I think theatre should be subsidized. There. I said it. And I know many will disagree with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many people I know think theatre (and all art for that matter) should be at the very least cost-recovery and at the very most revenue generating. This is a popular stance among those who view theatre as a form of entertainment. There are certainly forms of theatre that seem to be exclusively, if not solely, designed to entertain. Broadway, musicals, some theatre festivals are all designed to attract as many people as possible and make as much money as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s fine I guess if that\u2019s what you want to do. Certainly, there\u2019s a market for it. The question remains, however: does the market exist because of consumer demand, or do consumers exist because of market indoctrination?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What motivates popular theatre (like Phantom of the Opera<\/em>, for example)? Do they create it solely for the revenue? Mainly for the revenue? If so, what does that say about the quality of popular productions? Does it have substance? Does it nourish our soles in lasting, meaningful ways, or does it just make us laugh and gasp fleetingly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I don\u2019t believe the primary purpose of theatre is to entertain. If it were, why must we go to the theatre to watch it? Why must it be live? Why can\u2019t it be recorded in perfect, sanitized form and shown on a screen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I believe the primary purpose of theatre is to effect social change. I believe theatre for centuries (including Shakespeare and Moli\u00e8re) has been about ridiculing and questioning social norms, positing progression of civilization, and establishing equalities and liberties. I believe theatre still fills this role today. I believe we must go to theatre to watch it because we need to experience it. We need to take what we see and hear (and touch and smell in some cases) and analyze it according to our current world views; we need to use it to take inventory of our own paradigms and see if there are ways we can change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because I think theatre is for effecting social change, I don\u2019t think ticket sales should determine what content graces the stage. Similarly, I don\u2019t think universities or colleges should be revenue generating; they, too, are about exploring ideas and embracing change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As soon as vehicles for making change are motivated by revenue, the system that makes the revenue gets to decide what ideas get to be taught and ultimately what changes get to be made. In effect, theatre becomes counterproductive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I accept there\u2019s a place for commercial theatre and companies should be free to produce such works. I think it\u2019d be a failure, however, for every theatre (and by extension, every play) to follow this pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Playwrights, directors, and actors should be free to explore, criticize, analyze, incite, and effect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I think theatre should be subsidized. There. I said it. And I know many will disagree with me. Many people I know think theatre (and all art for that matter) should be at the very least cost-recovery and at the very most revenue generating. This is a popular stance among those who view theatre as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3936,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-theatre"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2012\/03\/people-430559_1920.jpg?fit=1920%2C1314&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4NkW7-fX","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4086,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/01\/15\/conservatives-dont-like-the-arts\/","url_meta":{"origin":989,"position":0},"title":"Conservatives don\u2019t like the arts","author":"Kim Siever","date":"15 January 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Despite their hatred for the arts, conservatives consume it every day.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/01\/art-gallery-4674319_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/01\/art-gallery-4674319_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/01\/art-gallery-4674319_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/01\/art-gallery-4674319_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/01\/art-gallery-4674319_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2840,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2014\/07\/17\/i-finally-directed-a-play\/","url_meta":{"origin":989,"position":1},"title":"I finally directed a play","author":"Kim Siever","date":"17 July 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I finally staged my first play! Last year, I graduated from the University of Lethbridge with a degree in dramatic arts (well, I minored in French, too). When I was going to school, one of the most common responses I received when people found out what I was majoring in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2014\/07\/10492594_711687885558177_2742222875597477798_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2014\/07\/10492594_711687885558177_2742222875597477798_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2014\/07\/10492594_711687885558177_2742222875597477798_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2014\/07\/10492594_711687885558177_2742222875597477798_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1047,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2012\/07\/10\/my-first-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":989,"position":2},"title":"My first review","author":"Kim Siever","date":"10 July 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I am playing Thesus in\u00a0A Midsummer Night\u2019s\u00a0Dream\u00a0as part of Lethbridge\u2019s Shakespeare in the Park. I haven\u2019t acted in 8 years, so it\u2019s been\u00a0kind\u00a0of nice to get back into it.\u00a0This\u00a0is the largest production I have ever been in. Prior to this, I have been in only one-act products with only 3\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Theatre"","block_context":{"text":"Theatre","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/theatre\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3760,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2019\/09\/10\/why-radical-islamic-terrorist-is-islamophobic\/","url_meta":{"origin":989,"position":3},"title":"Why \u201cradical Islamic terrorist\u201d is Islamophobic","author":"Kim Siever","date":"10 September 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"People who use \u201cradical Islamic terrorist\u201d aren\u2019t actually concerned with radicalism nor terrorism. They\u2019re concerned only with Islam.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/india-4051753_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C701&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/india-4051753_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C701&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/india-4051753_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C701&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/india-4051753_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C701&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2019\/09\/india-4051753_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C701&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4499,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/04\/08\/2-ways-to-prevent-and-reverse-a-recession\/","url_meta":{"origin":989,"position":4},"title":"2 ways to prevent and reverse a recession","author":"Kim Siever","date":"8 April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"There are two things I think are necessary to mitigate and even reverse a recession as quickly as possible.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ghost-town-4457333_1920-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ghost-town-4457333_1920-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ghost-town-4457333_1920-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ghost-town-4457333_1920-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/04\/ghost-town-4457333_1920-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C798&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4288,"url":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/2020\/03\/20\/capitalism-is-making-the-pandemic-worse\/","url_meta":{"origin":989,"position":5},"title":"Capitalism is making the pandemic worse","author":"Kim Siever","date":"20 March 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"If there\u2019s one thing that\u2019s become clear during the COVID-19 pandemic, it\u2019s that neoliberal economic policies have failed our societies.","rel":"","context":"In "Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Politics","link":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/category\/politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/doctor-1149149_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=989"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/989\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3937,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/989\/revisions\/3937"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/siever.ca\/kim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}