My good friend Barry Mendelson, long famed as the former GM of Madison Square Garden, Guinness Record Book Holder, and one of the most prolific promoters of live entertainment of the past 50 years finally convinced me to step out of the institutional bubble and survive by my wits alone. In other words, he got me to sell out.
It's harder than one would think... and the compromises necessary to make it work come much faster than I ever anticipated. I've got to admit, "art" quickly becomes a secondary concern to financial viability when there's no safety of a non-profit to ease the pain when a show hits the skids. But, honestly, from what I've seen, the non-profit world is changing and becoming more and more like the commercial one. Our regional LORT theater, Dallas Theater Center, now does broadway titles more than classics... "art" is being lost all over.
But you can't escape its resiliency. Art will always peek through the excel spreadsheet.
So I've left the cushy confines of my gilded tower at AT&T PAC and now find myself in a shared workspace in the Deep Ellum area of Dallas surrounded by hipsters and hustlers all trying to make their individual brand of lunacy work. It's a good move... there's no time for bullshit.
I'm happy to announce that I'm now the proud producer of The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular as well as Lightwire Theater... both amazing experiences that have solid histories and established fan bases. Barry and I have also started developing new shows together... the conversation is creative and collaborative and as much art as anything I've ever done.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the adventure takes me...
It's harder than one would think... and the compromises necessary to make it work come much faster than I ever anticipated. I've got to admit, "art" quickly becomes a secondary concern to financial viability when there's no safety of a non-profit to ease the pain when a show hits the skids. But, honestly, from what I've seen, the non-profit world is changing and becoming more and more like the commercial one. Our regional LORT theater, Dallas Theater Center, now does broadway titles more than classics... "art" is being lost all over.
But you can't escape its resiliency. Art will always peek through the excel spreadsheet.
So I've left the cushy confines of my gilded tower at AT&T PAC and now find myself in a shared workspace in the Deep Ellum area of Dallas surrounded by hipsters and hustlers all trying to make their individual brand of lunacy work. It's a good move... there's no time for bullshit.
I'm happy to announce that I'm now the proud producer of The Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular as well as Lightwire Theater... both amazing experiences that have solid histories and established fan bases. Barry and I have also started developing new shows together... the conversation is creative and collaborative and as much art as anything I've ever done.
I'm looking forward to seeing where the adventure takes me...
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