[NEohioPAL] State of the theatre

Wed Feb 13 08:05:42 PST 2008

As a former newsman for WJCU, or as the call letters in the 1980s were WUJC, I had similar exposure to the arts in Cleveland.  I got to go to the Cleveland Orchestra in the 4th and 6th grades.  The first concert was at Severance.  The second concert was at Lakewood Civic Auditorium.

  Our teachers took great pains to teach us about the sections of the orchestra AND how to behave in such a fine venue.  There were students from other schools not so well behaved.  

  When I got to Junior High, we got to go to the Cleveland Playhouse once a year to see  Shakespeare or Restoration or some other good work.  (Unfortunately, the Garfield Heights public schools would not take their students to see "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" unlike school systems today that produce more provocative fare at the high school level than what would have gone down 25 years ago.)

  In high school, we got to see Carmen at Public Hall when the Metropolitan Opera toured.  Opera week was a very "tony" event in those days.  R. Livingston Ireland of Mather shipping and other Social Register members practically underwrote the expense if ticket receipts were insufficient to pay Domingo and Pavarotti.  They had tickets in the balcony for $2 back in 1980, so anyone could attend.  You did not have to be well off in those days.

  I have to agree with Fred that these introductions to fine art were life changing for me as well.  Watching the Cleveland Orchestra gave me a life long interest in classical music.  Although I did not play a musical instrument, I studied voice and gained an increased appreciation in music.  The Cleveland Playhouse introduced me to the fine work of Paul Floriano when he was studying in that great theatre's repertory company (and it still should.)  One year, we saw Moliere's "The Learned Ladies" and Ray Walston (we knew him from "My Favorite Martian" back then) came back to the Playhouse to play Trissotin.  I was hooked on theatre from then.  The old Drury did not have a side stage door, it accessed from the lobby, and Walston just walked by us unbeknownst until we saw him go through the  door leading to the back of the theatre.  I wanted to stop him and shake his hand, but my teacher told me once he was at the theatre he was getting into his character and did not need any
 distractions.  Ray Walston gave a hell of a performance that morning.

  The CPH used to have morning performances for students and generous foundations usually paid for the tickets.  I believe Adella Prentiss Hughes was the woman responsible for leaving a sufficient bourse to the Cleveland Orchestra to defray the costs of student performances.  The interest on that money still accrues.

  I had the privilege of appearing in the CPH production of "Far Away" thanks to Seth Gordon.  I received points toward my Equity Card from that show.   I still get a thrill attending a performance there or acting in a Brooks Theatre production for Sue Johnson's Wake Up and Lives or Lucia and Licia's Ensemble Theatre.

  In conclusion, the state of the theatre has to be nurtured.  It will just not remain at its level because it always has.  You have to educate each new generation to what benefits theatre has for them.  You have to market your wares.  Not everyone will take to it, but hopefully we will always interest a sufficient cadre of persons that will attend and support it in addition to those of us who work in it.

Fred Dolan <fjdolan at windstream.net> wrote:
          When I was a kid in the 50s maybe 5th grade, I remember going on a field trip to see the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall. It was a life-changing event. 
  When I was in high school in the 60s, it was possible to get student tickets to some of the annual Metropolitan Opera performances through school for about $1.25.
  When I was teaching in the 70s, I offered those same discounted student opera tickets to my students and sometimes the most unlikely students would dress up and go to the opera.
  I don't know how various theaters handle encouraging young audiences to attend their performances today, but when I see empty seats at theater, ballet, and opera performances,
  I wonder if any effort is being made to offer high school or college students those tickets at drastically reduced prices - like those Met Opera tickets that I grew up using.
  I understand that most theaters are understaffed and that a program like this takes someone to be in charge of it, but the first order of business in building an audience for tomorrow is getting them in the seats today.
  Fred Dolan
  WJCU-FM, 88.7 & wjcu.org
  Arts On The Heights &
  Visiting The Folks on Sunday nights from 9:00PM - Midnight

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