had obtained a national reputation
for its support and encouragement of new plays and playwrights. In his quest for new works and new authors, Marlin-Jones worked as indepen dently from the Board as he possibly could. This inherent spirit of artistic autonomy, his sometimes controversial personality and the fact that he did not always produce artistic successes and/or box-office records, created an ambience of friction between Marlin-Jones and the
Board.
As can be seen from Figure 2, the Board of Directors was in control, with both the Artistic and Executive Directors under its supervision.
Both Directors fought against this supervision, and tried to attain a balance of power which would be beneficial for the organization.
In 1966, the role of the Executive Director was re-defined by the
Board, this time losing additional power. The following statement was approved by the Board as an amendment to the By-laws :
Section 1 ; There shall be an Executive Director and a Managing Director, both employed by the Board of Trustees upon such terms and conditions as it deems desirable. The Executive Director shall, in conjunction with the Managing and Artistic Director, be respon sible for the general accomplishment and administration of the policies, programs and activities of the club as provided for by the Board of Trustees. The Managing and Artistic Director shall be the principal executive and administrative officer of the club. Both the Executive Director and the Managing and Artistic Director shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Trustees and of the Executive Committee.^
As the theater grew in reputation and in audience, so grew the management problems. Martin Thaler, then President of the Board,
stated at the time :
. . . it has become obvious that we have a serious management problem. We need a full time, able manager, who can place
^WTC By-laws, Amendment to Article VII, February, 1966. 28
^ WTC I Board of Directors
Committee : President Vice President/ / Secretary / Treasurer ^ Tommitteesl' Executive Nominations ZIZ Director Project Managing S Finance & Artistic Membership Director Volunteers Theater School Business
(1968) Staff : • Business Manager (to '67) # Public Relations Director # Tech Director Membership • Support Staff
Fig. 2. Stage B: 1964-1969 29
priorities on personnel and expenditures and who will produce accounting reports, without the Trustees being involved in getting them out .... with regards to Mr. Marlin-Jones, who was originally hired as the Managing and Artistic Director (Mr. Thaler said), Mr. Jones stated that he did not wish to be Managing Director next year.®
In 1968, Bryan Clark joined the theater as Business Manager.
Clark was a friend of Marlin-Jones, and like him, did not have a strong business background. His expertise was in the artistic side of the theater.
Stage C: 1970-1972
In 1969 a new Managing Director replaced Bryan Clark, and Bill
Walton joined the WTC. He, like Clark, was also a friend of Marlin-
Jones, and again, an individual whose forte was not the business side of theater. His duties were to conduct the everyday operations of the theater, as well as financial and budgetary issues. With Walton on the staff, Marlin-Jones was free to devote more time to the selection of plays and to other events such as the Monday Night Readings. Later, in 1970, a new Funds-Grant-Gift Coordinator was hired, in addition to an already existing Director of Public Relations (see Figure 3).
The years that Davey Marlin-Jones was Artistic Director were marred with internal conflicts between the Board, the Executive Director, the Business Manager and Marlin-Jones himself. According to some Board members interviewed, he was a controversial figure from the beginning.
He convinced the then President of the Board, Phillip Stern (of the
Stern Family Fund), to hire him in a dual role as Managing and Artistic
Director, although in Mr. Marlin-Jones' own words, "I never had any background in business management, I was a Managing Director and
®Minutes, Board Meeting, January 27, 1970. 30
WTC Board of Directors Committees : • Nominations ExecSjtive" • Project Committee : • Pub. & PR • Bldgs & Grds I * President • Education ( * Vice President! • Production • Secretary • Finance 5 * Treasurer Membership
General ^ Membership
Managing Artistic Executive Director Director Director
Staff : • Guest Theater Directors • Box Office School • Stage Mgr • Pub. Pel. • Light Dgr • Fund-Grant • Stage Dgr Coordinator
Fig. 3. Stage C: 1970-1972 31 basically always steeped in the artistic side."® "A clash of artistic conceptions between Hazel and Davey"was reported by several of those familiar with the club throughout those years. "He (Davey Marlin-Jones) impressed Stern— tried to get rid of Hazel.Egos were at stake, and there was a built-in potential for serious conflicts. Artistically,
Marlin-Jones' philosophy was "to get people excited by plays they'd never heard of, by playwrights that they knew." Marlin-Jones was, at the beginning of his relationship with the WTC, given a lot of autonomy in the artistic direction of the theater and in the selection of the plays he was to produce. As conflicts became less tolerable, the
Board tried to restrict his choice of materials. The Board did not agree with his idea of "not wanting to do anything but new plays and second chance plays,and put into operation a Play Selection Committee.
Unfortunately, one of the Board members who experienced the conflict with Marlin-Jones to the highest degree, Rita galzman, was the person who was asked to chair that committee. These volatile circumstances were expressed in a letter from Salzman to this author:
Before that final year, there was enormous interscene quarreling and backbiting in the part of Davey Marlin-Jones and members of the Board. The choice of plays had been so bad that the Board had decided to ride herd on his choice by appointing a Play Selection Committee. It had its problems, but it produced a better
®Interview with D. Marlin-Jones, Washington, D.C., 25 May 1979.
Interview with Judge Harold Leventhal, Washington, D.C., 25 May 1979.
Interview with Florence Swift, Washington, D.C., 22 May 1979.
Interview with D. Marlin-Jones, Washington, D.C., 25 May 1979.
Interview with Martin Thaler, Washington, D.C., 28 March 1979. 32
season of plays than D. M. Jones had produced in a number of years.
"There was really no one who was strong enough to control Davey and to make judgements combining business and talent," said Judge
Leventhal, former member of the WTC Board.
On the business side, several attempts were made to hire someone to be Managing Director. The only problem was that neither Bryan
Clark nor Bill Walton had strong business backgrounds. More so, because they were friends of Marlin-Jones and because they had been brought to the WTC by Marlin-Jones, they both had a difficult time standing up to him, so that Davey Marlin-Jones had "too much authority." Bill Walton
seemed to be just what the club needed at the beginning, but according
to Board member Lucy Brightman, "he did not get along with people and had an antagonistic management style.
The resignation of Davey Marlin-Jones was effective in July, 1972.
In its attempt to rule over Marlin-Jones, the Board itself had increased
in size and power, and formalized its internal structure into several
committees, the most controversial being the Play Reading Committee.
The management structure of the WTC after Marlin-Jones' departure is
reflected in Figure 4.
Stage D; 1973-1974
The merger of the WTC with the New Theater of Washington created
a new management structure. Several Board members, as well as some
^'*Rita ^Izman to author, 4 June 1979.
Interview with Judge Leventhal.
Ibid.
Interview with Lucy Brightman, Washington, D.C., 25 May 1979, 33
WTC Board of Directors Committees ; • Nominations • Project Executive • Play Reading Committee : • Pub & PR j * President ■ • Bldgs & Grds 1 • Vice President • Education \ # Secretary ' • Production Treasurer • Finance & Membership
Artistic & Executive Managing Director Director
• Dir. of Comm Theater • Set Design School • Light Design • Box Office • Clerical
Fig. 4. Stage D: 1973-1974 34 staff, resigned their positions prior to the occurrence of the merger.
Those who remained made up the New Theater Club of Washington. The new organization was to have a small Board of Directors. The Executive
Producer, Paul Allen, was to carry the principal responsibility for he implementation of the theater's program and for the production of the plays and other artistic offerings. He was also to be the spokes person for the theater in publicity matters and corporate fundraising.
The Executive Director, Hazel Wentworth, was to supervise the Theater
School and assume responsibility for special projects. She would also be responsible for audience development and community relations.
Together the two principals would supervise the Director of Finance and Administration, who in turn was responsible for preparing budgets, establishing an accounting system, supervising the clerical staff and assisting with funding proposals (see Figure 5).
The management system illustrated in Figure 5 was employed by the
New Washington Theater Club after the merger until its final closing days, and Hazel Wentworth continued helping the organization even after her official resignation as Executive Director. 35
Board of
Directors
Exec. Producer
Exec- Director
Production Manager
Theater School & Special ' Dir. Projects Finance & Adm.
Tech Stage House Direc. Manager Manager
Clerical Box Office
Fig. 5. Stage D; 1974 (after the merger) 36
CHAPTER III
WTC'S FINANCES
The financial records of the WTC have been at times scant. When available, these records are not always sequential in nature and do not always disclose the specific facts necessary to make a full evaluation.
To insure the orderly recapitulation of the financial history of the WTC, although not necessarily in a chronological sequence, this chapter will be divided as follows:
A. Financial information— a history of crises
B. Grants and contributions
C. Loans and trusts
A. Financial information--a history of crises
The WTC's financial history seemed to be made up of a steady succession and repetition of moments of crisis. Time and time again, similar situations repeated themselves. The theater had been in debt since its early days— and could never quite catch up. For example, even back in 1965, while still operating out of the "O" Street location, and even before the employment of Davey Marlin-Jones, the following was recorded at a Board meeting :
Financial matters of the club were discussed at length. Much more money is needed to insure the coming season. It may be possible to secure additional funds from other foundations .... Cur rently, many bills are in arrears, including telephone. Internal Revenue Withholding, etc.*
The next season's financial picture was not any brighter. By
July, 1966, the WTC had raised $8,500 in contributions. The WTC had
^Minutes, Board Meeting, May 3, 1965. 37 hoped to hold this money in escrow until the beginning of the 1966-
1967 season, to open with some type of financial cushion. This action would enable the WTC to avoid what had occurred in the past : starting the season worrying about the club meeting the week-to-week cash flow necessary to pay for the operating expenses. Phil Stern released this plea to his fellow Board members :
Unless the Board raises some money between now and September 15, the WTC will again start the season in a financial oxygen tent. I can't imagine anything that would be more injurious to our operation.^
In spite of the pleas for help on the part of Mr. Stern, the club started the season as it had before— with a deficit:
A report was given by the President on our financial picture. He had hoped that the fund drive we had would produce enough money so that this season wouldn't be day-to-day. However, because of back debts, we had to use contribution money and even subscription money to pay back bills. $17,000 will have to be raised by the first of the year.^
As we now know, the WTC looked at various sites and buildings, considering the options available for carrying out expansion plans.
The purchase of the L Street property was discussed and agreed upon by the Board at the Board Meeting of January 28, 1969. At this meeting, this verbal agreement to purchase the building was reached prior to any discussion on financial matters :
It became clear during the above discussions that we needed a much better picture of our financial position, estimated budgets, income, expenses, etc., before ongoing decisions can properly be made. Also, we need money right now. The projected cash-flow through June 1969 shows a deficit of $25,000"*
^Mid-summer report to WTC Board by Phil Stern, President, July 27, 1966.
^Minutes, Board Meeting, September 26, 1966.
4Minutes,, Board Meeting, January 28, 1969. 38
Those WTC Trustees who accepted the obligation to be guarantors for the payments on the mortgage of the L Street theater had certain misgivings about their obligation, and requested that certain fiscal controls be set up for their protection. — Tbis-xpqneRt was umanimously honored as follows :
RESOLVED: (1) that the President appoint a committee to represent the Board with power to agree with the guarantors on suitable arrangements providing for monthly payments by WTC to the Band and an escrow of approximately $40,000 to assure 12 months of future payments on the WTC indebtedness to the Bank; (2) the committee will work with the guarantors to provide for procedures for representation by the guarantors on a budget committee of the Board which would be responsible for preparation of a budget with the advice and consultation of the staff.^
Other safeguards were established to insure the availability of funds to meet the newly incurred financial obligations— however well intentioned these safeguards were, they were not followed and as we now know, were not successful-
Shortly after the purchase of the new building, a Capital Fund
Drive was started. This was to generate the funds necessary to meet the needs from the mortgage and the renovation. A Fund Drive Committee was established, and the firm of Taft Associates was paid approximately
$6,000 to assist in this endeavor. Records of what services Taft
Associates offered are not available, either from the WTC files or from the company. When interviewed, Mr. Richard Taft, President of
Taft Associates, remembered developing some type of basic marketing plan for the WTC, but claimed it was never followed. "They never raised enough money to make up the deficit between the end of the year and the new season. They were over-extended, had no marketing plan
^Minutes, Board Meeting, May 12, 1969. 39 and no management."®
The familiar lack of ready cash surfaced again in January 1970, when Board President Martin Thaler reported that "we have enough on hand to meet the payroll through this month.In the next few months, the WTC was forced to take out a loan for $66,000 in order to stop foreclosure.
Many of the all-time high of 9,000 subscribers for the 1969-1970 season decided not to renew for the 1970-1971 season, as reflected in this subscription report:
Mr. Walton passed around copies of the subscription report as of July 20, 1970. There was a telephone campaign, and the reaction of those people called was that the choice of plays last year was not good. We are trying to overcome this hostility. Newspaper ads are not being particularly effective, so we are running a test of smaller ads. There is a plan to send a letter to former subscribers about the two new plays secured for next season. We are three weeks away from our first subscription deadline.®
The $66,000 loan was due March 31, 1971. The bank would renew
50% of the loan, which meant that the Trustees who had backed the loan in the first place had to fulfill their pledges. The bank would then agree to make an additional loan for another $50,000 to be used as working capital. This need for a new loan arose because "Between now (February) and the middle of June we will have zero cash in the bank account."^
Danny Newman, a well known subscription and audience development expert, visited the WTC early in 1972. Mr. Newman was the General
^Interview with Richard Taft, Washington, D.C-, 27 May 1979.
^Minutes, Board Meeting, January 27, 1970.
^Minutes, Board Meeting, July 21, 1970.
^Minutes, Board Meeting, February 18, 1971. 40
Manager of the Chicago Lyric Opera House, and was also serving as liaison with the Ford Foundation to advise members of the League of
Resident Theaters. Mr. Newman addressed the Board, stressing the importance of the sale of subscriptions. Unfortunately, neither the contents of his speech nor his recommendations were incorporated into the WTC permanent records.
During the 1972-1973 season, a new and almost successful fund raising effort was carried out by the WTC. By March of 1973, $65,000 had been raised from foundations, Board members and in-house contributions.
In addition, a benefit was planned during which anyone contributing
$1,000 and over would have their name placed on a plaque in the lobby.
The benefit "was a social success but not a financial one, clearing only $2,000."^° Plans were made to try to refinance the existing first and second trusts into one large first trust in the amount of $560,000.
With this latest arrangement, $510,000 would have to be used to pay back the existing first and second notes, and the remainder would be available to pay other existing notes. At that time, there was a question of whether the club was exempt from taxes. That money would have to be used to pay them if necessary.
The matter of $18,000 accrued taxes came to the attention of the Executive Committee for the first time at this meeting. Two Board members were directed to instruct the bookkeeper to make all future payments and to set up a separate WTC Tax Account at the bank. The Executive Committee discussed methods of obtaining funds to pay this liability.
To further complicate matters, the WTC had neglected to file a grant application on time to the NEA, even though the NEA had informally
Minutes, Board Meeting, June 5, 1973.
Minutes, Board Meeting, July 10, 1973. 41 committed $35,000. It was not until someone from NEA called the WTC asking for the application that anyone realized it had not been filed!
By the summer of 1973, the financial troubles of the WTC became practically unmanageable.
On July 10, Mr. Good presented a cash flow sheet showing the necessity for $128,060 by September 2, 1973. The only income available over the course of the summer is subscription monies and a group who is paying $1,500 per week theater rent for three weeks with an option for two more weeks. Also shown on the cash flow sheet was $18,000 accrued tax due the Federal government. The Committee immediately instructed the business manager to begin proper payment of withholding taxes.
The short term situation— there is $20,000 due the bank in December 1973. We have spent $50,000 of subscription money, and if we are unable to present a season, this will have to be returned. Coupled with two short term loans of $6,500 and $40,000 due now, Mr. Content feels that we must have $100,000 in contributions to continue, with another $100,000 in contributions within six months.
At this meeting several suggestions were made by members of the
Board ;
a) The theater could be sold and the WTC could rent it back;
b) They could return the collected subscription monies and close the theater to re-organize;
c) Spread Eagle (the current show at the time) could run as long as possible, and then a telethon could be held in January 1974; or
d) Mr. Tony Stimac (who had applied for the Artistic Director position in 1972) could be allowed to execute his plan to save the theater, which he had offered earlier in a letter.
"In the event that the Board reaches a decision to either close WTC down or rent the building to other persons, I would like to meet with the Executive Committee and outline how I would, for a deferred salary, institute profit-making programs which would eliminate the current financial crisis and at the same time pave
Minutes, Board Meeting, August 1, 1973, 42
the way for a resumption of WTC's current program" (said Mr. Stimac).
Mr. Stimac thinks the solution is to continue the season, continue the subscription campaign and to plan a large benefit, using a format he has found successful in the past, as soon as possible. He feels he can put together a season of six plays, he can raise "fresh money" for WTC. His salary requirements would be $16,000 per annum— deferred, and he could bring a business manager with him for a $12,000 deferred annual salary. When questioned specifically about the money he could produce in a week, Mr. Stimac thought he could raise $100,000 and requested an opportunity to do this.
Having really no other alternatives at the moment, the Board decided to give Mr. Stimac one week to do what he said he could do.
A week passed and Mr. Stimac was not able to execute his plan; therefore, his proposal was not accepted. "In a brief financial discussion, Mr. Content said we still need $100,000 in September and
$100,000 by December."^"*
It was this latest financial crisis which precipitated the merger of the WTC with Paul Allen's New Theater of Washington, as previously mentioned. While the merger was being executed, the WTC arranged to import shows from New York and receive rent plus a percentage of the box office. Two shows were brought in and offered to the WTC subscribers as part of their season. At this time, to make matters worse, it was discovered that the WTC owed approximately $15,000 in withholding taxes accrued during the first quarter of the year.
After the execution of the merger and the incorporation of the
New Washington Theater Club as a nonprofit corporation, there are no
Minutes, Board Meeting, August 9, 1973.
^‘‘Minutes, Board Meeting, August 9, 1973.
WTC Board Memorandum, by Arthur Content, October 15, 1973. 43 more written records available until just before the actual sale of the building in the summer of 1974, at which time the liabilities were;
A. Two mortgages. One for $393,526 on a demand note due April 1984
with monthly payments of $3,350 and the other for $120,000 secured
by Trustees' signatures, current interest rate at 10 1/4% with
quarterly payments of $3,192. The first mortgage was $20,100 in
arrears, the second $3,192 with the next quarter payment due July
17, 1974. Both mortgages were held by the National Bank of Washington.
B. Back taxes owed—
1) $15,000 in federal withholding from 1973 and the bank had placed
a lien on the property.
2) $1,200 for the 4th quarter in 1973 and $6,200 for the first
quarter in federal withholding.
3) Approximately $2,000 in D.C. sales taxes and an additional $500
in D.C. withholding.
4) Approximately $55,000 in property taxes.
C. Other debts—
1) Approximately $30,000 in accounts payable of the past WTC.
(These debts were legally uncollectable since the club had been
dissolved.
2) $28,384 in accounts payable for the new organization New Theater/
Washington Theater Club.
3) $2,000 insurance payment due immediately.
4) $24,898 in subscription series monies which had to be returned
if three plays were not offered to subscribers.
In summary, the New Theater/Washington Theater Club owed to various creditors as of June 1974 the following monies : 44
• Due to bank $27,000
• Due to government 24,900
* Accounts payable 68,650
* Subscription series 24,898
# D.C. real estate taxes 55,000
GRAND TOTAL $200,448
B. Grants and contributions
Between the years of 1968 and 1972, the WTC received several grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), awarded as part of a series of grants designed to assist resident professional theatres by providing funds for both artistic and organizational development. This series, started in 1965, had several categories of support, including the production of new plays, staff enlargement, extended educational and community services, audience development, regional touring, and training programs. The WTC received a total of $95,000 in grant monies from the NEA. The grants were awarded as follows :
NEA GRANTS
GRANT NO. PERIOD AMOUNT
1 A69-0-125 1968-1969 $20,000
2 A70-0-80 1969-1970 $25,000
3 A71-0-119 1970-1971 $25,000
4 A72-0-162 1971-1972 $25,000
In 1970-1971, the club obtained an additional $3,000 grant designed to support the concert series of the Theater Chamber Players.
n WTC Records, Volume I, by Martin Thaler, Esq. 45
The Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation contributed twice. The
first grant was awarded in Spring, 1970, a sum of $20,000 for the purchase and installation of equipment at the new theater building on
L Street. The second grant (amount unknown) enabled the merger of the
WTC with the New Theater of Washington during the summer of 1973. The merger produced the New Washington Theater Club.
A grant of $1,000 for the Building Fund was approved and awarded to the WTC by the William C. Whitney Foundation of New York in early
1971. An additional grant of $1,500 was concurrently awarded to the
Theater Chamber Players for the 1970-1971 concert season.^*
In 1969, a $250,000 grant from the Ford Foundation "assured winter occupancy of the former church that Hugh Jacobson (was) design
ing. Of the total amount of the grant, "$100,000 (was) granted outright to be expended in the fiscal year ending September 30, 1969."^^
The balance of $150,000 was granted to the theater with the provision
that the figure be matched, on a one-to-one basis, by outside contribu
tions . The balance was scheduled to be awarded in "Annual descending
increments of $50,000, $40,000, $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 for the
fiscal years of October 1, 1969 through September 30, 1974."^^ The
matching contributions were to be carefully documented as to donor,
amount and whether the contribution was in cash and/or marketable
i*Ibid,
i*Ibid.
20 Richard L. Coe, Washington Post, 12 September 1969, Style Section.
^^Ford Foundation to WTC, 7 August 1969.
Ibid. 46 securities.
The Stern Family Fund was, by far, the most important corporate contributor to the WTC. Its financial contributions may not have been as large as the Ford Foundation's, but the Stern Family Fund, in the person of Phillip Stern, made an invaluable contribution to the WTC in the form of money, energy and personal commitment.
The first grant which the WTC received as a nonprofit organization was from the Stern Family Fund. The amount of $6,000 was to be used to hire the club's first Managing Director. Phil Stern was a member of the WTC Board of Directors for approximately six years— three of those spent as Board President. It was he who hired Davey Marlin-Jones, the man who would subsequently place the WTC artistically on the regional theater map. It was Phil Stern, who through his influence, allowed his private foundation to be the backer of the WTC in its purchase of the new building. It was he who spearheaded the search for and eventual move to the larger location. Phil Stern was able to convince the
National Bank of Washington to arrange for the purchase of the church at 23rd and L Streets as follows: The Stern Family Fund would financially back the WTC in the purchase of the building, and the WTC would use it. (The Bank would not sell to the WTC by itself because the club had no assets with which to guarantee the purchase.)The
Stern Family Fund, in order to protect itself against sole liability for the $435,000 purchase price of the building, required the WTC Board of Directors to guarantee the aforementioned amount themselves. Whether the purchase of the new building was a wise move or not for the WTC,
Letter from National Bank of Washington to Phillip Stern, June 12, 1969. 47 the fact remains that there would have likely been no purchase without the backing of Phil Stern and the Stern Family Fund.
By 1971, Phillip Stern had personally loaned the WTC the sum of
$32,850. He had also secured (with his own marketable securities) an additional bank loan. In addition to the arrangement he had executed for the purchase of the new building, Mr. Stern had hypothecated a
"Los Angeles, California, Flood Control Bond in the amount of $50,000,"^'* in order to secure part of a $66,000 guarantors' loan from the First
National Bank on behalf of the WTC. In the spring of 1970, Phil Stern pledged $5,000, in addition to $25,000 he pledged in 1969 in a Matching
Gifts Pledge. If the WTC Board of Directors had had one or two addi tional Phillip Sterns— persons with his dedication, drive, ideas AND financial resources— things might have turned out differently.
C. Loans and trusts
The WTC entered into many loan transactions with the Board members and other WTC friends, as well as with the local lending institutions.
The $66,000 Guarantors' note mentioned in the previous section of this chapter was also backed by several shares of stock which were provided by Board member Lionel Epstein. This loan was obtained in order to allow the WTC to pay some overdue accounts left over from the building renovation.
By 1972 the deficit in the WTC operational budget was so great that a second trust on the theater building had to be secured. The second trust, in the form of a promisory note, was in the amount of
$140,000 at 4 3/4% interest per annum. Several Trustees guaranteed
Letter from Martin Thaler to Phillip Stern, August 28, 1971. 48 collection of this note to the extent of the amount which each of them pledged. Some Trustees pledged as much as $15,000, while others pledged $7,500, $5,000 or even $1,000. The second trust was obtained in part to pay back (in full) several other notes which had become due at various lending institutions in Washington. These notes totalled
$77,283.66 and were owed to the National Bank of Washington and the
Union Trust Company. The rest of the balance available under the second trust was withdrawn as needed and when further endorsements were secured.
25 WTC Records, Volume II, Martin Thaler, Esq. 49
CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSIONS
After closely examining the history of the WTC, the conclusion can be drawn that not one person, nor just one event and/or action was the sole cause of its demise. It was the combination of the individuals, their personalities, their actions, and the events which took place as a result of their actions which caused the eventual failure of the organization.
This chapter will focus on the reasons which contributed to and finally were responsible for the theater permanently closing its doors.
A. Lack of strong leadership
After the departure of John B. Wentworth in 1964, the WTC suffered from the lack of a strong leader figure. Undoubtedly, there were leaders who worked on behalf of the club, such as Phil Stern and Martin Thaler,
Hazel Wentworth and Davey Marlin-Jones. However, none of these leaders was strong enough to successfully carry the WTC banner. (By a leader
I mean someone like a Tyrone Guthrie, a Zelda Fitchhandler, a Joe Papp.)
Davey Marlin-Jones exuded optimism and exuberance for his ideas and his philosophy of presenting new and second chance plays--but was unable to be both Artistic Director and Managing Director successfully. For some people he was controversial, even alienating, and he lacked the charisma necessary to make others overlook his shortcomings. He also was unable to accomplish major fund raising. Hazel Wentworth, although a co-founder of the organization, lacked that organizational ability, that intangible authority, that leadership quality which makes others fully commit themselves to a leader's cause. Both Phil Stern and Martin
Thaler served the WTC well as successive presidents of the Board of 50
Directors. Between the two of them, there were six years of accumulated leadership and dedication; however, they both had other professional commitments and thus lacked the time to devote their full attention to the WTC.
B. Lack of sound management
Management problems permeated every facet of operation at the WTC.
From the first time that funds became available for the purpose of hiring a Business Manager until its last days, the WTC consistently employed managers who lacked the very skills for which they were hired and which were so desperately needed at the Club. Davey Marlin-Jones was NOT a businessman. He had been the Managing Director at New York's
Equity Library Theater, but had never been responsible for the business side of running a theater, only for the artistic duties. Both Bryan
Clark and Bill Walton (the subsequent Managing Directors/Business
Managers) had been actors or directors, and had never operated a theater as business managers. The Board, on the other hand, tried to govern by committee. Decisions took too long to reach, and actions were incumbered by delays and troublesome disagreements among Board members themselves.
Those who backed the organization financially were understandably always interested in protecting their investments. The WTC Board operated on a crisis management system,
C. Limited financial resources
The WTC never enjoyed the comfortable feeling of security which stems from having a good-sized endowment. Endowments do not solve all of the financial troubles which may befall a professional theater, but 51 the lack of an endowment can aggravate and seriously hamper any attempts a theater might make towards relative financial stability- The WTC
Board of Directors, although stacked with important people of well to do means (see Appendix B), never quite succeeded at raising the necessary funds to operate the new theater. And of course, the new building, its renovation, and the debt incurred in obtaining it were more than the organization could handle financially. The budgets became larger, and as operating expenses increased, so increased the deficits. Loans were obtained to pay other loans which had become overdue, as well as capital expenses which should have been taken care of through an aggressive
Capital Funds Drive. The deficits became so large that the financial process became unmanageable, and caused the theater to declare bank ruptcy and to sell the building to pay off the debts.
D. Decline in box-office appeal
Davey Marlin-Jones brought with him his philosophy of presenting new and second chance plays. After his presence at the club for two or three seasons, he chose these plays almost exclusively. For two seasons in a row, his choices met with negative reviews by the local critics and left a negative and prejudiced impression on the WTC audiences. This led to a substantial decline in the number of sub
scribers the WTC was able to attract in subsequent seasons. Some of the past WTC Board members placed partial blame for the decline in
subscribers on the emergence of other larger and more prestigious performing arts organizations in the Washington area, as well as the opening of various dinner theaters. This may have had some impact on
the WTC box office, but was probably not a major influence. The problem
was a lack of loyalty and of faith on the part of the subscribers. 52 spurred by the internal unrest which befell the WTC during that time.
The other professional resident theater in the area, Arena Stage, survived the same sudden increase in the number of seats available to the Washington public.
E. Internal conflicts
Conflicts were evident between Davey Marlin-Jones and Hazel Wentworth from the beginning. They were spurred by a combination of Davey's sometimes controversial personality, and Hazel's loyalty to what had been and to what she believed the WTC should stand for— service to and involvement with the community. The conflict between the two leaders split the Board. There was not a severe rift between Hazel and Davey, but there definitely was a difference in attitude, perceptions and philosophies. The Board itself managed to worry themselves with unimportant organizational matters at times of greatest need, and were particularly remiss in their efforts to raise funds. Except for a few dedicated leaders who contributed enormously with their time and personal resources, many of the Board members served for social reasons, and therefore lacked the deep personal commitment which is necessary to overcome so many obstacles. After Marlin-Jones' initial two or three seasons, the conflicts between him and the Board grew more severe and precipitated his resignation. For the last two years of his employment, the Board had long deliberations among its members as to his re-employ ment.
A visual image of the WTC throughout its later years— those following the move to L Street— would be one of a juggler trying to keep several china plates rotating balanced on top of long, thin, pointed
sticks. He must thereafter expend all of his energies in moving
frantically from one plate to another making sure that they are all 53 spinning at the right speed or else they should all stop and fall to the ground to shatter to pieces I 54
CHAPTER V
RECOMMENDATIONS
The process of research, which goes hand in hand with the evalua tion of a project or a series of events which have occurred in the past, is tedious, sometimes lengthy, and provides the researcher with extensive "after the fact" information. This knowledge, gleaned from the study of executed actions and reactions enables a researcher to look back and exclaim; IF ONLY this had been avoided, IP ONLY that course of action had been taken, IF ONLY .... The researcher, looking objectively and unemotionally into the past, may offer what seem now obvious solutions which might have avoided failure. From this viewpoint the following recommendations are offered.
A. Employment of a qualified business manager
The employment of a qualified business manager would be essential, a person with the appropriate background and experience necessary to successfully operate a theater. The WTC needed a business manager experienced in the following areas: budgeting, accounting, marketing, cost analysis, financial planning and investment, public relations, publicity and fund raising, as well as possessing enough sensitivity to the artistic side enabling him/her to congenially work with the
Artistic Director. What the WTC needed was a qualified and experienced
ARTS MANACER/ADMINIS TRATOR!
B. Low overhead costs
When running any type of operation, either a for profit business or a not-for-profit organization, the most important thing to remember is to keep the overhead costs as low as possible. Overhead costs are made up of salaries, fringe benefits and fixed operational costs (rent. 55 telephone, etc.). These are the costs which remain the same month after month and which keep an operation running. The higher these costs, the higher the break-even point.^ By moving into the L Street property, the WTC allowed its overhead costs to escalate so high that it was unable to meet them. Besides the very large mortgage payments {$40,000 per year), the larger building meant larger electric bills, increased taxes, increased upkeep costs for the grounds and the property itself, and additional staff to oversee the entire organization.
An alternative plan to the move to L Street was proposed. It seems that the building next door to the "O" Street location was for sale.
Sketches were drawn up by Board member David Shamp, showing where, for an approximate cost of $35,000, the present building could have been renovated to seat about 400 people. The building next door could then be used for office space, storage, rehearsal rooms, etc. Therefore, for just over $100,000 (including the purchase price of the building and the renovation costs), the WTC could have increased its seating capacity to roughly the same number as it did at the L Street location.^
Of course, the theater would have had to have been closed during renovation, and this could have been done during the summer months, between seasons. There were some questions regarding the zoning regula tions and the "club" label; however, this alternative was never fully explored and researched, especially considering the large difference
in costs. Imagine the difference in carrying a $435,000 mortgage in
addition to roughly $200,000 in renovation costs, as opposed to being
^The break-even point is the amount of money which is needed to run the business or organization.
^Minutes, Board Meeting, February 13, 1967. 56 responsible for approximately $100,000 in mortgage and renovation costs altogether!
C. Striving towards financial stability
Professional theaters have to cope with everpresent financial difficulties. Financial solvency in many instances is neither possible nor feasible. However, attempts must be made towards reaching that sometimes elusive break-even point. The harder a nonprofit organization tries to reach that goal, the lesser the deficit will be. As can be seen from the chart below, the WTC's deficits were substantial:
Annual Accumulated Earned Unearned Annual Year Net Income Surplus Income Income Expenses (loss) (deficit)
1965 105,329 33,978 142,694 (3,387) (28,018)
1966 114,981 22,501 162,511 (25,029) (53,047)
1967 136,411 41,537 211,172 (33,224) (86,271)
1968 157,957 69,268 246,525 (19,300) (105,571)
1969 287,018 77,090 452,080 (87,972) (193,543)
1970 327,450 n/a 337,103 (89,653) (283,196)
Some of the ways in which a nonprofit organization can strive
towards financial stability are:
• More aggressive and committed fund raising on the part of the
Board of Directors;
# A concerted effort to build an endowment fund;
# Careful financial operations and financial planning for the
future, and
• Well planned and executed subscription campaigns. 57
P. Balanced seasons
It is an acknowledged fact among theater managers that in most cases survival depends on offering a balanced season which will appeal to a wider section of the audience. A balanced season will incorporate some well known, tried and true works which always attract audiences, combined with some lesser known and perhaps more experimental plays.
The fact is that new, unknown or experimental works attract a smaller audience than the other more established works. When planning for a house in which to perform these works, one must keep in mind that probably a smaller house will be adequate. If the WTC had succeeded in keeping costs down, it would have survived in spite of having had two seasons in a row which did not draw the large audiences expected.
Perhaps a balanced season could have been scheduled for L Street, with the "0" Street location serving as the experimental place. Or had the
"0" Street building been itself renovated and enlarged, the WTC could have survived, even with smaller audiences, because the overhead costs would have been so much less.
E. Other recommendations
In times of financial troubles, there are several other measures which can help a theater overcome obstacles. For example:
# Produce fewer plays per season;
# Run each production for a longer period of time;
# Produce plays with smaller casts, avoid costly musicals;
# Monitor production costs very closely;
e Pay careful consideration to all aspects of planning— good
planning is cost effective, and
# Put extra energies into fund raising, publicity and subscription 58
campaigns . . . build the audience.
In summary, the WTC could have survived and would in fact still be with us this year IF THEY HAD:
• Employed and followed the recommendations of an Arts Manager;
• Reduced overhead costs;
• Paid more attention to financial planning and costs;
• Presented an artistically balanced season; and
• Enjoyed the strength, interest, support and commitment of a
true leader. 59
APPENDIX A: WASHINGTON THEATER CLUB PRODUCTIONS
I. Summer Season 1960 1) The Matchmakers (Thornton Wilder); July 1-17,1960 2) A Hatful of Rain (Michael G- .zo) ; July 9-31, 1960 3) The Lesson, The Chairs (Eugene Ionesco); Aug. 2-14, 1960 4) A Clearing in the Woods (Arthur Laurents); Aug. 16-28, 1960
II. Summer Season 1961 5) Cry of the Raindrop (Lonny Chapman); June 6-18, 1961 6) Tevya and His Daughters (Arnold Perl); June 22-July 9, 1961 7) Call Me By My Rightful Name (Michael Shurtleff); July 11-23, 1961 (Tevya and His Daughters ran again July 27-Aug. 6, 1961)
III. Winter Season 1962 8) A Country Scandal (Anton Chekhov); Feb. 27-Mar. 19, 1962 9) Legend of Sarah (James Gow & Arnold Usseau); Mar. 23-Apr. 5, 1962 10) Three at 8:30: The Rising of the Moon (Lady Gregory), A True Story (Mark Twain), and The High School (Sholom Aleichem); May 8-June 3, 1962 11) Period of Adjustment (Tennessee Williams); June 5-Aug. 26, 1962 12) The Glass Menagerie (Tennessee Williams); Aug 13 -29, 1962
IV. Special Season (Produced by Bialek s Anta) 1962-1963 13) The Establishment (Peter Cook); Dec. 4-23, 1962 14) Brecht on Brecht (trans. by George Tabori); Feb. 27-Apr. 13, 1963
V. Winter Season 1964-1965 15) The Blacks (Jean Genet); Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 1964 16) The Amorous Flea (based on Moliere's "School for Wives"); Oct. 27-Nov. 15, 1964 17) Return of the Runaway (Mary Leckie); Dec. 1-13, 1964 18) The Blood Knot (Artholl Fugard); Jan. 5-31, 1965 19) The Bernard Shaw Story (Bramwell Fletcher); Feb. 16-28, 1965 20) The Deadly Game (James Yaffe); Mar. 2-21, 1965 21) A Touch of the Poet (Eugene O'Neill); Mar. 30-Apr. 17, 1965 22) The Tempest (William Shakespeare); Apr. 21-May 16, 1965
VI. Winter Season 1965-1966 23) Slow Dance on the Killing Ground (William Handley); Oct. 14- Nov. 16, 1965 24) U.S.A. (Paul Shyre & Dos Passes); Nov. 10-Dec. 5, 1965 25) Ernest in Love (Lee Dockriss s Anne Crosswell); Dec. 21, 1965-Jan. 23, 1966 26) Romeo & Jeanette (Jean Anouilh); Jan. 27-Feb. 20, 1966 27) Typist and the Tiger (MurraySchishgal); Feb. 24-Mar. 24, 1966 28) The Birthday Party (Harold Pinter); Mar. 24-Apr. 16, 1966 60
29) The Eccentricities of a Nightingale (Tennessee Williams); Apr. 20-May 15, 1966 30) Spread Eagle (Russell Baker et al); May 19-June 20, 1966
VII. Winter Season 1966-1967 31) The Knack (Ann Jellicoe); Oct. 13-Nov. 8, 1966 32) The Lover (Harold Pinter) and Hughie (Eugene O'Neill); Nov. 10-Dec. 4, 1966 33) The Fantasticks (Tom Jones & Schmidt); Dec. 8, 1966-Jan. 15, 1967 34) Tiny Alice (Edward Albee); Jan. 19-Feb. 12, 1967 35) The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi (Prederich Duerrenmatt); Feb. 16-Mar. 12, 1967 36) The Killer (Eugene Ionesco); Mar. 16-Apr. 9, 1967 37) The Waters of Babylon (John Arden); Apr. 13-May 7, 1967 38) Son of Spread Eagle— a topical revue; May 11-June 4, 1967 39) Luv (Murray Schishgal); July 28-Aug. 28, 1967 (season extended)
VIII. Winter Season 1967-1968 40) My Sweet Charlie (David Westheimer); Oct. 12-Nov. 19, 1967 41) ^ (Henry Livings); Mov. 23-Dec. 31, 1967 42) No Man's Land (John Wilson); Jan. 4-Feb. 11, 1968 43) Caligula (Albert Camus); Feb. 15-Mar. 24, 1968 44) Five Evenings (Aleksandr Volodin); Mar. 28-May 5, 1968 45) Green Julia (Paul Ableman) & The Basement (Murray Schishgal); May 9-June 16, 1958 46) Spread Eagle Strikes Back--third original review; June 20- July 28, 1968
IX. Winter Season 1968-1969 47) The Gingham Dog (Lanford Wilson); Sept. 26-Oct. 27, 1968 48) The Lion in Winter (James Goldman); Oct. 31-Dec. 1, 1968 49) Lock Up Your Daughters (Lionel Bart, Bernard Miles & Lorrie Johnstone); Dec. 5, 1968-Jan. 5, 1969 50) Mr. Tambo, Mr. Bones (Alexander Panas); Jan. 9-Feb. 9, 1969 51) Wh o 's Happy Now? (Oliver Hailey); Feb. 14-Mar. 5, 1969 52) The Indian Wants the Bronx (Israel Horowitz), Other Caged Birds (Richard O'Donnell) and Odds S Ends (Milton Wisoff); Mar. 20-Apr. 22, 1969 53) Bread and Butter (Cecil Taylor); Apr. 21-May 25, 1969 54) Spread Eagle IV— 4th original revue; July 9-Aug. 15, 1969 (season extended)
X. Winter Season 1969-1970 55) The Moths (Rafi Arzoomanian); Oct. 22-Nov. 30, 1969 56) The Decline and Fall of the Entire World As Seen Through the Eyes of Cole Porter (Ben Bagley); Dec. 7, 1969-Jan. 11, 1970 57) The Wolves (Robert Koesis); Jan 21-Feb. 15, 1970 58) Adventures in the Skin Trade (Andrew Sinclair); Feb. 25- Mar. 25, 1970 59) Serenading Louie (Lanford Wilson); Apr. 1-26, 1970 61
60) Continental Divide (Oliver Hailey); Apr. 29-May 28, 1970 61) Exit the King (Eugene Ionesco); June 1-July 5, 1970 62) Before You Go (Lawrence Holofecner); July 8-Aug. 9, 1970
XI. Winter Season 1970-1971 63) The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (Paul Zindel); Sept. 23-Nov. 1, 1970 64) The Last Sweet Days of Isaac (Gretchen Cryer & Nancy Ford); Nov. 11-Dec. 6, 1970 65) A Fifth of Spread Eagle— 5th original revue; Dec. 16, 1970- Jan. 10, 1971 66) Little Boxes; "Coffee Lace" & "Trevor"— two one-acts (John Bowen); Jan. 20-Feb. 14, 1971 67) The Web and the Rock (Dolores Sutton); Feb. 24-Mar. 21, 1971 68) Father * s Day (Oliver Hailey); Mar. 16-May 30, 1971 69) "The Chinese" S "Dr. Fish"— two one-acts (Murray Schishgal); May 5-30, 1971 70) Whores, Wars S Tin Pan Alley (Kurt Weill & Bertolt Brecht); June 1-Jul. 4, 1971
XII. Winter Season 1971-1972 71) Adaptation/Next (Elaine May); Sept. 17-Oct. 24, 1971 72) All Over (Edward Albee); Nov. 3-29, 1971 73) Curse You Spread Eagle— a topical revue; Dec. 8, 1971- Jan. 2 , 1972 74) Lemon Sky (Lanford Wilson); Jan. 6-Peb. 6, 1972 75) The Philanthropist (Christopher Hampton); Feb. 10-Mar. 2, 1972 76) Washington Square (Ken Jerome & Jerome Wolman); Mar. 22- Apr. 15, 1972 77) Four Minus One : The Basement (Harold Pinter), Deadly Delliah (Bond) and Animal (Oliver Hailey); Apr. 26- May 2, 1972 78) Lady Audley's Secret (adapted by Douglas Seale); May 31- June 28, 1972
XIII. Winter Season 1972-1973 79) Spread Eagle Papers— a topical revue; Sept. 22-Oct. 29, 1972 80) The Rapists (Dennis Turner) 81) The Boys from Syracuse (George Abbott) 82) Ceremonies in Dark Old Men (Lonnie Elder) 83) The Enclave (Arthur Laurents) 84) Scenes from American Life (A. R. Gurney) 85) The Ectasy of Rita Joe (George Ryga); May 2
XIV. Winter Season 1973-1974 86) Something Wild (Tennessee Williams) 87) Inner City (Eve Merrian & Helen Miller) 88) Difficult Borning 89) Jersey Plates 90) Behind the Broken Words (Roscoe Lee Browne); Mar. 8-24, 1974 62
XV. Winter Season 1974-1975 91) Warp 92) Thoughts 63
APPENDIX B: WASHINGTON THEATER CLUB BOARD OF TRUSTEES PAST AND PRESENT (Not a complete list)
David B . Abramson Gladys Johnson Theodore Androus Mrs. Garfield Kass (Rose) Arthur L. Beatty, Jr. Mrs. Charles B. King, Jr. (Lianna) Harold Bergman Mrs. Samuel Jackson Lanahan Mrs. Vonda Bergman Judge Harold Leventhal Robert Bialek Delano E . Lewis Allan Bratman Mrs. John P. MacKenzie (Amanda) Mrs. Samuel C. Brightman (Lucy) Davey Marlin-Jones E. Fulton Brylawski, Jr. Arthur K. Mason Mrs. William N. Cafritz (Buffy) Harry McPherson, Jr. William Carpenter Mrs. Lillian K. Miller Mrs. Douglass Cater James M. Murray Mrs. Abe Cohen (Edith) Thomas Noyes Marcus Cohn Mildred Middlekauff Arthur Content Mrs. William A. Patterson (Shang) Karen Cross Mrs. Drew Pearson True Davis Edward Grover Platt, Jr. Mrs. Shelley De Vincent Walter S . Quinn Mrs. Todd Duncan Mrs. Franklin Ramirez (Louise) Joseph Eis Mrs. Lois Ribikoff Walter Eisenberg Mrs. Frank Rich Lionel C. Epstein Walter Bidder Roberta Flack John Safer William Foulis David Shamp Mrs. Rita Fredericks-Salzman Philip M. Stern William W. Funderburk Mrs. Richard M. Simson (May) Arthur W. Gardner Mrs. Gloria Small Marvin J. Goldman Michael Straight David L. Good Mrs. Florence P. Swift Lily Guest Martin S. Thaler Rev. Gilbert V. Hartke Mrs. Gail Tirana Richard Schuyler Hammett Warren Vinton Mrs. John W. Hechinger (June) John Wagley Barclay Henry Dr. Bennetta C. Washington Richard A. Herman Marvin Weissberg Mrs. Stephen Hess (Ilena) Mrs. Hazel H. Wentworth Saul B. Horwatt Mrs. Jules Winkelman (Sylvia) Theodore Hupper Mrs. Evelyn D. Woolston Hugh N. Jacobsen 64
SOURCES CONSULTED
Books and Articles
Aarons, LeRoy F. Washington Post, 22 October 1968, style Section.
Baumol, William J., and Bowen, William G. Performing Arts ; Economic
Dilemma. New York: Twentieth Century Fund, 1966.
Coe, Richard L. Washington Post, 7 October 1967, style Section.
------. Washington Post, 7 August 1969, Style Section.
------. Washington Post, 18 January 1973, Style Section.
------. Washington Post, 8 November 1973, Style Section.
Cultural Resources Management Program. Trustees and Board Members
Seminar (Selected Excerpts). The Branff Center, 23-26 April 1975.
Dorian, Frederick. Commitment to Culture : Art Patronage in Europe and
Its Significance in America. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh
Press, 1964.
Fedapt: Subscription Guidelines. New York : Foundation for the
expansion and Development of the American Professional Theater,
1975.
Ford Foundation. The Finance of the Performing Arts. 2 vols. New
York : Ford Foundation, 1974.
Kriegsman, Alan. Washington Post, 21 January 1967, Style Section.
Langley, Stephen. Theater Management in America. New York: Drama
Book Specialists, 1974.
Martin, Judith. Washington Post, 1 June 1972, Style Section. 65
Mittenthaï, Richard A., and Mahoney, Brooke W. "Getting Management
Help for the Non-Profit Sector." Harvard Business Review, September-
October 1977.
Morison, Bradley G., and Fliehr, Kay. In Search of an Audience.
New York: Pitman, 1968.
Nelson, Charles A., and Turk, Frederick J. Financial Management for the
Arts: A Guidebook for Arts Organizations. ACA, 1975.
Sears, Lawrence, (Washington) Evening Star, 4 February 1969, Arts &
Entertainment Section.
Secrest, Meryle. "Their World Is a Stage." Washington Post, 15 May
1962, Style Section.
Shakely, Jack. "Exploring the Elusive World of Corporate Giving."
Grantsmanship Center News.
Shales, Thomas. Washington Post, 1 June 1972, Style Section. Washington Post, 20 July 1972, Style Section.
Washington Post, 20 June 1973, Style Section.
Washington Post, 7 June 1974, Style Section.
Washington Post, 2 July 1974, Style Section.
Washington Post, 7 July 1974, Style Section.
Washington Post, 10 September 1974, Style Section.
Washington Theater Club. Articles of Incorporation. September 1963.
------. By-laws. February 1966.
------. Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Directors. 1960-1975.
Wolf, Geoffrey A. Washington Post, 23 April 1967, Style Section.
Zeigler, Joseph Wesley. Regional Theater. New York; Da Capo, 1977. 66
Interviews and Letters
Bialek, Robert. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington, D.C.
Interview, 22 May 1979.
Brightman, Lucy. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington, D.C.
Interview 25 May 1979.
Brylaski, Fulton. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington,
D.C. Interview, 8 May 1979.
Hechinger, Mrs. John W. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington,
D.C. Interview, 26 April 1979.
Hillman, David H. Formerly accountant for WTC, Washington, D.C.
Interview, 15 May 1979.
Leventhal, Judge Harold. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC,
Washington, D.C. Interview, 25 May 1979.
Marlin-Jones, Davey. Formerly Artistic Director, WTC, Washington, D.C.
Interview, 10 May 1979.
National Bank of Washington. Letter to Phillip Stern, 12 June 1969.
Salzman, Rita. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington, D.C.
Letter to author, 4 June 1979.
Sullivan, Leo. Formerly Director of Public Relations, WTC, Washington,
D.C. Interview, 26 May 1979.
Swift, Florence. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington, D.C.
Interview, 22 May 1979.
Taft, Richard. Taft Associates, Washington, D.C. Interview, 27 May
1979.
Thaler, Martin. Formerly on Board of Directors, WTC, Washington, D.C.
Letter to Phillip Stern, 28 August 1971. 67
Interview, 28 March 1979.
Wentworth, John B. Formerly Director and Founder, WTC, Washington, D.C,
Interview, 28 May 1979.