History stands in front of us, holding out that crystal ball for anyone willing to peer into it. But the arts orgs fallen to institutional capture walk right past, flying their virtue flag, right up to, and over, the cliff. It’s desperately sad and predictable. The only element of surprise will be what takes theater’s place, or how it it arises when it does. If it does. Thanks for reading and for your comment!
I remember going to a play in 2019 at the theater company in the old armory building. An embarrassing overly long "land acknowledgement". I knew then we were in the hands of a cult. I also remember how not one theater company would touch "My name is Rachael Corie" About the Palestinian Solidarity activist murdered in cold blood by an Israeli assassin. Bottom line the theater scene has been in the control of the wrong people for a long time.
Thank you, Scott. Your recollections parallel mine in every way, and in my case, I must also add that both this theater and Artists Repertory Theater fired me for refusing to take the knee to pronoun declarations. I had worked for Portland Center Stage for decades, coaching over 30 plays there to stellar critical reviews and audience response. At Artists Rep, I was actually a member of the Resident Artist company, again coaching over 30 shows, work which the patrons, donors and sponsors loved. But I was not going to put pronouns in my bio, nor announce them any time I spoke publicly in my role as company dialect coach. So out the door I was ushered! I do not have any regrets about this cancellation, nor anger about the vitriol heaped upon me by the "progressive" actors who bought the new deal hook, line and sinker. I am truly grateful to have been set free so I can do the real work of witnessing and reporting on the institutional capture of the arts (and everything else) and call for its undoing. Thanks for reading my essay. I'm grateful.
It only took 2 years for OSF. Have you got a crystal ball?
History stands in front of us, holding out that crystal ball for anyone willing to peer into it. But the arts orgs fallen to institutional capture walk right past, flying their virtue flag, right up to, and over, the cliff. It’s desperately sad and predictable. The only element of surprise will be what takes theater’s place, or how it it arises when it does. If it does. Thanks for reading and for your comment!
I remember going to a play in 2019 at the theater company in the old armory building. An embarrassing overly long "land acknowledgement". I knew then we were in the hands of a cult. I also remember how not one theater company would touch "My name is Rachael Corie" About the Palestinian Solidarity activist murdered in cold blood by an Israeli assassin. Bottom line the theater scene has been in the control of the wrong people for a long time.
Thank you, Scott. Your recollections parallel mine in every way, and in my case, I must also add that both this theater and Artists Repertory Theater fired me for refusing to take the knee to pronoun declarations. I had worked for Portland Center Stage for decades, coaching over 30 plays there to stellar critical reviews and audience response. At Artists Rep, I was actually a member of the Resident Artist company, again coaching over 30 shows, work which the patrons, donors and sponsors loved. But I was not going to put pronouns in my bio, nor announce them any time I spoke publicly in my role as company dialect coach. So out the door I was ushered! I do not have any regrets about this cancellation, nor anger about the vitriol heaped upon me by the "progressive" actors who bought the new deal hook, line and sinker. I am truly grateful to have been set free so I can do the real work of witnessing and reporting on the institutional capture of the arts (and everything else) and call for its undoing. Thanks for reading my essay. I'm grateful.
OSF also insults its audience with its absurd Content Warnings. The one for Romeo and Juliet says “Romeo and Juliet contains coarse sexual humor, a parent threatening a child, and stage violence, including a gun, that results in a death. The play ends in a double suicide.” See link for hilarious yet sad full list: https://www.osfashland.org/en/engage-and-learn/play-suitability-suggestions-and-guides/content-warning.aspx?fbclid=IwAR2HjcTPpDGHKwuYrhff4xnY6Ez-nxmABA_keCmDlktA6ossrM97E2Oe3jw#:~:text=There%20is%20frequent%20profanity%20and