Thursday, March 25, 2010

How We Failed Theater – Art & Seek – A service from KERA for North Texas:

Daisey wasn't that impressed; at best, a million-dollar endowment would give an annual return of $50,000 — enough to keep one actor fed. Turns out, though, that the Brierleys' gift is not designed to underwrite an actor's salary. It's meant, as the DTC's press release said, to " support DTC’s artistic programming, which includes its commitment to productions of classics, new plays and musicals of the highest caliber, meaningful community partnerships, and a resident company of professional actors."

But let's back up. Objecting to Mike Daisey's arguments about theaters can put one in the awkward position of seeming to defend buildings over people. In fact, that kind of either/or thinking is one of my reservations about his otherwise rousing solo show.