Theatre North Carolina

CREATIVITY SNAPSHOT: The Arts

CREATIVITY SNAPSHOT: The Arts

Thursday, November 12, 2009

5:30 - 7:00 PM at
DOS PERROS RESTAURANT
200 N. Mangum St., Durham, NC 27701

The Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) and the Durham Arts Council invite you to this interesting conversation of how a community can support and welcome artists as part of its culture. This event is part of IEI's creativity program of work, and one lucky person will win a ticket to the Emerging Issues Forum on February 8 and 9, 2010.

Appetizers provided; Cash Bar
Admission is Free. Please reserve your space.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Panelists:
Todd Atlas - Owner, Sound Pure Studios Durham
Greg Kueber - Development Manager, Golden Belt, Durham
Sherry DeVries - Executive Director,Durham Arts Council
Nancy Tuttle May- Nationally recognized Visual Artist, Durham
Moderator: Anita Brown-Graham - Director, Institute for Emerging Issues


About the NC State University Institute for Emerging Issues

The Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) is a public policy, think-and-do tank that convenes leaders from business, non profit organizations, government and higher education to tackle some of the biggest issues facing North Carolina’s future growth and prosperity. More about IEI here.

What the What? N&O Reviewer Embarrasses Herself

A few days ago I posted a note about the tour of 'Grease' with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks coming to the DPAC. I love big Broadway musicals, but I just can't stomach 'Grease' or Hicks. Here's the link to that post 'If Schlock is Your Thing...'

Now as I have said many, many times... I don't do reviews. The reason I don't do reviews is because I don't feel qualified to do them...Well the N&O should feel the same way. I am absolutely dumbfounded by the review of 'Grease' in the N&O today. In a review titled "'Grease' loses pizazz" by Elizabeth Shestak the N&O puts another nail in the coffin of arts journalism, or at least in the coffin that was the Triangle's paper of record.

I have no issue with the fact that the reviewer didn't really like the show. I do have a problem with the fact that the review was based on the assumption that 'Grease" the stage musical is a remake of 'Grease' the movie. She starts the review:

If you see "Grease" at the Durham Performing Arts Center this week, do not go hoping to see the movie reincarnated right before you.

Duh... Sadly, Ms. Shestak did go expecting to see John Travolta and Stockard Channing and she was disappointed. OK, I might be over reacting. Most people will go the DPAC expecting to see a remake of the movie, but this isn't 'Dirty Dancing', 'The Full Monty' or 'Billy Elliot'. I think an arts journalist someone who writes about the arts, should be able to inform viewers of the difference between a stage musical based on a movie and a movie based on a stage musical. I was giving her the benefit of the doubt until I read this line...

Still, there's something about the nuance of the original...

And by 'original' she means Newton-John. Ugg...the movie was not the original Ms. Shestak. Please get your facts straight! If you want to compare the stage version to the movie feel free, just make sure you know what you are talking about.

Still think I'm overreacting... read this from her pitiful review...

For example, Danny is played by Eric Schnieder, who looks more like Adrien Brody from the film "The Pianist" than Travolta. Frankly, Dominic Fortuna, the actor who plays Vince Fontaine, the horny DJ, looks a heck of a lot more like Danny. And for some reason, Danny wears a striped polo shirt and loose, cuffed jeans with his T-Bird leather jacket, rather than the plain white T-shirt and tight jeans of the Zuko I suspect many were hoping to see.

But he can sing, and at times Schneider channels the silky Travoltan pipes of yesteryear. The whole cast has pretty decent vocals, though a few of the women sound a little too much like Disney characters than they do Stockard Channing, the film's original Betty Rizzo, or Newton-John.

Emily Padgett, who plays Sandy Dumbrowski (note the different last name than Sandy from the film -- was that really necessary?) is adorable at times, flitting between insecurity around the Pink Ladies and earnestly coquettish around Danny. But she holds onto the words a little too long during her solos and lets the vibrato linger.

I'm ill. I need to go lie down now...

Theatre Rescheduling Raises Concern

Zach Smith over at the Independent is keeping tabs on the Memorial Auditorium vs. DPAC match-up and what it means for non-profit arts groups in Raleigh.

Memorial clears space to face down DPAC
Theater vs. theater
by Zach Smith

The early success of the Durham Performing Arts Center's 2,800-seat theater has created pressure at the older performing arts venue down the interstate in Raleigh.

Recently, the Progress Energy Center, a four-venue facility topped by the 2,300-seat Memorial Auditorium, instituted changes that would open the main stage to more big-ticket touring acts.

Among the key changes was for the Carolina Ballet to relocate most of its non-Nutcracker performances from Memorial Auditorium to Fletcher Opera Theater. This relocation in turn creates space and scheduling problems for several of the smaller resident companies that use the facility.

Language in the scheduling policy for the Raleigh Convention Center, which oversees Progress Energy Center, indicates that priority is given to touring productions that would produce five or more performances, while local productions and concerts are on a "first come, first served" basis.

Concern over these changes prompted a meeting on Feb. 27 between Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker and representatives of several Raleigh arts organizations. According to Nancy Lambert of the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild, the conference was requested by several groups, including the Guild, Theatre in the Park, Raleigh Little Theatre and Capital Opera, who were all represented.

Keep reading...

RENT: School Edition Stirs Controversy

The New York Times reports that RENT: School Edition is controversial.

Big shock right? I'm more shocked that there is a school edition of RENT at all.

Ron Martin, the theater teacher and director here at Corona del Mar High School, found out just how controversial “Rent” can be. It was canceled after he chose the student version for the spring musical, hoping that it would counter what he saw as creeping homophobia on this Orange County campus. A recent video on Facebook, featuring Corona del Mar students using gay slurs, had upset faculty and parents, and some teachers reported that they had heard slurs at school.

“This is the first time I’ve chosen a show for the high school because I had an agenda,” Mr. Martin said. “In this instance, having an agenda as a teacher didn’t give me pause. My job is to give my students life skills. Discrimination is wrong on all levels.”

He said his principal, Fal Asrani, had objected to the show because of its treatment of “prostitution and homosexuality.” “When I heard that, I stopped her and looked her in the eye and said, ‘First, there is no prostitution in ‘Rent,’ and second, homosexuality is not wrong,’ ” Mr. Martin said. “She made no comment. It was the most demoralizing, disappointing moment in my career as a teacher.”

Read it all...

Raising Funds in an Economic Meltdown

Katya Anderson, author of the book Robin Hood Marketing, has a fantastic blog called Getting to the Point. Katya has a great post called 5 Keys to Pulling out of the Economic Nosedive. The tips are fairly simple, but that's the point. It's always best to remember the fundamentals, but it's absolutely vital when things get nutty. Check out some of the tips below.

Here are five keys to pulling yourself and your message together to survive 2009.  They are all variations on an important theme: give donors what they want during tough times. 

1. Give donors what they want: to feel good.

That’s right.  Donors want to feel good, especially right now.  They want a helper’s high.  They want to have an impact, make a difference and attain an emotional ROI.  You don’t give that to them with a desperate, doom and gloom message about your dire need.  Even if you’re feeling negative, there is no need to share that emotion unless there is a happy windup to your appeal.  Who can the donor save?  What can they make possible?  How can they be a superhuman life-changer for a small sum?  Tell them that.  It’s good stuff.  It’s motivating stuff.  It works.  DO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THIS.  Times are tough and if you can
make people feel good about themselves and what they’ve done, that’s worth a lot to them.

2. Give donors what they want: to hear from people they know.

Now’s a good time to change up the messenger.  People are going to be in a kind of mental fetal position this year, clinging to their nearest and dearest in this scary world.  So if you put your cause in the mouths of their friends and family, you’re going to get much further than you would messaging alone.  Ask your supporters to spreadthe word about you.  The messenger will be key this year, and it’s best if it’s not you.

Keep reading...

There's No Business Like Show Business in Durham

Details on the DPAC Opening! The pre-event events start at 5:30 with music and dance. At 6:00 the light sculpture "Sleep No More" will be lit followed by ribbon cutting and dedicating.

Then the theatre will be opened for tours, entertainment and refreshments.  Ira David Wood III will emcee the festivities.

The Durham Herald-Sun has more entertainment details.

The John Brown Quintet, featuring vocalist Lois Deloatch, will perform during the free, public opening of the Durham Performing Arts Center on Monday.

Other performers at this event -- dubbed "There's No Business Like Show Business In Durham!" -- will be the Durham Children's Choir, Chuck Davis and the African American Dance Ensemble, the Pitchforks of Duke University, the Durham Symphony and other surprise guests who have not been announced.

Podunk Holler Rep

Interesting article in the NY Times about playwrights and royalties. An interesting article, but want really got me was this quote from an agent, Peter Franklin. My goodness, no need to be nasty!

“Let’s say a young playwright gets his work premiered at Podunk Holler Rep,” said the agent Peter Franklin, whose client roster includes Mr.
Lucas, Edward Albee and Paula Vogel.
“They give him a standard contract, nonnegotiable — and they take 2.5 percent. Then the play goes on to Mid-City Rep in a major city. So we have to peel off another 5 percent for them. Then the play makes it to New York Institutional Rep and they want an even bigger chunk” — usually between 10 and 40 percent.

More on Flat Rock News...

More on the death of Robin Farquhar...

From WHKP

Flat Rock Playhouse Exec. Director...Dies Of Apparent Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

Robin Farquhar, the 58 year old Executive Director and son of
the founders of the Flat Rock Playhouse...died late Monday of what
investigators are calling a suicide.

Police and emergency personnel answered the call to the State Theater
of North Carolina just before 5pm...where the victim was described as
being  "in full arrest", with a gunshot wound to the head.  

The president of the Playhouse board of trustees, John Sheiry,
confirmed Thursday afternoon...that the victim was Robin Farquhar.  The
apparent suicide occured at a cottage off the main paved parking lot at
the Playhouse.  Robin Farquhar was the son of Robroy and Leona
Farquhar...who founded the Playhouse and the famous Vagabond
Players...in 1952.

Robin Farquhar had been honored at an open house last Sunday for the new Youth Theater, which bore his name.

Sad News

From NCTC:

It is with great sadness that we pass along the news of the death of Robin R. Farquhar.  Robin was the long-time Executive and Artistic Director of Flat Rock Playhouse and will be greatly missed by all of his friends in the North Carolina theatre community.  He took his own life on November 3, 2008.   The staff of Flat Rock Playhouse asks for prayers and privacy as they deal with this enormous sadness and loss.

Murder!

Best opening line ever!

Despite some misgivings about a reference to murder on a work of downtown public art, the Durham City Council voted unanimously Thursday to accept a donated sculpture for the new Performing Arts Center plaza.

Uhh... OK... Read the rest...