Day 57: ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) of Seattle
We woke today to the calm of fresh and crisp Washington air. About a week ago or so we solidified plans to meet with ACT (A Contemporary Theatre) of Seattle. When we met with Mike Daisey in Dallas, (which feels like forever ago at this point!) he recommended us checking out ACT because he was excited about the work that was going on there. We also read a bit about a model they were using for "subscriptions" that was an alternative to the traditional season subscriber model, so we were excited to see what was going on there.
We pulled into Seattle a little early to grab a bite to eat and brainstorm questions for the meeting. We had a bit of time to wander down Pike Street and around the water and while there, we stocked up on some incredible vegetables from local farms. In short, we fell in love with Seattle and the more we explored, the more the sun poked out from behind dark clouds. Seattle is vastly green- with life everywhere- and at the same time, it has a sort of San Francisco meets Maine type of feel. What a town!
Before the meeting we also met up with Sonia Michaels, a specialist from The Transcendence Artist Project in Punta Banda, Mexico. Sonia came down to Mexico back in 2009 to talk to us a bit about creative writing, and during the beginning phases of the development of the company, she helped Amy a lot in website verbage, sponsorship writing, and press releases. She gave us a quick tour of Seattle and it was great to catch up. Thanks Sonia!
After our introduction to Seattle, we headed down the street to ACT, centrally located in downtown Seattle. We were quickly greeted by Nicole Boyer Cochran, the Artistic Manager and Executive Assistant and Harlie Rees, Audience Services Director (isn't that a great title...you don't see that too often!). The two of them gave us a remarkable tour of the historic building, which formerly served as a gentlemen's club for the Eagles. The building was built in the 1920s and was historically preserved by ACT when it was restored in the late 1990s.
The history of this building made for a thrilling experience in just walking through the space. Pictures and sculptures of eagles littered the walls and floors and protruded from every corner, and the stories of a lost tradition seemed to leak from every hidden corner of the building.
Four theatres are housed by the building:
1. The Falls Theatre- a more traditional proscenium-like stage, with audiences on three sides, seating roughly 400 people.
2. The Bullitt Cabaret, a "modest" and vastly interesting space with a small stage, cabaret tables and chairs, and an upstairs balcony that circles the room with a master staircase that luciously swirls down toward the first floor. The room used to be a speakeasy during prohibition and there is an exit/entrance that leads to the street and 15 other exits that allowed for a fast evacuation in the event of a raid or similar obtrusion.
3. Buster's, a similar proscenium-like stage with a smaller house.
AND
4. The Allen Theatre, possibly the most fascinating theatrical space in the United States. Describing the space here will most likely fail to give the space the full appreciation it deserves but nevertheless: The space was a master ballroom with many entrances, a second floor wrapping balcony, and even a modest traditional proscenium stage. Rather than take the expected route and keep the proscenium structure, ACT did something quite remarkable. Inspired by a visit to a meteor landing site, they dug a hole into the central space of the ballroom, preserving everything else around it. There they created a "theatre-in-the-round" that's built right into the floor and seats 400 people. They then rigged a state of the art sound and lighting grid and suspended it from the ceiling. The "theatre in the round" however is more like a polygon of sorts with many sides, all unequal in length. The result is breathtaking and makes for an absolute must-see.
If you are ever in the area, stop by to check out the place. I'm sure they would be equally as warm and welcoming as they were with us. The building houses a bunch of treasures beyond just the space (including a preserved vault in the basement of the building!) and is a landmark in itself.
Following our tour we headed to a conference room where we were joined by ACT Artistic Director Kurt Beattle and Managing Director Carlo Scandiuzzi. We talked for more than two hours with them about the history of their company, the "rebirth" of ACT a few years ago, and the introduction of a Netflix-like subscription model that offers an alternative to the standard season subscriber model. For only $25 (or $20 if you are under 30) you can get access to the entire year round-programming that ACT has to offer.
While the economy slowed and most companies cut the amount of programming they offered, ACT actually increased it from just 5 mainstage shows, to around 45 different events that are entirely "free" to a monthly subscriber. We talked at great length with them about the logistics of this and how it has helped them as a company solidify their artistic goals and ambitions and bring play back into the process of making theatre. We were all quite literally on the edge of our seats.
Kurt and Carlo are beyond inspiring. Sitting across a table from them is a very unique experience. Their passion for theatre and their captivating ability to articulate that into words and action left us all thrilled for the future of our own company. They offered a great deal of business advice, but more importantly, some wonderful principles regarding the moral sustainability of a theatre company and the purpose of cultivating fine art that serves the current world. If you get a chance, check out the ACT Manifesto, written by Kurt.
Today was, just like so many, the best day ever.
Thank you immensely to ACT for your unprecedented hospitality: Nicole for your enthusiasm, Harley for your warmth and ingenuity, and Kurt and Carlo for your inspiration!
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