This conversation explores the challenges faced by theater artists, including financial struggles, the impact of the pandemic, and the importance of equitable wages and housing. The hosts discuss the role of arts organizations in supporting artists and the need for community and support within the theater industry. They also address the challenges of funding and budgeting for theater, emphasizing the importance of growth and sustainability for the future of the industry.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Business of Theater

02:32 Financial Constraints in Theater

05:27 The Hustle: Balancing Theater and Other Work

07:53 Income and Wage Disparities in Theater

10:42 Housing and Living Conditions for Theater Workers

13:33 The Impact of Location on Theater Work

16:22 Funding and Compensation in the Arts

18:52 The Future of Theater: Balancing Art and Economics

21:33 The Importance of Workplace Environment

24:13 Caring for Artists and Staff

26:09 Union Standards and Compensation

28:09 The Role of Small Gestures in Management

29:56 Budgeting and Financial Challenges in Nonprofits

31:37 Growth and Purpose in Theater Organizations

33:08 Compensation and Financial Sustainability

35:57 The Value of Frontline Staff

38:35 Opportunities for Growth and Development

42:29 Navigating Financial Constraints in Theater

LINKS:

“Tom Stoppard, Master Playwright Whose Work Spanned Six Decades, Dies at 88” by Broadway.com’s Beth Stevens - “Stoppard wrote more than 30 plays, building a body of work that blended big ideas with theatricality. His breakthrough Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was first staged at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1966. It then moved to the National Theatre and later to Broadway, where the comic riff on two minor characters from Hamlet won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1968. ... His plays soon became fixtures on Broadway. 

His work also earned major acclaim in London where he received three Olivier Awards (for Arcadia, Heroes and Leopoldstadt). The Royal Court, the National Theatre and the West End all staged his plays throughout his career and helped build his reputation across the U.K. He was knighted in 1997 and became one of the most honored dramatists in British theater.” https://bway.ly/qr6roa

“It’s a Homophobic Slur. What’s It Doing in So Much Theater?” by The New York Times’ Erik Piepenburg - “Adam Greenfield, the artistic director of Playwrights Horizons, where “Prince F****t” had its premiere this summer in a Soho Rep co-production, said our relationship to a play starts when we first hear about it. That’s especially true with “Prince F****t.” “Whether it’s distaste or anxiety or intrigue, the title positions you in the play before you know anything about it,” he said.” https://bway.ly/y7sqyo

Heart, Hustle, Survival - Report Sheds Light on Realities of Making a Living and a Life in the Theatre

https://www.tcg.org/Web/News/Press-Releases/new-report-hhs.aspx 

ONE SINGULAR SENSATION:

Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Share the podcast with a friend, colleague or give us some social media love.

This podcast is an Em3ry production.

Visit us online at https://em3ry.com/tbot. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at “em3ryotm”.