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Organizational Models

There are many different kinds of theatre organizations, and content in this section explores the diversity of models. Dive in with essays on shared leadership and restructuring a company as a worker’s cooperative.

The Latest

Towards a Sustainable Theatre Model
Essay
Towards a Sustainable Theatre Model
by Scott Walters, Munroe Shearer
27 February 2024
That Which We Call a Struggle: A Response to Ife Olujobi’s “$5000”
Essay
That Which We Call a Struggle: A Response to Ife Olujobi’s “$5000”
by Chris Myers
5 February 2024
How Pay As You Are Changed Theater Mu
Essay
How Pay As You Are Changed Theater Mu
by Lianna Matt McLernon, Wesley Mouri, Anh Thu Pham
27 November 2023
Portrait of P. Carl.
Social Skills and the Theater
Essay

Social Skills and the Theater

25 July 2011

P. Carl describes the social traps that befall those who work in non-profit theater, and advocates for the introduction of more breathing and thinking time into insitutions.

A Different Kind of Professional
Essay

A Different Kind of Professional

3 July 2011

Martin Zimmerman, an American playwright, discusses the use of the word "professional" as used in the theater community, and asks wheather this is indeed the right term to describe having a level of expertise in the theatrical world.

 

A house submerged in water with several people standing on top of it.
Theater Geek
Essay

Theater Geek

19 June 2011

Responding to the From Scarcity to Abundance Convening, Jim Lasko questions the deeper problems of elitism and relevance theatres face today.

Portrait of Jonathon Moscone.
Towards an Anxious Theatre
Essay

Towards an Anxious Theatre

15 June 2011

Jonathon Moscone, an American theatre director, examines the question of what purpose do theatres serve, and advocates for the abandoning of fear in governing theatrical choices, and the embracement of unease, so that we can create theatre that takes the real time to listen to the current of our lives.

The cover of Theresa Rebeck's book "Free Fire Zone."
Playwrights
Essay

Playwrights

Collaborators or Contractors?

30 March 2011

Jayne Benjulian considers the rightful place of a playwright in the rehearsal room as the executive producer of his or her own work.

The Theatre of the Future
Essay

The Theatre of the Future

9 February 2011

In this installment of the series From Scarcity to Abundance: Capturing the Moment for the New Work Sector, Meiyin Wang hypothesizes on the future of theatre and the impact it can have on the world.

Four actors perform in a play, they wear mostly ripped clothing
The Bounty of Big Institutions and the Glory of Grass Roots
Essay

The Bounty of Big Institutions and the Glory of Grass Roots

30 January 2011

Playwright Lisa D'Amour considers the inherent differences between big institutions and grassroots theatres, and the possibilities that could arise were the two to collaborate.

A designer works on the floor
Latinx Theatre Commons Designer and Director Colaboratorio
Series

Latinx Theatre Commons Designer and Director Colaboratorio

The Latinx Theatre Commons Designer and Director Colaboratorio was a five-day series of learning opportunities in Portland, Oregon designed to encourage authentic creative expressions and collaboration between Latinx designers and directors. The Latinx Theatre Commons brought together thirty-seven artists from around the United States to work together with the shared goals of fostering alternative communication models for production teams and challenging the typical director-driven model. This series of essays reflects on the learnings from Colaboratorio, the challenges that arose, and the meaningful ways in which the participants engaged with each other. We hope this encourages others to engage in these conversations, write about them, and continue pushing our field forward.

A man in a suit and mask standing with his hands in the air with a banner behind his head.
Latinx Theatre Leaders at the Forefront
Series

Latinx Theatre Leaders at the Forefront

If history is made by those who write it, then the Latinx Theatre Leaders at the Forefront series serves as a historical intervention by adding to the limited existing documentation of Latinx theatre leaders.This series convenes Latinx theatre leaders to amplify their experiences in a field that has ignored their existence and failed to provide enough resources to build the infrastructure necessary for success. In an effort to continue legacy and leadership cultivation, these interviews pair established theatremakers with new and future leaders, creating intergenerational conversations that model horizontal mentorship and learning. Join us to share in these leaders’ hope for future generations and to learn how they have mobilized that hope by creating community and producing work that centers Latinx stories.

A group of people posing for a photograph
Playwrights In Dialogue 
Series

Playwrights In Dialogue 

Conversations from the National Playwright Residency Program

In-depth conversations between playwrights in the National Playwright Residency Program. 

Entrepreneurial Mindset Series by Seth Lepore
Series

Entrepreneurial Mindset Series by Seth Lepore

Theatre DIY Don’ts by
Series

Theatre DIY Don’ts by

In this series, Ricky Young-Howze shares his experience of starting his own not-for-profit theatre company and offers advice.

Radical Hospitality
Series

Radical Hospitality

Reflections on Mixed Blood Theatre's Radical Hospitality policy of providing low-cost access to all audience members.

Not-for-profit Boards
Series

Not-for-profit Boards

A three-part series on not-for-profit boards.

Techne
Series

Techne

Gwydion Suilebhan discusses the impact of technology on theatre.

A Big Eyed Fish 
Series

A Big Eyed Fish 

Column exploring the junction of ensemble theatre and audience.