What does "regional theater" mean?
Kris XYZ
theater" means in the US. According to wiki, regional theaters in the
US are "professional or semi-professional, non-profit theater companies
that produce their own seasons."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_theater_in_the_United_States
I used to think that regional theater just means any theater outside of
New York, but the wiki page suggest otherwise. I'm wondering especially
the use of the term "non-profit", which makes me wonder if there are no
non-profit theaters outside of Broadway, and if there are, what do you
called them?
Kris XYZ
'm wondering especially
> the use of the term "non-profit", which makes me wonder if there are no
> non-profit
Sorry I meant the opposite of non-profit, i.e. theater operating for
profit.
Steve Newport
semi-professional, non-profit theater companies that produce their own
----------------------------------------
SN: As someone who has been involved in it since the early 70's, I
question the "non-profit" part of the definition. And then one has to
define "semi-professional." LOL
Kris XYZ
So would you describe any theater outside of New York as regional?
Steve Newport
SN: Actors and/or directors being paid is generally the assumption.
Moni
"Kris XYZ" <mm...@not.real.com> wrote in message
news:irah6l$up8$1...@speranza.aioe.org...
I've heard lots of discussions about what a regional theatre is, but it
seems mostly gray. I know several, formerly community theatre, groups who
now call themselves regional theatres. Their reasoning is that they are
self-produced and that they do hire some Equity people. Their production
standards are high, if that makes any difference. Yes, non-profit is also a
factor, from what I've noticed.
--
Moni
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 =
12,345,678,987,654,321
My math random cool thing
Steve Newport
----------------------------------------
SN: But not necessarily a determining one.
Moni
"Steve Newport" <Newpor...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:28985-4DD...@storefull-3173.bay.webtv.net...
Agreed. As I said....gray.
Christopher Jahn
> Sorry if this sounds ignorant, but I'm interested to know what
> "regional theater" means in the US. According to wiki,
> regional theaters in the US are "professional or
> semi-professional, non-profit theater companies that produce
> their own seasons."
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_theater_in_the_United_Sta
> tes
>
> I used to think that regional theater just means any theater
> outside of New York, but the wiki page suggest otherwise.
I think you're confusing "New York" for "Broadway," because as
the article mentions, there are regional theaters in New York
City.
> I'm
> wondering especially the use of the term "non-profit", which
> makes me wonder if there are no for-profit theaters outside of
> Broadway, and if there are, what do you called them?
Theaters. Yes, there are a few for-profit theatres that are
considered regional theatres, under the loosest definition of
regional theatre, which is actually "a professional or semi-
professional theater company that offers set programming." That
means that the theater has a set season of plays, with a large
block of tickets sold in advance to subscribers.
For-profit companies rely on investors who expect to make a
profit on their investment. Sometimes, that may be simply an
owner with an inheritance, or with wealth derived from another
source. I know that the infamous producers Gary Waldman and
Jamison Troutman have set up most of their failed ventures as
for-profit corporations; I suspect that it's because the
liability is reduced.
Dinner theaters are more likely to be for-profit, although they
are not always considered regional theaters. The Burt Reynolds
Dinner Theater was a for-profit venture. It never made a lot of
money, and eventually Burt couldn't carry the debt and closed it.
Richard Aikens took it over, and also ran it as a for-profit
corporation until the last year of production.
We should note that a "not for profit" or "non-profit" theater
company is not a theater that runs in the red. The term in fact
refers to what is done with profits, and has nothing to do with
whether there are profits or not. A non-profit theatre does not
have investors, so profits are not paid out as dividends, but are
instead returned into the theater's general fund and applied to
programming or capital projects.
--
}:-) Christopher Jahn
{:-( http://www.southfloridatheatrescene.com/
Afternoon very favorable for romance. Try a single person for a
change.
Christopher Jahn
news:28985-4DD...@storefull-3173.bay.webtv.net:
That's certainly part of it, but I'd add some kind of set
programming.
I know of several tiny companies down here that have no staff,
and only sporadically produce plays in borrowed and rented
spaces. These are theatre companies, but they are not really
"regional theatres" because they don't make much of an impact on
the region. Are they going to do a play this year? Will it be a
classic, or something they compiled? Will it be downtown, or out
in a remote suburb? We just don't know.
These companies also tend to NOT have set pay scales - it's a
split of the ticket sales. It's "semi-professional" because you
do get paid, but "semi" because you can't really depend on the
money. Maybe you'll cover gas. Maybe you'll cover a dinner at
the end of the run. But you probably won't make the rent.
Kris XYZ
> For-profit companies rely on investors who expect to make a
> profit on their investment. Sometimes, that may be simply an
> owner with an inheritance, or with wealth derived from another
> source. I know that the infamous producers Gary Waldman and
> Jamison Troutman have set up most of their failed ventures as
> for-profit corporations; I suspect that it's because the
> liability is reduced.
>
> Dinner theaters are more likely to be for-profit, although they
> are not always considered regional theaters. The Burt Reynolds
> Dinner Theater was a for-profit venture. It never made a lot of
> money, and eventually Burt couldn't carry the debt and closed it.
> Richard Aikens took it over, and also ran it as a for-profit
> corporation until the last year of production.
>
> We should note that a "not for profit" or "non-profit" theater
> company is not a theater that runs in the red. The term in fact
> refers to what is done with profits, and has nothing to do with
> whether there are profits or not. A non-profit theatre does not
> have investors, so profits are not paid out as dividends, but are
> instead returned into the theater's general fund and applied to
> programming or capital projects.
>
Thanks to all the replies, they've been helpful.
A separate question that just popped into my mind, not important that
anyone answers it, just to satisfy my mild curiosity - what do you
consider as "theater"? Is drama a necessary part of the definition?
I'm thinking of shows like revues, cabaret, or burlesques, or the rash
of dancing shows like Ballroom with a Twist and Burn the Floor, i.e.
entertainment shows that need not have a dramatic element (they may have
that of course, I'm just asking it as a hypothetical question).
Robert Bouton
> >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_theater_in_the_United_Sta
> > tes
>
> > I used to think that regional theater just means any theater
> > outside of New York, but the wiki page suggest otherwise.
>
> I think you're confusing "New York" for "Broadway," because as
> the article mentions, there are regional theaters in New York
> City.
>
Remember, Wikipedia is not written by scholars or experts; it's a
(common) mistake to believe what's written there.
In this case, the idea that any theatre in New York City could be
considered "regional" is patently ridiculous.
For better or for worse, in American theatre, "regional" is used to
designate theatre, at a certain level, outside of New York City. It's
not unlike how the British use the word "provincial" and carries with
it the same unfortunate implication: there's one cultural capital and
everything else is considered a region, beyond, outside.
As the joke goes, praising a good regional show, people say "This is
so good, it could play in New York." If you say, at a New York show,
"This could play in Regional Theatre" you're damning it.
As a New Yorker with a long-standing interest in new musicals, I'm
always dying to know what new shows are being done regionally, how
they were. (Just yesterday wondering about Zorro, for instance.)
It's one of the main reasons I come here.
John W Kennedy
> On May 23, 12:32 pm, Christopher Jahn <xj...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_theater_in_the_United_Sta
>>> tes
>>
>>> I used to think that regional theater just means any theater
>>> outside of New York, but the wiki page suggest otherwise.
>>
>> I think you're confusing "New York" for "Broadway," because as
>> the article mentions, there are regional theaters in New York
>> City.
>>
>
> Remember, Wikipedia is not written by scholars or experts; it's a
> (common) mistake to believe what's written there.
>
> In this case, the idea that any theatre in New York City could be
> considered "regional" is patently ridiculous.
The Wikipedia article explicitly equates "regional" and "resident" in
the first sentence. And, of course, there are "resident" theatres in
New York, including at least one that is officially "Broadway" (Lincoln
Center).
I have certainly heard the two terms used interchangeably by people who
would, if pressed, acknowledge the distinction at once. So the article
is, no doubt, technically incorrect, but does reflect a real-world use.
--
John W Kennedy
"When a man contemplates forcing his own convictions down another man's
throat, he is contemplating both an unchristian act and an act of
treason to the United States."
-- Joy Davidman, "Smoke on the Mountain"
Christopher Jahn
It's an excellent question. I maintain a theatre blog for my
region, and for my purposes, I have a very narrow definition of
"theatre." I don't count dance or opera. I might include a
revue or a cabaret if there are connections to what I consider
theatre; if the performers are from the local theatre scene, for
instance, or if the material is from a musical or a composer
associated with musicals.
That's not to say that there isn't a very good argument for
including them, but for my purposes, I had to draw a line to keep
the blog focused. I also exclude community and academic theatre
for the most part, for the same reason. I may occasionally
include a school or community group if they're doing something
extraordinary, but for the most part I'm kept busy enought as it
is.
My definition is basically that it is scripted, and that it works
out of the pool of talent generally labeled "theater people." So
a ballet is scripted, but it uses ballet dancers exclusively. An
opera may have many supernumeraries, but they rarely have an
Equity card - and I never see any of the opera singers doing a
musical with any of the local theatre companies.