Avoiding Founder's Syndrome in Arts Organizations: Studies
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Avoiding Founder‘s Syndrome in Arts Organizations: Studies of Successful Succession Transitions in Three Established Regional Theatres by Debra Justice, M.F.A. A Dissertation In Fine Arts Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved Linda Donahue, Ph.D. Chair Jonathan Marks, D.F.A. Committee Member Fred Christoffel, M.F.A. Committee Member Michael Stoune, Ph.D. Committee Member Ed Check, Ph.D. Committee Member Fred Hartmeister, J.D., Ed.D. Dean of the Graduate School December, 2010 Copyright, 2010, Debra Justice Texas Tech University, Debra Justice, December 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Contained within this dissertation are examples that show no worthy endeavor is ever accomplished on our own. This same principle applies to my process and the final product you are about to read. I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of several individuals without whom I would have been unable to create this work. First, Dr. Linda Donahue, chair, mentor, and friend whose guidance and gentle prodding brought me to this final conclusion. I extend a special thank you to my committee for their patience, insight, and understanding along the journey. My sincere thanks goes to the individuals who were gracious enough to answer my multitude of inquiries: Richard Rose, Andrew Gaupp, Ed Hastings, James Haire, and Hillary Hart along with many others. Deepest appreciation goes to my supervisor, Freddy Chavez, who understood my desire to accomplish this program and allowed me the necessary flexibility of work schedules to finish. Finally, I would like to thank my parents, family, and friends for their love and support on this long road especially my husband Joe and daughters Morgan and little Gabriella. Thank you all. ii Texas Tech University, Debra Justice, December 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...................................................................................... ii ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. vi I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .................................................................... 5 DEFINITION OF TERMS ................................................................................ 10 SURVEY OF LITERATURE ............................................................................ 17 METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY ................................................................ 23 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY ................................................................. 25 II. THE BARTER THEATRE, THE STATE THEATRE OF VIRGINIA ................ 27 FOUNDER ...................................................................................................... 28 SOCIO-ECONOMIC INFLUENCES ................................................................ 32 ORGANIZATION ............................................................................................. 36 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 56 III. DALLAS THEATER CENTER ...................................................................... 61 FOUNDER ...................................................................................................... 62 SOCIO-ECONOMIC INFLUENCES ................................................................ 68 DALLAS THEATER CENTER – ORGANIZATION .......................................... 71 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... 88 IV. AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER .................................................. 94 FOUNDER ...................................................................................................... 95 SOCIO-ECONOMIC INFLUENCES ................................................................ 99 ORGANIZATION ........................................................................................... 102 SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 122 V. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................. 126 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................. 135 APPENDICES .................................................................................................. 141 A. TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY IRB LETTER ............................................... 141 B. BARTER THEATRE AIMS AND PURPOSES – 1941 .............................. 142 C. AGREEMENT BETWEEN BARTER THEATRE AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA ................................................................ 144 D. BARTER THEATRE PURPOSE – 2008 ................................................... 146 E. EMAIL DIALOGUE WITH RICHARD ROSE, PRODUCING ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE BARTER THEATRE .................................................... 148 F. DALLAS THEATER CENTER PURPOSE - 1959 ..................................... 153 G. DALLAS THEATER CENTER PURPOSE – 2008 .................................... 155 H. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF KALITA HUMPHREYS ............................ 156 iii Texas Tech University, Debra Justice, December 2010 I. PHONE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH ANDREW CHRISTOPHER GAUPP, FORMER DALLAS THEATER CENTER EMPLOYEE AND AUTHOR OF ―FOUNDER‘S SYNDROME, THE NEW THEATRE‘S DELIMMA‖ .......... 158 J. EMAIL DIALOGUE WITH HILLARY HART, GENERAL MANAGER OF THE DALLAS THEATER CENTER ....................................................................... 172 K. AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER PURPOSE – 1965 ................ 174 L. AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER PURPOSE – 2010 ................ 177 M. PHONE INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT WITH EDWARD HASTINGS, FOUNDING MEMBER AND SECOND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER .................................................. 178 N. EMAIL DIALOGUE WITH JAMES HAIRE, PRODUCING DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER .......................................... 200 iv Texas Tech University, Debra Justice, December 2010 ABSTRACT Founder's Syndrome may occur when an organization operates according to the personality of the founder, rather than its mission. Since arts organizations are often initiated and dominated by a single artist/founder, the potential for an art-related business to succumb to Founder‘s Syndrome is high; however, several large arts organizations have not only avoided Founder‘s Syndrome, they have advanced the dreams of the founder beyond original concepts. Analyzing some success stories by comparing their processes with more recently established theories can provide insights for other arts organizations during leadership transitions. The nature of this study is to show evidence that theatre organizations need not succumb to Founder‘s Syndrome. I analyzed three successful regional theatres from inception through today: The Barter Theatre of Abingdon, Virginia; the Dallas Theater Center in Dallas, Texas; and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California. Each of their founders, Robert Porterfield, Paul Baker, and William Ball, developed and implemented the concepts that defined their organizations. Today, the theatres are heralded as premier institutions amongst regional theatres. The companies were able to maneuver successfully through the tensions and difficulties that often mark leadership transitions. How this was accomplished, without the aid of today‘s management theorists, is the focus of this dissertation. v Texas Tech University, Debra Justice, December 2010 LIST OF FIGURES Picture 1. Robert Porterfield. Courtesy of the Barter Theatre. ............................ 28 Picture 2. The kitchen of the Barter Inn during the first season. Porterfield on the left. Courtesy of the Barter Theatre. ................................................................... 40 Picture 3. Original Barter Theatre Logo. Courtesy of the Barter Theatre. ........... 40 Picture 4. Barter Theatre in the Fall. Courtesy of the Barter Theatre. ................. 55 Picture 5. Barter Theatre Logo. Courtesy of the Barter Theatre. ........................ 60 Picture 6. Paul Baker. Courtesy of the Dallas Children's Theater. ...................... 62 Picture 7. The Kalita Humphreys Theater. Courtesy of the Dallas Theater Center. ........................................................................................................................... 71 Picture 8. Dallas Theater Center Logo. Courtesy of the Dallas Theater Center. 93 Picture 9. Bill Ball. Courtesy of the ACT. ............................................................ 95 Picture 10. American Conservatory Theater (formerly the Geary Theater). Courtesy of the ACT. ........................................................................................ 102 Picture 11. American Conservatory Theater Logo. Courtesy of the ACT. ........ 125 vi Texas Tech University, Debra Justice, December 2010 CHAPTER I I. INTRODUCTION The life of a business is not dissimilar to the life of a living organism. Once created, it grows, flourishes, declines, and eventually dies. We know from scientific studies that human beings in the United States are generally expected to live into their seventies. This knowledge allows us to plan and establish