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FEATURE | |
Back to Facility ManagerContents |
Of
Passion And Profession—Dionysus, Apollo, And The Greek Chorus In New York
An audience of spectators, such as we know
it, was unknown to the Greeks. Given the terraced structure of the Greek
theater, rising in concentric arcs, each spectator could quite literally
survey the entire cultural world about him and imagine himself, in the
fullness of seeing, as a chorist. By Mark Heiser
It was also appropriate that for the first topic of the day (the viability of the performing arts complex), Jacque Robertson of Cooper Robertson & Partners would touch upon the theme of the connection between people and place. Victor Gotesman, president and CEO of Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc., also spoke of the need to connect the arts to a sense of “place,” while Janice Price, president and CEO of the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, emphasized the critical social role of the performing arts center in the community.
On Saturday, the session emphasized the Apollonian aspect of our chosen field at the Town Hall meeting, an open discussion where the hot topics of venue management were addressed. New twists on ADA compliance such as the etiquette of portable oxygen tanks, the complexity of developing rental rates, and the development of other forms of ancillary income were a few of the topics that were bandied about the room.
Later in the day, Laren Ukman, managing director of IEG, addressed the chorus on the topic of creating new sponsorship opportunities. Laren’s presentation of the metatrends of successful sponsorship relationships echoed what many venue managers desire as well—meaningful, experiential connections with an audience. Our own sponsors contributed generously toward making the sessions and activities possible, and PAFAS members agree that our sponsors are a welcome voice in the chorus. Monday’s subway adventure took the chorus to Brooklyn College for an exercise in Socratic thinking. The focus of the session was on performing arts management training. Tobie Stein, director of the MFA Program and Performing Arts Management at Brooklyn College, introduced two students from her MFA program, while Darrell Ayers brought two of his finest from the Vilar Institute at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. All of the students demonstrated a high degree of passion and commitment toward their future profession. Tuesday the chorus was absorbed in the Dyonisian delights of Richard Pilbrow, chairman of Theatre Projects Consultants, Inc., and David McCollum of the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul, as they talked about the future of creativity in the arts. Mr. Pilbrow struck a chord when he emphasized the pivotal role that the arts play during explosive periods in the development of civilization. Mr. McCollum also spoke eloquently, in particular about his journey from flip-flops and puka shells to Broadway producer. He also envisioned the theatre as a value system rather than merely a venue, and his remark that venue managers should be considered “venue personalities” resonated well among the chorus. Tuesday’s final session was on the topic of rebuilding audiences after the 9/11 attacks. The panel was Susan Lee, director of new business development at the advertising firm of Serino-Coyne, Inc.; Schuyler Chapin, former commissioner of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; and Tahra Millan, events and marketing manager for the League of American Theatres and Producers. While venue managers in New York and throughout the country were affected professionally as well as emotionally by the tragic events of September 11, the session was far from a Greek tragedy. On the contrary, the panel delivered the message that has been the banner campaign for the city: “New York is Open for Business!” After discussing the financial impact on Broadway and on the city as a whole, the panel laid out the strategic process already underway—a coordinated plan to move ahead, restore confidence, and build up the economic underpinnings of the industry. At this seminar, as with previous PAFAS gatherings, arts managers are able to define their purpose with a degree of passion that is rarely found in other professions. While not directly on the stage, they are nonetheless an integral part of the theatre, and their commitment to the drama is no less than when Thespis stepped from the crowd. As the seminar came to a close, and the Dionysian revelry wound down, members of the PAFAS were all looking forward to next year, when the chorus would play once again. Enchantment is the precondition of all
dramatic art. Mark Heiser is the general manager of Cal Performances at the University of California at Berkeley. |
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© 2002
International Association of Assembly Managers |
As
described by Nietzsche, the early Greek dramas balanced the frenetic energy
of Dionysian expression with the Apollonian attention to form and function.
Today venue managers balance their passion for the arts with the
professionalism of their work. If New York is the Athens of the United
States, Lincoln Center is unquestionably the Acropolis of New York—the
epicenter of temples dedicated to the performing arts. It was therefore
fitting that the inaugural session of the 10th Annual IAAM Performing Arts
Facility Administrators Seminar (PAFAS) was held in the Walter Reade Theatre
at Lincoln Center, with a large Greek chorus of venue managers in
attendance.
The
Acropolis beckoned, and after being well fed by Restaurant Associates, the
chorus moved from venue to venue in what was to become a highlight of the
New York experience—the facility tour. Venue tours for the day would include
the Metropolitan Opera House, New York State Theatre, Avery Fisher Hall,
Alice Tully Hall, and Lincoln Center Theatres. Later in the conference there
would be tours of Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, the Public Theatre,
and the 42nd Street Theatres. Braving the subway, the chorus also toured
Brooklyn College and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Security was also a
major concern, particularly in light of recent events, and this matter was
taken up during the session at Carnegie Hall. Since few have the luxury of a
Roman Garrison at their disposal, the chorus listened intently as security
professionals outlined the major trends in security techniques and
technology.