BWW Blog: An Interview with Amy Kaissar

Last semester I had the honor of taking Presenting the Arts: Theatre Management with Amy Kaissar. From learning about the history of the commercial and nonprofit American theatre to diving into how to budget and market a successful production, there was never a moment where I was not on the edge of my seat. In addition to being a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, Amy Kaissar and her husband Ken Kaissar are the newly appointed Co-Producing Directors of Bristol Riverside Theatre, an award-winning Equity theatre in Bucks County. This summer I have been interning in the Marketing department at Bristol Riverside Theatre which has given me the chance to apply the skills I learned in class to the real world. I have experienced firsthand the struggles of presenting theatre in a virtual format during a pandemic and the joy in creating a successful production.

I recently had the opportunity to ask Amy Kaissar a few questions on teaching a theatre management course at Penn, leading Bristol Riverside Theatre, and coping with a pandemic. Her responses undeniably provide us with hope for the future of the theatre industry and valuable advice for an aspiring producer.

What inspired you to teach a course on theatre management?

The class predates me. It was originally part of Wharton and looked at arts administration in theatre, film, museums, orchestras, ballet, you name it. I zeroed in on theatre because this industry needs more really smart theatre producers and managers who can think in nuanced ways about the endeavor. Without great producers, great artistic contributions don't make it into the canon. If I can just whet the appetite of some of the brightest students in the country, they'll seed the future. Also, I've been around long enough to know that today's student is tomorrow's teacher. I'm fully expecting that my students will be the visionaries whom I learn from in the future. And on a selfish level, I'm hoping they remember to hire me when they get there!

If you were to design a second course at Penn on theatre management, what would it look like? Would you develop a case study based course or dive into a specific aspect of theatre management?

That's an interesting question - there are so many options. A case study course could be a lot of fun, particularly looking not just at the early days as our great institutions were built, but also at the whole lifecycle of institutions and the massive shifts in the regional movement in the last three decades. We're talking about a 2,500 year old art form and the part we focus on in theatre management is largely the last 40 years. It's just a tiny speck of what has been and could be.

I think it would be interesting to do a course on stewardship of audiences and art not just in theatre but all the performing arts. And the obvious choice to me right now would be Leading and Managing Theatre through Crisis. I've been at this for about 20 years and in that time led organizations through September 11th, the Great Recession, one crisis turnaround, and now COVID-19. Perhaps it's just the luck of my age, but it does seem that crisis leadership is an important skill.

For students who are interested in graduate studies or a career in theatre management, what programs or opportunities do you suggest?

For anyone interested in graduate studies, I'll put in a plug for the Columbia University Theatre Management and Producing Program. Steven Chaikelson, who runs that program has the best grasp on the subject of anyone in the business and you get to study with luminary after luminary. It's a remarkable education that prepares you for real world theatre management at the highest level.

There's no right way to start a career. Definitely see as much theatre as humanly possible. Write to people whose work you admire and let them know, get your name out there. Work in every area of theatre to understand the whole machine. The most valuable job I had was as a dresser. For years I was a fly on the wall backstage and I soaked up so much that I still use day to day. Every decision you make as a producer will affect the art on the stage. You have to understand that connection in very practical terms.

How was transitioning from in-person classes to remote learning this semester?

It was pretty simple for me. I felt badly for the folks in acting and directing classes. That's so much harder. Theatre Management is pretty easy to do online.

What do you hope to bring to Bristol Riverside Theatre in your new leadership role with your husband Ken?

I think that there's a better way and I'm looking forward to unpacking it with our staff, artists, and audiences. The regional theatre was born in a very different environment than we're in now (well certainly NOW, that goes without saying, but also before COVID). Between the two of us we've worked in a huge array of theatres from small to giant and from avant-garde to commercial. Our hope is to use the best of all of that to solve the challenges that face a sector of the industry that was built to respond to a different time.

Ultimately, we want a BRT that is creating great theatre that is relevant to local conversation, informs the national conversation, and plays a central role in the American theatrical landscape. As a small regional we think we can be a place where the best and brightest emerging artists find a home and a launching pad.

What challenges have you faced in programming a summer music festival online and preparing for a new season?

How much time do you have? I'm so tired of the word unprecedented but I'm not sure there's a better word. It's been challenging technically, artistically, emotionally, intellectually, you get the picture.

There's so much that's hard to navigate. This summer marks the end of a three-year transition plan from the Founding Director and longtime Artistic Director to us as Co Producing Directors. How do you celebrate the magnificent 30 years history of this place and the achievements of its outgoing leaders, when we can't gather?

I will say, the challenges have brought the staff and board together in marvelous ways. The challenges are so great, and the stakes are so high, that it has been an all-in effort and I think the positive impact of this lift will stay with us.

What do you think theatre will look like in the future, and what should producers invest their time in?

I believe in the strength of the decentralized American theatre system. We will get through this and what will emerge on the other side will be stronger and more advanced than what came before. Not every company will make it, but the profession will. There have been very dark periods throughout theatrical history, but ultimately, "art will out" [as Jaan Whitehead has said]. I can't look at any period in history and say that the theatre that came before was better. Audiences and actors will gather again in empty spaces to tell the stories that encapsulate and interrogate our world. That hasn't changed much since Sophocles and I don't think COVID is going to wipe it out. How many jobs there will be, who will have them, how much lasting impact emerging digital modes will make, whether we'll all be hungry for musical comedy or tragic love, your guess is as good as mine. But what producers should invest their time in doesn't change. Invest in great playwrights. Invest in audiences. Invest in the stories that you believe must be told. And find ways to tell them.