[NEohioPAL]Akron Beacon Journal article concerning BNC and Weathervane

[AKRfenish at aol.com]

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As a concerned theater artist, and patron of both theaters, I thought this 
was imporant for our community to be aware.  As Wendy Wasserstein once wrote, "I 
thought we were all on the same team here."  

Respectfully,

Alicia

Weathervane fires education director



Conflict in work with other troupe denied

Kerry Clawson  Beacon Journal

Sean McConaha was fired last week as director of education at Weathervane 
Community Playhouse, replaced by interim education director Melanie Pepe.

McConaha's former boss, executive director Elynmarie Kazle, declined to 
comment on the reason.

``Other than the press release announcing Melanie Pepe assuming the position, 
I can't comment because it's a personnel matter,'' Kazle said Monday.

McConaha, who had been full-time education director for more than eight 
years, said that Kazle told him July 11 that his work as co-founding artistic 
director of the Bang and the Clatter Theatre Company posed a conflict of interest 
with his Weathervane position.

``It had become evident that my relationship with the Bang and the Clatter 
had superseded my job (at Weathervane),'' said McConaha, paraphrasing a prepared 
statement that he said Kazle read to him, but would not allow him to keep. 
``But the final straw was when we (Bang and Clatter) received a grant from the 
Akron Community Foundation.''

The fledgling Bang and Clatter (it also goes by BNC), which produces edgy 
adult contemporary theater in downtown Akron, recently received nonprofit status. 
Last month, the nearly year-old theater received its first $7,500 grant from 
the Akron Community Foundation to support audience-building, including its 
pay-as-you-can admission program for students and senior citizens.

In the same round of grants, Weathervane received $10,000 from the ACF for 
the Contemporary Fire program, a collaboration among Weathervane, Cleveland 
Contemporary Dance Theater and the Firestone High School dance program.

McConaha said that Kazle initially gave him her blessing to start his own 
theater company, on the condition that as a Weathervane employee, he not be 
involved with any marketing or grant requests for BNC. McConaha said he has 
complied, with Sean Derry, co-artistic director of BNC, handling those efforts for 
the new theater.

``I felt like the work I had done had been very good (at Weathervane) and I 
have proven I could do both with no problem,'' McConaha said.

He also said he and Derry went out of their way to change BNC show dates so 
they wouldn't conflict with Weathervane shows.

``I feel I didn't do anything wrong,'' McConaha said. ``I think that conflict 
of interest has to be proven. In their minds, the grants are a conflict of 
interest, and I wasn't given the opportunity to prove my point on that or argue 
it.''

He said he was proud of the growth he has guided Weathervane's education 
department through in the last eight years.

``I believe in the art of what we do and I wish them success,'' he said of 
Weathervane.

Kazle would not comment on that growth.

``I can't comment on him (McConaha) right now,'' she said. ``We want to keep 
the education program growing and healthy. That's all we can do.''

McConaha's interim replacement, Pepe, has been affiliated with Weathervane's 
education program since 1998 and has served as supervisor of the theater's 
city-sponsored Neighborhood Playhouse program. She is a Kent State University 
graduate with a bachelor of fine arts in theater, with an emphasis on management.

A search will be conducted for a permanent replacement.

McConaha said that he'll now focus his efforts on fundraising for BNC as well 
as starting an education program for teens and adults. The company, which 
debuted last October at Summit ArtSpace, has not recouped McConaha and Derry's 
initial investment.

``Sean (Derry) and I in a year haven't made a dollar. How are we a threat 
artistically? How are we a threat financially? We're the little kid on the 
block,'' McConaha said.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/15080310.htm

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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT  SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">As a concerned theater artist, and=20=
patron of both theaters, I thought this was imporant for our community to be=
 aware.  As Wendy Wasserstein once wrote, "I thought we were all on the=
 same team here."  <BR>
<BR>
Respectfully,<BR>
<BR>
Alicia<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" BACK=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=20=
#ffffff" SIZE=3D6 PTSIZE=3D20 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"=
><BR>
<P ALIGN=3DCENTER><B>Weathervane fires education director<BR>
<BR>
<P ALIGN=3DLEFT></FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" BACK=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BA=
CKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D5 PTSIZE=3D16 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"A=
rial" LANG=3D"0"></B><BR>
<BR>
<B>Conflict in work with other troupe denied<BR>
<BR>
</FONT><FONT  COLOR=3D"#000000" BACK=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BACKGROUND-COLOR:=20=
#ffffff" SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0"=
></B>Kerry Clawson  Beacon Journal<BR>
<BR>
Sean McConaha was fired last week as director of education at Weathervane Co=
mmunity Playhouse, replaced by interim education director Melanie Pepe.<BR>
<BR>
McConaha's former boss, executive director Elynmarie Kazle, declined to comm=
ent on the reason.<BR>
<BR>
``Other than the press release announcing Melanie Pepe assuming the position=
, I can't comment because it's a personnel matter,'' Kazle said Monday.<BR>
<BR>
McConaha, who had been full-time education director for more than eight year=
s, said that Kazle told him July 11 that his work as co-founding artistic di=
rector of the Bang and the Clatter Theatre Company posed a conflict of inter=
est with his Weathervane position.<BR>
<BR>
``It had become evident that my relationship with the Bang and the Clatter h=
ad superseded my job (at Weathervane),'' said McConaha, paraphrasing a prepa=
red statement that he said Kazle read to him, but would not allow him to kee=
p. ``But the final straw was when we (Bang and Clatter) received a grant fro=
m the Akron Community Foundation.''<BR>
<BR>
The fledgling Bang and Clatter (it also goes by BNC), which produces edgy ad=
ult contemporary theater in downtown Akron, recently received nonprofit stat=
us. Last month, the nearly year-old theater received its first $7,500 grant=20=
from the Akron Community Foundation to support audience-building, including=20=
its pay-as-you-can admission program for students and senior citizens.<BR>
<BR>
In the same round of grants, Weathervane received $10,000 from the ACF for t=
he Contemporary Fire program, a collaboration among Weathervane, Cleveland C=
ontemporary Dance Theater and the Firestone High School dance program.<BR>
<BR>
McConaha said that Kazle initially gave him her blessing to start his own th=
eater company, on the condition that as a Weathervane employee, he not be in=
volved with any marketing or grant requests for BNC. McConaha said he has co=
mplied, with Sean Derry, co-artistic director of BNC, handling those efforts=
 for the new theater.<BR>
<BR>
``I felt like the work I had done had been very good (at Weathervane) and I=20=
have proven I could do both with no problem,'' McConaha said.<BR>
<BR>
He also said he and Derry went out of their way to change BNC show dates so=20=
they wouldn't conflict with Weathervane shows.<BR>
<BR>
``I feel I didn't do anything wrong,'' McConaha said. ``I think that conflic=
t of interest has to be proven. In their minds, the grants are a conflict of=
 interest, and I wasn't given the opportunity to prove my point on that or a=
rgue it.''<BR>
<BR>
He said he was proud of the growth he has guided Weathervane's education dep=
artment through in the last eight years.<BR>
<BR>
``I believe in the art of what we do and I wish them success,'' he said of W=
eathervane.<BR>
<BR>
Kazle would not comment on that growth.<BR>
<BR>
``I can't comment on him (McConaha) right now,'' she said. ``We want to keep=
 the education program growing and healthy. That's all we can do.''<BR>
<BR>
McConaha's interim replacement, Pepe, has been affiliated with Weathervane's=
 education program since 1998 and has served as supervisor of the theater's=20=
city-sponsored Neighborhood Playhouse program. She is a Kent State Universit=
y graduate with a bachelor of fine arts in theater, with an emphasis on mana=
gement.<BR>
<BR>
A search will be conducted for a permanent replacement.<BR>
<BR>
McConaha said that he'll now focus his efforts on fundraising for BNC as wel=
l as starting an education program for teens and adults. The company, which=20=
debuted last October at Summit ArtSpace, has not recouped McConaha and Derry=
's initial investment.<BR>
<BR>
``Sean (Derry) and I in a year haven't made a dollar. How are we a threat ar=
tistically? How are we a threat financially? We're the little kid on the blo=
ck,'' McConaha said.<BR>
<BR>
<A HREF=3D"http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/15080310.htm">http://w=
ww.ohio.com/mld/ohio/entertainment/15080310.htm</A><BR>
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