Should Actors Be At The Heart Of The Life Of A Theatre Like The New Vic?

Daniel Buckroyd, 13 July 2012

Present

Daniel, Michael, Laura, Nick, Theresa, Peta, Mark & Nat

Various models discussed:

Associate Actors, Resident Ensemble, Mini-Rep Season

Pros:

Audience familiarity

Quality of ensemble playing increased

Security for Director to take greater risks

Actor stretch / professional development

Option for associated ‘fringe’ activities

Options for links through into community/education programmes

Actors become Ambassadors

Cons:

Programming ends up driven by company composition

Danger of miscasting to accommodate actors

Audiences bod by always seeing same faces

Actors become militant

Directors limited by available talent pool

Actors (and artists more generally) will buy into the ETHOS of an organistaion by experiencing first hand the way it which it lives its values, and its wider MISSION by seeing first hand how the different strands of its activity add up to a complete connection with the community/constituency it serves - so a repeated/on-going working relationship with a theatre will tend to create a greater degree of buy-in.

Is there a point beyond which the individual actor/artist, OR the organisation itself, may become complacent in this ‘bought-in’ relationship and the growth/change that is vital for the continued earth of that organisation can become stifled?

Tags:

Professional Development, Theatre, professional development, ensemble, actors, associate, mission, Actors, ambassadors, theatres, values, ethos, theatre