Industry Pro Newsletter: New Study Looks to the Preparedness of Arts Orgs to Face Future Challenges

In a sign of an industry on the rebound, Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles is getting ready to announce a return of programming at the Mark Taper Forum, where production was paused last year while the organization went through a budget crunch. Additionally, following the casting of a Black actress in the role of Juliet, an upcoming West End production of Romeo and Juliet from the Jamie Lloyd Company started dealing with racist backlash online - we’ll show you how the company responded.

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Industry Trends

New Study Hopes To Prepare Theatre Industry For Future Pandemics, Climate Crisis

A new study aims to equip the theatre industry to handle future pandemics and the climate crisis. Led by a team of researchers, the study will analyze the industry's resilience and identify strategies for adaptation. With the theatre community still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the study comes at a crucial time to ensure preparedness for future challenges.

Kate Shindle to Step Down as President of Actors' Equity Association

Kate Shindle announced her decision to step down as President of Actors' Equity Association. Serving since 2015, Shindle has been a prominent advocate for theater professionals during her tenure, which will come to end on May 23rd.

Broadway/New York

Industry Trends Weekly: Who Decides the New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards? By Cara Joy David

Two groups of critics (or, more precisely, one group of critics and one group of mostly critics) give theater awards each season. In this continuing series on theater’s awards, I look at the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards. 

The New York Drama Critics’ Circle was established in 1935 because a bunch of critics were upset about how the Pulitzers were being awarded. It gave its first award (singular) in 1936. Current voting membership includes Time Out New York’s Adam Feldman, New York Theatre Guide’s Joe Dziemianowicz, former TheaterMania critic Zachary Stewart, Lighting and Sound America’s David Barbour, Observer’s David Cote, The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham, Deadline’s Greg Evans, New York Stage Review’s David Finkle, New York Sun’s Elysa Gardner, The Wrap’s Robert Hofler, Wall Street Journal’s Charles Isherwood, Chicago Tribune’s Chris Jones, former Andscape critic Soraya Nadia McDonald, New York Magazine’s Jackson McHenry, New York Post’s Johnny Oleksinski, New York Stage Review’s Frank Scheck, The New Yorker’s Helen Shaw, Cultural Daily’s David Sheward, Variety’s Marilyn Stasio, Elisabeth Vincentelli and amNewYork’s Matt Windman. (New York Times staff critics are not allowed to participate, though someone like Vincentelli, who has reviews in the Times, but is a freelancer, can.) Though some of these folks are not currently regular critics, typically people fall off the rolls when they stop regularly reviewing for major outlets. Some completely leave, but some become emeritus members, meaning they can participate in discussions but cannot vote for the awards. There are membership dues. Twenty-five of these members also vote for the Tony Awards. 

The New York Drama Critics’ Circle does not announce nominees for its awards. The awards have expanded through the years–they were originally for an American play, but then were opened to all plays. Then musical was added. Special citations are also now usually given. Except they always only have to give one of those–a play award. Everything else is optional. 

Since Feldman took over as president in 2005, the organization has been fairly transparent about how everything works, even publishing how everyone voted, but the process is still more complicated than I knew.

The members discuss and a first ballot is submitted. If a play wins a majority of the votes on the first ballot, case closed. If it’s an American play, they can then decide whether to give a Best Foreign Play. If it’s a foreign play, they can then decide whether to give a Best American Play. Then move onto musical. Last season was the first season since 2009 the play was decided on the first ballot, Bruce Norris’ Downstate won. Leopoldstadt won Best Foreign Play also on the first ballot. No Best Musical Award was given.

The issue is the years where no play gets the majority of votes on the first ballot. They then decide whether they should even give an award (which given that they always give a play award that’s a little meaningless in the first instance, but it is relevant for later categories). Then, if “yes,” everyone has to give their top three choices for the award. Those top three choices are then assigned a point system. 

“It’s a weighted ballot system,” explained Feldman. “Your top choice gets three points, your second choice gets two points, your third choice gets one point. Then there is a threshold of points that a show has to exceed to win. That threshold is determined by the number of voting members times three divided by two.”

If no show goes over that threshold, it goes to yet another ballot, which is limited to the top four contenders of the prior ballot. So, basically, a runoff. Feldman says that almost always yields a victor, but, if not, no award would be given. (Same process for the second play award and musical award.) 

For special citations, Feldman takes suggestions. Then they do a simple majority rule, “yes” or “no.” They only give a few special citations each year. 

Dissatisfaction with the recipients of the Pulitzers led to the formation of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle and dissatisfaction with the makeup of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle led to another organization. Story continues, click here to read more.

Regional

Mark Taper Forum Expected To Announce New Season in Coming Weeks

The Mark Taper Forum is poised to unveil its upcoming season in the coming weeks. Theater enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the announcement, anticipating a diverse and compelling lineup of productions. As one of Los Angeles' premier cultural institutions, the Mark Taper Forum plays a pivotal role in shaping the city's theater landscape, and it came as stunning news when CTG put programming at the Taper on hold.

American Theatre: Ten Thousand Things Artistic Director Marcela Lorca to Step Down

Marcela Lorca, Artistic Director of Ten Thousand Things, announced her decision to step down from the position. Lorca has led the acclaimed theater company with distinction, championing accessibility and inclusivity in the arts. Her departure marks the end of a transformative chapter for Ten Thousand Things, which has gained recognition for its innovative productions under her leadership.

American Theatre: Jill A. Anderson Named Managing Director of Children's Theatre Company

Jill A. Anderson assumes the role of Managing Director at the Children's Theatre Company. With extensive experience in arts administration, Anderson comes to the company directly from Syracuse Stage, where she is currently serving as the Managing Director.

International

Jamie Lloyd Company Condemns Racist Bullying of Cast Member

Following the announcement of the cast, which includes Francesca Amewudah-Rivers as Juliet, the company and the actress both began receiving a barrage of racist comments from across the internet, in response, the company said: "We are working with a remarkable group of artists. We insist that they are free to create work without facing online harassment. We will continue to support and protect everyone in our company at all costs. Any abuse will not be tolerated and will be reported."

Missed our last few newsletters?

April 1, 2024 - Grants and Government Spending Impact on Arts Budgets

This week, stories abound about the impact funding can have on the arts - from the UK, an editorial about how the collapse of funding for the creative industry was predictable, with lessons that reach far beyond the UK. In the US, we have stories of both large gifts making a huge impact - including no-cost rentals at 59E59 - as well as the impact of changes to the way Florida is apportioning their arts budget at the state level.

March 25, 2024 - Subscription Study in Pittsburgh
The storm of openings has begun on Broadway, as we prepare for what will be an even busier April leading into the conclusion of the 2023-2024 Broadway season. Amidst that storm, great work continues off-Broadway, as Cara Joy David reminds us when she pays a visit to Dead Outlaw. In regional news, a new study of the subscription model offers some insight in Pittsburgh, and the Garden Theatre in Orlando issues an apology that they themselves acknowledge as being long overdue.

March 18, 2024 - The Public and The Goodman Face Unionization Efforts

As the unionization wave continues to move through theatrical workers across the country, two developments last week highlighted the movement: The Public Theatre declined to voluntarily recognize the unionization effort of their workers, and workers at The Goodman Theatre sought their own union affiliation. The decision at the Public sets up a formal vote of the workers. Elsewhere, The National Theatre is planning a major renovation, the Shaw Festival announced that they had a very down year, and Lookingglass will resume production activities this fall.

BroadwayWorld Resources

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