An incomplete list of people and places.

Looking over my list of performance groups and venues made me realize that as much work as I put into compiling that list, I'm sure there's probably someone or someplace missing.

If you are a with a theater group or work for a performing arts venue here in Iowa that isn't on my list and you are visiting this blog, please contact me and let me know. I've checked other sites and I'm proud to have one of the most complete lists out there and I'd like to keep it up to date.

Also, if you are a performing artist and have your own blog let me know that too. I'd love to provide a link.

More to come!

Trash to Treasure

I was on a routine trip to the downtown public library here in Des Moines yesterday afternoon when I came across something I hadn't anticipated sitting in the concrete lobby... sculptures.

These unique creations, I came to find out, are the result of a partnership between an Iowa artist from Ogden named David Williamson and the Iowa DNR's Project AWARE.

The collaboration which began in 2003 is called "Riverse" and you can read about it here.

The unique thing about these beautiful sculptures is that all the materials used to create them came from refuse collected from the cleanup of individual Iowa rivers selected for Project AWARE. I'm not sure how long they are going to remain on display at the Central Library. The website did not offer any details. But I highly encourage you to go down one afternoon and check them out.

For more of my own photos, click here.

We Need Money.

Saw an interesting article today about how the recession is affecting the Performing Arts industry nationwide. It makes sense. Performing Arts are as much of a business as they are an art form. I think people who work in the Performing Arts (especially those in the non-profit sector) tend to lose sight of that fact. They somehow think we're immune to the financial fallout of the corporate community. That is until various levels of government begin cutting public funding. Then they rally.

Just this last week here in Iowa we had such a rally. It's called Cultural Advocacy Day. It's an annual event that gives artists of all flavors a chance to showcase the importance of arts funding to legislators as they begin annual budget talks. This year was the biggest turnout the state of Iowa had for a while. I imagine it was/is probably like that for most states around the country. And I think that is due in part to the current financial crises.

But should we, as arts organizations rely so heavily on public funding? I agree that we don't spend nearly enough on the arts.. especially here in Iowa where we only spend $0.42 per capita. But why is it that the only time we organize is when public funding is at stake?

Seems to me, arts organization on the whole (at least here in Iowa) need to be more business-minded. Let's start talking Market Strategy, Segmenting, Diversifying, and creating alternative revenue streams. Big businesses do it all the time. That's how they make money. And they still get their share of corporate welfare from the public coffer.

Independent artists nationwide have, for a while, invested in cooperatives allowing them to share economic, social, and cultural resources. That idea has even recently gained momentum here in Des Moines with the establishment of co-working communities such as Impromptu Studio and the Market Street Media Foundry.

Perhaps if the Performing Arts industry on a whole were more forward-thinking in their approach to their own individual business models, they wouldn't be begging all the time. Or at least they wouldn't NEED to beg as much. And that's something everyone would love.

A Musical for the Emo generation?

So last night I went to see what all the hype was about. That's right. The first touring cast of Spring Awakening performed last night right here in little ol' Des Moines. So I went.

And let me say right up front that I enjoyed the show. No question, it's definitely full of energy and has some very beautiful music by Duncan Sheik. Visually, it was marvelously simplistic in its design. The performers, musicians and singers alike, gave every bit of themselves to the audience. In a nutshell, it's a very well put-together show.

But I just couldn't get into the story. Maybe it's the fact that I just don't respond well to angsty whining from priviledged white kids. Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm a bastard, but that's how I feel. That's why I hate Emo music so much. I had a rough childhood too, a lot rougher than most of these scenesters and self-proclaimed emo kids that flock to this genre. But I don't go around bitchin' about it. It annoys me when people do.

And maybe I'm just getting old, I dunno. I liked RENT. I remember a few years ago when the one of the first touring casts came through town. An arts patron a number of years my senior said he didn't care to see a bunch of kids whining about not being able to pay rent when they could very well go out and get jobs! I thought it was kind of a fuddy-duddy thing to say at the time, but now I wonder if that's me.

In any case, maybe I'm just not the demographic. Theatre is a business after all. Some shows sell well to different market segments. Spamalot brought more 18-30 year old males to the theatre than many shows previous. It's all about how you sell it.

Maybe I'm just an innocent victim in the wrong market segment. Victim? Wait that sounded emo...

Making Chicago Connections

Not even two days into setting up this site when I got a comment from a blogger in the Chicago area asking about my Twitter connection. I'm truly convinced of the power of this new medium. Reprinted below (with permission, of course) is a transcript of the email conversation Scott Zacher of ChicagoTheaterBlog.com. Check it out. And be sure to visit his site for information about theatre in the greater Chicagoland area!

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Hey there, this is Scotty Zacher from ChicagoTheaterBlog.com. Thanks for listing me on your bloglist. That's very nice of you.

Best of luck with your arts blog. Blogging can be time consuming, but also very rewarding. My goal is to try to get as many people out to see theater as possible. Looks like you're heading the same way.

By the way, I had no idea that you could connect a Twitter account with your blog. Have you found this to be useful/helpful? Are people able to send you info to post this way? (I guess I'm totally clueless when it comes to Twitter).

Take care, and PLEASE stay warm. scotty@whimzee.net

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Scott, Thanks for taking the time to write. I've only been blogging for a couple days now, so I can say how much having Twitter on my blog has helped. But it's kind of what gave me the idea to start doing it. I joined a couple of Twitter groups recently including #Actors and #Theatre and I noticed I began to get followers from those groups. In addition, I noticed a few of them who were theatre professionals from the Vancouver area who have their own blogs. I also noticed that they seemed to be connected through this online community of theatre bloggers. That's when I decided to jump in.

The thing about Twitter is that its a great social networking tool because of its simplicity and its portability. You can access it through a wide range of applications and your mobile device of choice. So you can micro-blog at just about anytime from anywhere. Plus you can set it to update your status on Facebook and Myspace automatically whenever you post. I connected it to my blog because I knew I could use it to post links to theatre-related articles quickly and easily without feeling obligated to blog about everything I come across.

Right now, Des Moines has one of the largest Twitter communities. The techies seemed to have latched onto the idea... lots of IT, Graphic Design, Social Media and Marketing professionals seem to be using it the most. The last DMTweetup (or Des Moines Twitter meetup) brought out about 100 people. I'm trying to bring more performers and theatre artists into the mix.

Thanks for the comments! Stop back again soon! -JR

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hmmmm...you got my mind churning (which is a hard thing to do! LOL) - I was planning on buying an iPhone, and if I do I could plan that, when going to plays, I can take pics and send them to my blog as well as twitter about it. can you send pics with twitter?

(sorry to bother you about this - but I'm trying to find something that sets me apart with other theater sites here in Chi-town, and there's a lot of them! I'm working on getting more video, signing up college students that are getting film degrees; something like that).

So have you gotten to go to much theatre in Chicago? I end up going to about a play a week, though have been known to see three openings in one weekend. (though don't recommend it). I've been on a sort of dry spell being busy with my church, etc., so haven't been to a play since before Christmas! If you get a chance, I would recommend "The Seafarer" at the Steppenwolf. Wonderful play and very powerful. It was supposed to close the end of December, but now has been extended through the middle of February.

Thanks again for the link. A fellow arts-lover, Scotty Z.

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Scott, You can upload a picture at Twitpic.com and it will automatically post a message and a link to that picture on your Twitter stream.
They say the Revolution will not be Televised. However, it will be streaming live online. ;) Viva la Relolucion!

Have heard great things about The Seafarer. Would love to see it, but I don't get to Chicago much. Last Steppenwolf production I saw was Topdog/Underdog. And that was in Houston!

You mind if I blog any of these emails? Thanks, -JR

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sure, you can blog them. Be my guest.

I don't know if you knew this, but just in case - your Iowa readers - if they're planning a trip to Chicago for a weekend - might want to check out HotTix, which now offers half-price tickets online (as opposed to having to go in person downtown to the HotTix counter). The link is www.hottix.org

I'm now off to see the play "Little Foxes" at Shattered Globe. Hope I don't freeze my butt off waiting for the el!

Cheers, Scotty Z