h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The theatre group I work with in town is 81 years old. It's the oldest continuously operating community theatre group west of the Mississppi. This fall it will start it's 82nd season. The group will likely be gone by December and won't see all it's scheduled productions perfomed.

Donations and grant money for the arts in the US have dried up in the post 9/11 economy. Individuals are donating to medical & military charities instead of to the arts. Small groups like the one I work with are suffering. The landlord is sympathetic and hasn't evicted the group in spite of the rent not being paid since March.

Government groups such as the NEA and state-level arts & humanities groups are more likely to cover grant requests for groups that are performing cutting-edge art instead of theatrical pot boilers. They are also more likely to donate to groups that have educational programs. In the last two years the group has moved towards producing edgier, more abstract pieces thanks in part to the guidance of a new artistic director.

After two years of being manipulated and exploited (he's designed, directed, produced, built sets, moved sets in & out, written grants, done promotional work - all for one salary and little thanks), he's resigned. In his place they've appointed one of the board members to the position of 'resident stage director' and have tasked him with maintaining the increased quality of the past two years.

Pity he isn't organized, can't remember anything 5 minutes after he's been told, can't write grants, doesn't have a spine to speak of, and is a people pleaser. He can't stand for anyone not to like him or not to have what they want. Consequently, everyone ends up unhappy and is left feeling betrayed by his conflicting promises. He can't run a rehearsal, let alone an entire theatre company.

I'm sorry to see this company close. So. Here's to the board of that little theatre group. Thanks for killing one of the things I truly loved.

I'm so sorry Emee,i know how large a part this little band has played in your life. It's so unfair.

Thanks for the . It's been a bumpy couple of months. Board politics, actors with huge egos... *sigh* Time to start looking for a new group.

Will it really be as easy as that? I'd have thought going cold into a new group would be pretty daunting . Mind you, that's just my shy and retiring nature .


Didn't you fancy the job of organising the group, or was it just a "Fait acomplis"? I guess you've other priorities at the moment though.

I don't really want to run the group. They expect too much from one person and even if it were a full time job, it would still be too much.

I say 'new group' but it really won't be a new group. Just one I haven't worked with before. There's a lot of cross over between theatre groups in town. People just end up doing the majority of their work with one group. I know some people who are involved with other groups so I won't be going in cold. Or I might just take up another hobby - one that's not so time-consuming.

I don't believe you'd abandon your passion as easily as that it may be time consuming........but it sounds to me like the rewards justify the time.

Don't you dare give up, i'm hoping to see you on tv one day.

How's everything else Hun? And did i get the name right?