CSouthern Theatreontents–Quarterly Magazine of the Southeastern Theatre Conference Features 10 Filling Seats Study Finds Quality Children’s Education Program Departments Is Key to Attracting New Audiences to the Theatre by Lisa Cesnik 4 400 Words Swim Together – or Sink Alone – in Today’s Economy by Catherine Rye Gilmore 22 8 Outside the Box: Teacher of the Year Design-Tech Solutions Roy Hudson’s Passion Is Fabric Release Curtain: Teaching Theatre to Kids Build a Kabuki Rig for Under $300 – and Educating Adults on the by Bill Webb Value of the Arts in Schools by Barbara Sloan 32 Words, Words, Words... Review of The Influence of Tennessee Williams: Essays on Fifteen American Playwrights edited by Philip C. Kolin by Frazer Lively Special Content: Golden Anniversary 6 Southern Theatre Celebrates 50 by Philip G. Hill 9 Pictorial: 50 Years of Southern Theatre Trace the history of Southern Theatre through its covers. Cover Southern Theatre celebrates its golden anniversary in 2009. On the front of this issue, samples of covers from the magazine’s 50 volumes are displayed. See story, Page 6, and displays of additional covers throughout the magazine. (Cover design by Garland Gooden) 3 from Catherine Rye Gilmore 400 Words President, Virginia Samford Theatre, Birmingham, AL Swim Together – or Sink Alone – in Today’s Economy I just heard today the theatre – made it clear that the new This season the Virginia Samford Theatre of another theatre nonprofit facility must establish a business will produce four of its own productions company closing plan to be self-sustaining. It meant we had under the name VST Productions – and its doors in this awful economy. Since the to think outside the box about how to run more than 20 stage productions from four financial crisis has reached epic levels, a successful performance venue. It meant other theatres and one contemporary ballet most arts organizations are retreating to we had to reach out to other local theatre company, all of whom have chosen to lease their respective corners trying to stay afloat companies. What? Ask competing arts our theatre and call it their home. – alone. What’s wrong with this strategy? groups to work together toward a common In addition, the theatre’s arts incubator There is strength in numbers. goal? Impossible. offices provide administrative support When the historic Virginia Samford What followed were extensive meetings for other new creative ventures. The Theatre in Birmingham, AL, was reborn in with theatre board members, artistic revenue generated from these sources 2002, it became clear that business as usual directors, actors, musicians, civic leaders, – the incubator offices, performance lease was no longer the case. For more than 80 not to mention lawyers, to help iron out fees, a ticket preservation fee and rental years, the landmark playhouse had operated the details. Finally, a comprehensive from special events such as weddings as a single theatre company. Most of this and profitable plan emerged. Theatre and receptions – makes it possible for the time, it had served as the cultural center for companies could reserve performance Virginia Samford Theatre to provide below- the University of Alabama at Birmingham dates on an annual basis for their respective market rental rates for its theatre and ballet as the Town and Gown Theatre, under the seasons. Strict guidelines would ensure that companies while maintaining an in-house direction of the legendary James Hatcher. each company had state-of-the-art technical support staff and upkeep for the historic In 1999, when the university decided to and performance support in a beautifully building. sell the theatre, the corporate community restored facility, and each company would We’re all swimming together and – which helped provide $3 million to restore retain its identity with its own patrons. making it work! n Theatreȱ&ȱDanceȱȱ withinȱtheȱLiberalȱArtsȱTraditionȱȬ i Integratedȱclasses,ȱ HighlyȱCompetitiveȱ productionȱandȱ performanceȱ AcademicallyȱRigorousȱȱ i SmallȱClasses,ȱ NationallyȱRanked individualȱattentionȱ i Scholarshipsȱforȱ i 340ȱseatȱMielzinerȱ performanceȱ&ȱ designedȱprosceniumȱ productionȱ i 120ȱseatȱthrustȱ i Residentialȱstudyȱ centersȱinȱLondon,ȱ Veniceȱ&ȱViennaȱ ȱ ForȱInformation,ȱcontact:ȱ ȱȱMaryȱWayneȬThomas,ȱChairȱ ȱȱDepartmentȱofȱTheatreȱandȱDanceȱ ȱȱBoxȱ7264ȱReynoldaȱStationȱ i 4ȱmajorȱproductionsȱȱ&ȱ2ȱdanceȱconcertsȱyearlyȱ ȱWinstonȬSalemȱNCȱ27109 i Multipleȱstudentȱproducingȱgroupsȱ i Numerousȱstudentȱdirectedȱproductions.ȱȱ ȱȱwww.wfu.edu/theatreȱƇȱ336Ȭ758Ȭ5294ȱ 4 s o u t h e r n heatre From the SETC President ... TSETC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Elizabeth N. Baun EDITOR Deanna Thompson ADVERTISING MANAGER Hardy Koenig, [email protected] In this historic year, Southern Theatre celebrates its 50th anniversary as SETC BUSINESS & ADVERTISING OFFICE th th Southeastern Theatre Conference commemorates its 60 anniversary. Traditionally, the 50 anniversary is the PO Box 9868 “golden anniversary.” As you can see from the cover and contents of this Greensboro, NC 27429-0868 336-272-3645 magazine, SETC is indeed rich in its “gold” – you, our membership. Raise a th PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE glass and toast yourself, the “gold” of SETC, as you enjoy this 50 anniversary Paul B. Crook, Chair, Louisiana Tech University Icelebration of Southern Theatre. David Balthrop, Murray State University (KY) You can take a trip through the years and the many changes in the publication J. Caleb Boyd, University of West Georgia Steve Burch, University of Alabama by flipping through the pages of this magazine. Your journey starts on Page Jack Young, University of Houston (TX) 6, where you’ll find a short history of the magazine by Phil Hill, as well as EDITORIAL BOARD illustrations of the first issue of Volume 1 and the first issue of Volume 50. On Jesse Bates, Alabama School of Fine Arts the following pages, you’ll travel forward in time, as we spotlight one issue from Sonya/Tim Bixler, Washington School/Delta Center Stage (MS) Doug Brown, University of North Carolina School of the Arts each of the other volumes in the right-hand column of the magazine pages. Tessa Carr, Lees-McCrae College (NC) If you want to attract new audiences to your organization’s shows (and what Denise Gillman, Christopher Newport University (VA) Kendra Johnson, Clemson University (SC) theatre doesn’t seek to do so today?), you’ll want to read Lisa Cesnik’s story Jerry Lapidus, Titusville Playhouse (FL) about a recent John S. and James L. Knight Foundation study which examined Ray Paolino, University of Georgia double-digit audience growth at the Springer Opera House in Georgia. The Scott Phillips, Auburn University (AL) Richard St. Peter, Actors Guild of Lexington (KY) chief finding? Quality children’s programming linked to a theatre’s core mission Jim Stacy, Louisiana State University at Alexandria not only brings children into the theatre – but their parents as well. The Knight Steve Willis, Bennett College for Women (NC) Amile Wilson, Pippin & Maxx Arts and Entertainment (MS) Foundation believes this information could prove vital to other theatres. PROOFREADERS Those who bemoan the arts’ diminishing presence in schools will find a reason Philip G. Hill, Furman University to cheer in Birmingham, site of this year’s SETC Convention. A teacher at Shades Chris Chandler, SETC Marketing/Website Manager Valley High School in suburban Birmingham is the first-ever arts teacher to be PRINTING named Alabama’s Teacher of the Year. Roy Hudson has a passion for teaching Clinton Press, Greensboro, NC theatre – and a plan to use his position to educate others on the value of the arts NOTE ON SUBMISSIONS Southern Theatre welcomes submissions of articles pertaining in education. Barbara Sloan tells his story. to all aspects of theatre. Preference will be given to subject The downturn in the economy is having an impact on the arts as well as matter closely linked to theatre activity in the Southeastern business, but so far no bailouts have been mentioned for theatre. Catherine Rye United States. Articles are evaluated by the editor and members of the Editorial Board. Criteria for evaluation Gilmore, president of the Virginia Samford Theatre in Birmingham, urges fellow include: suitability, clarity, significance, depth of treatment theatre operators to join hands to ensure their survival. and accuracy. Please query the editor via e-mail before sending articles. Submissions are accepted on disk or via You’ll find some cost-saving strategies in our regular “Outside the Box: e-mail. A double-spaced hard copy of the article also should Design-Tech Solutions” column, as Bill Webb shares tips on building a kabuki be sent. Stories should not exceed 3,000 words. Color photos rig for under $300. And in our regular book column, “Words, Words, Words…,” (300 dpi in jpeg or tiff format) and a brief identification of the author should accompany all articles. Please note any Frazer Lively reviews The Influence of Tennessee Williams: Essays on Fifteen American photos, disks and other materials to be returned and include Playwrights, edited by Philip C. Kolin. SASE. Send stories to: Editor, Southern Theatre, PO Box 9868, Greensboro, NC 27429-0868. E-mail: [email protected]. As you enjoy this celebratory publication, don’t forget that the “toasting” will continue in Birmingham. Don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate with fellow Southern Theatre (ISSNL: 0584-4738) is published quarterly by the Southeastern Theatre Conference, Inc., a nonprofit “golden” members at SETC’s 60th anniversary