[NEOPAL]on professional theater and the "cost" of seeing it

Sat Apr 22 15:01:53 PDT 2006

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Something interesting I found online:

TCG GUIDELINES FOR WHO THEY ACCEPT AS MEMBERS ...
PROFESSIONAL NOT FOR PROFIT THEATER...(American Theater and TCG Website)
Professional orientation and standards as defined, in part, by the following: 

Minimum operating expenses of $50,000 in most recently completed fiscal year  
Professional paid leadership, including at least one full-time paid 
professional director or manager (filled either by one individual or shared)  
Evidence of rigorous pursuit of theatrical form, as shown by artists' payroll 
activity of at least 15 weeks per year or by a minimum of 50 performances per 
year  
A commitment to the rehearsal process which is demonstrated by at least 30 
hours of rehearsal time for primary production activities  
Minimum of one years' prior existence as a professional producing 
organization with continuity of operation  
Community vitality, as evidenced by local, state or national funding sources, 
local media coverage and/or community awards or other recognition of the 
value of the theatre's work  
Diversification of funding sources, with no more than 50% of expenses covered 
by any single contributed income source  
Payment to actors equivalent to the Equity minimum for the area (theatres 
need not operate on a union contract) or at least 20% of the theatre's annual 
budget dedicated to total artist compensation (including but not limited to 
actors) 
professional[1]  
(adjective) 1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession; b : 
engaged in one of the learned professions; c (1) : characterized by or conforming 
to the technical or ethical standards of a profession; (2) : exhibiting a 
courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace; 2 a 
: participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor 
often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer>; b : having a particular 
profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier>; c : engaged in by 
persons receiving financial return < professional football>; 3 : following a line 
of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot> 

Just for the record.  I object to a company using the word "professional" as 
a marketing ploy.  Either you are a professional company or you are not.  If 
you pay the people doing your work a wage, you are a professional company.  If 
you use mainly volunteers and pay small stipends you may have "professionals" 
working for your, but realistically, the company itself is NOT professional.  

To the point of the cost of doing professional theater -- it is costly, but 
most of the time, even from the nosebleed seats, -- worth it -- as it has been 
reviewed by folks who regularily see the best of the best.  Community 
organizations (even those of you who bill yourselves as "professional" ) should be 
proud of what and who you are and stop trying to "fool" people with labels and 
sell the strong points you do have.

There is room for all of us.

Kitty Walters

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<DIV>Something interesting I found online:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>TCG GUIDELINES FOR WHO THEY ACCEPT AS MEMBERS ...</DIV>
<DIV>PROFESSIONAL NOT FOR PROFIT THEATER...(American Theater and TCG Website=
)</DIV>
<DIV>Professional orientation and standards as defined, in part, by the foll=
owing:  </DIV>
<UL>
<LI>Minimum operating expenses of $50,000 in most recently completed fiscal=20=
year =20
<LI>Professional paid leadership, including at least one full-time paid prof=
essional director or manager (filled either by one individual or shared)&nbs=
p;=20
<LI>Evidence of rigorous pursuit of theatrical form, as shown by artists' pa=
yroll activity of at least 15 weeks per year or by a minimum of 50 performan=
ces per year =20
<LI>A commitment to the rehearsal process which is demonstrated by at least=20=
30 hours of rehearsal time for primary production activities =20
<LI>Minimum of one years' prior existence as a professional producing organi=
zation with continuity of operation =20
<LI>Community vitality, as evidenced by local, state or national funding sou=
rces, local media coverage and/or community awards or other recognition of t=
he value of the theatre's work =20
<LI>Diversification of funding sources, with no more than 50% of expenses co=
vered by any single contributed income source =20
<LI>Payment to actors equivalent to the Equity minimum for the area (theatre=
s need not operate on a union contract) or at least 20% of the theatre's ann=
ual budget dedicated to total artist compensation (including but not limited=
 to actors) </LI></UL>
<DIV><A title=3Dhttp://aolsvc.homeworkhelp.search.aol.com/homeworkhelp/redir=
?src=3Dwebster&requestId=3D3c5444e285163549&clickedItemRank=3D2&=
userQuery=3Dprofessional&clickedItemURN=3Dhttp://www.aolsvc.merriam-webs=
ter.aol.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=3DDictionary&va=3Dprofessional href=
=3D"http://aolsvc.homeworkhelp.search.aol.com/homeworkhelp/redir?src=3Dwebst=
er&requestId=3D3c5444e285163549&clickedItemRank=3D2&userQuery=
=3Dprofessional&clickedItemURN=3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolsvc.merriam-webster=
.aol.com%2Fcgi-bin%2Fdictionary%3Fbook%3DDictionary%26va%3Dprofessional"><ST=
RONG><FONT color=3D#2864b4>professional[1]</FONT></STRONG></A> <A title=3Dht=
tp://www.aolsvc.merriam-webster.aol.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?profes06.wav=3Dprof=
essional href=3D"http://www.aolsvc.merriam-webster.aol.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?=
profes06.wav=3Dprofessional"><IMG title=3Dhttp://www.aolsvc.merriam-webster.=
aol.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?profes06.wav=3Dprofessional alt=3Dhttp://www.aolsvc=
.merriam-webster.aol.com/cgi-bin/audio.pl?profes06.wav=3Dprofessional src=
=3D"http://aolsvc.homeworkhelp.search.aol.com/common/audio.gif"></A> <BR>(ad=
jective) <B>1 a</B> <B>: </B>of, relating to, or characteristic of a profess=
ion; <B>b</B> <B>: </B>engaged in one of the learned professions; <B>c (1)</=
B> <B>: </B>characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical stand=
ards of a profession; <B>(2)</B> <B>: </B>exhibiting a courteous, conscienti=
ous, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace; <B>2 a</B> <B>: </B=
>participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor of=
ten engaged in by amateurs <a <I>professional</I> golfer>; <B>b</B> <B=
>: </B>having a particular profession as a permanent career <a <I>profess=
ional</I> soldier>; <B>c</B> <B>: </B>engaged in by persons receiving fin=
ancial return < <I>professional</I> football>; <B>3</B> <B>: </B>follo=
wing a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a <I>professional<=
/I> patriot> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Just for the record.  I object to a company using the word "profes=
sional" as a marketing ploy.  Either you are a professional company or&=
nbsp;you are not.  If you pay the people doing your work a wage, you ar=
e a professional company.  If you use mainly volunteers and pay small s=
tipends you may have "professionals" working for your, but realistically, th=
e company itself is NOT professional.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>To the point of the cost of doing professional theater -- it is costly,=
 but most of the time, even from the nosebleed seats, -- worth it -- as it h=
as been reviewed by folks who regularily see the best of the best.  Com=
munity organizations (even those of you who bill yourselves as "professional=
" ) should be proud of what and who you are and stop trying to "fool" people=
 with labels and sell the strong points you do have.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There is room for all of us.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Kitty Walters</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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