May Issue - Stage Directions Magazine

Feature
Seth Rozin
Depending on the production,
the theatre may work with
autism information groups who
distribute promotional materials
and special offers right to
families. It also may work with a
Latino communications company
that owns varied media outlets
or with diversity networks
at major local corporations,
according to Kathy D. Graves,
Mixed Blood’s marketing and
public relations consultant.
When thinking about diversity,
however, Mixed Blood goes
beyond just concentrating on
marketing and what plays it’s
putting on. To grow a diverse
audience, it looks at the whole theatre experience a patron
may encounter, from not only who’s onstage, but also who’s
taking your ticket. Their mission is Dr. King’s vision, and that
influences all aspects of their operations. “It’s our reason for
existence,” says Reuler.
Baltimore’s Centerstage also takes a holistic approach to
diversity. While one-third of every season is devoted to blackthemed
shows, the theatre strives to be more inclusive in
everything, including its board representation, staff, volunteers,
community outreach, media choices, photographs on the walls
and brochures. The end result is an environment that seems
open and respectful of every patron who walks in the door. “If
people come in the door, they don’t feel like they’re entering
an alien territory,” says Gavin Witt, the professional theatre’s
resident dramaturg.
And if people feel welcome on their first visit to the theatre,
they’re likely to come back. “I keep likening it to dates,” says Witt.
“If we’re clear about who we are and what we’re about, you’ll
have better second dates.”
Lately, Centerstage has been thinking of diversity not just
in terms of race, but also in terms of age. “Diversity is an ever
expanding term for us,” he says. As with African-Americans, the
goal is the same: to make young people feel welcome. And as
with African-Americans, the entire theatregoing experience
needs to be examined in order to obtain that goal.
“It’s not just putting young people onstage,” says Witt. “It’s
not just putting on funky shows.” The theatre is looking at its
From InterAct Theatre Company’s production of A House With No Walls
promotional materials. Do they
catch the eye? Do they utilize the
Internet effectively?
American Stage Theatre
Company, in St. Petersburg, Fla.,
also has been trying to diversify
its audience by reaching out
to the young. Its educational
programs serve lots of children,
which gets them, as well as their
parents, involved in the theatre.
It offers an inexpensive ticket
it calls the Next Wave Pass
for people 30 and under. It also
offers pay-what-you-can-nights.
“On those nights, we find we
have a real diverse audience,”
says Todd Olson, the theatre’s
producing artistic director. When American Stage builds its new
theatre, it’s hoping to provide drop-in childcare and a crying
room for fussy children.
The theatre also has been reaching out to the black community.
Faced with dwindling audiences for its Shakespeare in the
Park series, a 20-year tradition, the theatre changed the outdoor
performances last year by performing Crowns, a gospel musical,
instead of Shakespeare. The result was the biggest black audience
the theatre ever had.
Olson warns, though, that reaching a diverse audience
shouldn’t be the main reason to do a particular show. “Ultimately,
it’s got to be about quality,” he said. Besides, the best works transcend
barriers and speak to everyone. They’re universal. A Raisin in
the Sun isn’t just a black story. “It’s a human story,” says Olson.
Typically, though, most theatres aren’t thinking about diversity,
says Rozin. It takes time and money to broaden an audience,
and doing so takes away from energy spent on making sure the
people who always come still do. Running a theatre is often a
precarious financial enterprise, so staffers often don’t have the
luxury of worrying about the future and what it will mean for their
audience. They’re worried about the here and now, which means
many theatres are content with the status quo. But in the long run,
that attitude could be shortsighted.
“The country is diversifying,” says Rozin. “We’ve got to be dealing
with it.”
John Crawford is a freelance writer living in the Boston area.
28 May 2007 • www.stage-directions.com