Do Theaters Ever Talk To Each Other?

[Craig T Gustafson]

I've been in the early negotiation stages of becoming one of three directors for an evening of one-acts. Six of our possible choices were wiped out today because a theater in the same town is doing an evening of one-acts by the same playwright -- who is reasonably famous among theater people, but among audiences? Not so much.

The story of how I lost The Producers due to two other theaters getting there first (or rather second, but performing first) is old news and I've got another gig for that time period anyway.

Wheaton Drama announced City of Angels as the Spring 2009 musical. Nobody ever does that show. Too big and technically challenging (though a terrific show). What musical is Theatre on the Hill in Bolingbrook doing in Fall, 2008? City of Angels. That one isn't a problem at all because the theatres are 20 miles apart and aren't competing for an audience, but still, what are the odds...?

Why can't theatres fuckin' talk to each other? They aren't all run by dickbites like LZP. Most are reasonable people who would love to avoid the snafus resulting from multiple productions of the same show.

Discuss. Or not.

[UACTheatre]

There used to be an organization called Suburban Community Theatre Association (SCTA) with one of its main goals to be a forum of communication not to mention sharing resources, etc... Perhaps it's time for something like that again. In another way, I think people expect NICOTH to the be the electronic form of that with having pages to announce one's season etc.. Just some thoughts.

[schroeds]

I do think that most cases of duplication are by mere chance. I also think its cyclical--it seems that many people get the "hey--that show has not been done for a while" thought at the same time, which is totally understandable.

As for theaters talking to each other, I really think that opens a whole other can of worms. What would be the process? Would it have to be formalized? Could we get everyone to play by the same rules? What bad blood would occur if someone "peed" on a show first and then decided (for whatever reason) to change plans/shows?

I think most cases of show duplication are harmless, with the signifcant exception of the "Producers" situation. That was IMHO mostly caused by LZP BS.

For me, the most effective remedy is getting the licensing houses to regionally restrict a show when someone in that region has been given the rights--but indeed, do you really think those money whores can be convinced to do it?