tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16876687.post3901181387188229964..comments2024-02-27T16:59:54.089-05:00Comments on (The New) Theatre Ideas: Betrayal of the Regional Theatre Movement -- The GuthrieUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16876687.post-13957213777093225572010-01-16T07:49:49.828-05:002010-01-16T07:49:49.828-05:00Pre not-for-profit theater knew a good play when i...Pre not-for-profit theater knew a good play when it sold seats. The commercial theaters of the past knew how to manage risk. They produced a huge number of new plays, risked as little capital as possible mounting each, and when they got a hit, they optimized its earnings over time.<br /><br />Not-for-profit businesses are inherently risk adverse. That's why all of the theaters do the same few plays each season, and why almost all of those plays come with a NYTs stamp of approval.Louis Broomehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00208823622798127698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16876687.post-831900343775402392008-01-31T15:53:00.000-05:002008-01-31T15:53:00.000-05:00bilal -- It is very, very similar, and shows the s...bilal -- It is very, very similar, and shows the same level of lack of caring for the game as a whole. Irresponsible in both cases.Scott Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06465161646609405658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16876687.post-35928191293909644422008-01-31T15:51:00.000-05:002008-01-31T15:51:00.000-05:00You are right, Tony, and I wouldn't say that Guthr...You are right, Tony, and I wouldn't say that Guthrie is somehow "responsible" for everything in the ensuing 35 years. However, I wanted to describe a fork in the road that happened in 1963, one that Guthrie's fame made much more attractive to other theatres that followed. Because of Guthrie, it was much easier to get where we currently are -- a LORT scene that supports few new play productions.Scott Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06465161646609405658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16876687.post-77390213291033758332008-01-31T11:22:00.000-05:002008-01-31T11:22:00.000-05:00But now the Guthrie has it's own $125 million Shop...But now the Guthrie has it's own $125 million Shopping mall. . . so they must make great art . . . :)<BR/><BR/>Sure Guthrie laid down a path, but the current (and past) generation of managers has been more than willing to take that path and narrow it even further. <BR/><BR/>I think that to some extent placing the blame on Guthrie for the current state of LORT houses, passes the buck from those who built them and currently run them.Tony Adamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02141675073979325374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16876687.post-70356787398203420142008-01-31T00:11:00.000-05:002008-01-31T00:11:00.000-05:00First of all, that is sheer cowardice and laziness...<I>First of all, that is sheer cowardice and laziness -- let other people sift through the contemporary plays and take the chances, and then Guthrie will come along and pick up the gold that has been separated out by others' efforts.</I><BR/><BR/>Would it be too clever to suggest that this idea is very similar to George Steinbrenner's penchant for buying players that other clubs had cultivated to create his Super Yankee teams of the late 90s?<BR/><BR/>And that eventually this practice led to several years of playoff failures in the early 2000s?<BR/><BR/>I feel like there's a more clear parallel I'm trying to make, but it's not coming. Sorry, it's late.Bilalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00286602001929303652noreply@blogger.com