World Congress Update: 10/8/08

Jonathan Abarbanel reports:

1. We are about where we were in Sofia in terms of pledges of money and in-kind services; that is, around $100,000 of an estimated need of $355,000-$400,000 (current draft budget is $355,000).

1A.--The distinguished legal firm of Kirkland & Ellis--of national repute--has agreed to handle any matters of legal review, including VISA ISSUES, on a pro bono basis through Lawyers for the Creative Arts.

1B--A few additional personal pledges of delegate funding--approx. $2,500 per--have been made, but the main campaign for individual gifts has not been made yet.

1C--We have received informal indications of grant support from two foundations but still are awaiting formal confirmation and "how much." Neither one will be THE one gift that makes it all possible, but every little--or not so little--bit.

2. Money aside, there has been some fruitful progress.

2A. A very important figure in commercial theatre, Steve Traxler, President of Jam Theatricals, has pledged personal and organizational support, details still to be arranged. Steve has indicated to me likely monetary support plus his own active participation in opening both local and national doors (read Broadway League). Jam, based in Chicago, are producers of SPAMALOT, AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, NOVEMBER, THE SEAFARER, etc. Steve is on the Goodman board, and Goodman Exec. Dir. Roche Schulfer has pledged Goodman's support (including $5,000 cash). Roche, in turn, is president of the League of Chicago Theatres. So, while this is somewhat old news, it is an extremely high-powered pair of supporters. Steve, Roche and I will meet soon to create an active plan. Roche, for example, has suggested he can take the Congress plan to certain select members of his board. This might prove more productive than endless Foundation applications.

2B. Partnership discussions with the Chicago Humanities Festival continue.

2C. Chicago remains intent on securing the 2016 Olympic Games, which makes the prospect of a meeting of international journalists in 2010 appealing--an opportunity to promote the Games upon which we can capitalize.

3. These positive aspects notwithstanding, it goes without saying that the climate for fund-raising has grown sharply more difficult in the last few months/weeks/days/hours/minutes (choose one).

3A. It is too early to know, or to assume, how the global economic climate change may affect the WC prospects.

3B. But undue negativity is no more useful than undue high expectations.

3C. We still are far from the fail-safe point on this project.

3D. Ultimately, the project success may rely on an individual giving campaign. Even in hard times, it may be easier to secure many gifts of $1,000-$2,500 than large leadership gifts.

4. Local conditions--that is, Chicago specifically--are going slow at the moment because:

4A. My expected chief assistant for the individual giving campaign, Kelly Kleiman, is working full-time running an Obama campaign office (she's organizing the Iowa get-out-the-vote effort). Kelly, a lawyer by training, is consultant on not-for-profit fundraising when she's not being a theatre critic.

4B. The League of Chicago Theatres has been without an Executive Director since July (actually just hired one last week). While the support of the League is not in question--certainly not with Roche Schulfer's involvement--it DOES mean I'll need to retrace my steps via an introductory/informational meeting with new ED to bring her up-to-speed.

4C. None of these are major problems, but the local and national focus IS elsewhere for the next few weeks.

World Congress update--8/15/08

From Jonathan:

Slow, measured progress is being made. The exciting updates are that
(1) we now have one of Chicago's oldest, distinguished, conservative law firms--Kirkland & Ellis--representing us pro bono on visa matters and contracts; and
(2) Steve Traxler, president of Jam Theatricals, has signed on with enthusiasm in support of the World Congress. Jam, as you may know, is the Chicago-based lead producer on MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT (the cash cow) as well as AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, THE SEAFARER and NOVEMBER among other productions.

To have Jam supporting us is another door--big door--open to the Broadway League as well as to Chicago resources. Steve and I still are discussing the exact nature of Jam's participation, but Steve is open to some combination of cash, influence and joining the Host Committee . . . perhaps all three.

Steve also is a member of the Goodman Theatre board and a close personal/professional associate of Roche Schulter, the Goodman's Exec. Dir. Roche also is president of the League of Chicago Theatres. The Goodman itself has pledged $5,000 cash.

Australian Aboriginal Theatre Initiative: NYC '07

Martin E. Segal Theatre Center/CUNY, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in collaboration with AATI present Indigenous theatre artists from Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Canada and the United States. All performances will take place at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, The Graduate Center, CUNY, 365 5th Avenue, NYC, between November 29 and December 1. Read details at AboriginalTheatre.com.

Today is World Theatre Day

WORLD THEATRE DAY was created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI). It is celebrated annually on March 27 by ITI Centres and the international theatre community. Various theatre events are organized to mark this occasion. One of the most important of these is the circulation of the World Theatre Day International Message through which, at the invitation of ITI, a figure of world stature shares his or her reflections on the theme of Theatre and a Culture of Peace.

This year's International Message comes from H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Sharjah. You can read that, as well as his biography HERE.

Worldwide Theatre--Now Streaming

Fabrice Raina, President of Auteurs de l'Ombre, announced the following:

"The Cultural Center of La Castellane and Les Auteurs de L'Ombre are happy to announce the 2007 edition of the World Wide Week of Writing for the Performing Arts!

Program Live Stream March 22-27: WATCH IT HERE. Like past years, you'll be able to follow our online videoconferences, lectures, debates and theatre plays through our
website.

40,000 internet connections were accounted for last year, and 40 countries relaying this event... Thank you all for forwarding this information to your address book.

We hope you will be amongst our guests wether it be on the web or in the house audience. So, may living playwrights' works be encountered everywhere by the living audience!"

New York, New York

Thanks to all of the committee members who came to New York and joined us for the Friday meeting. Thanks doubly to those who attended the business meeting on Sunday. We will be posting official meeting minutes soon, but don't forget that early-bird registration for the Annual Conference is March 1. We want to see all of you there and at a great rate!

Please think about applying for an IATC seminar, whether Young or Experienced. Definite info will be available soon, along with an official application to send to Larry.

International Pen

Jonathan Abarbanel shares that the British-based org International Pen is planning a meeting in Guanajuato, Mexico in 2008. This will take place in conjunction with the Festival Internacional Cervantino (International Cervantes Festival). Pen is "a place where writers from all cultures meet to discuss, debate and communicate."

If you'd like more information, e-mail Jonathan or visit www.internationalpen.org.uk

Randy Gener's story on Seoul

Make sure you read pp. 66-72 of the January issue of American Theatre
magazine. ATCA member and YCS participant Randy Gener wrote about his
experience in Seoul. The article ends with the following:

Randy Gener's trip to Seoul was funded in part by a grant from the
Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association.

Help create the International Survey

As you may know, some members of ATCA aren't sure why there is a need to have an International Committee and don't know or recognize the opportunities this section of the organization presents to them.

As such, I am proposing to conduct a full survey of our membership to find out what they think and how international theatre affects their work as professional critics.

I hope that our committee can devise 10-20 questions for the survey. Please send your question ideas back to the group by FRIDAY, JANUARY 19. We'll finalize them shortly thereafter, send the survey to the membership and present our findings during the NYC meeting next month. We'll be using surveymonkey.com to create the survey and compile the findings. You can see samples on that site to get an idea of what will be sent out. We can have Y/N questions, multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank, so be creative!

Here are some ideas I have to get you started. Please comment on these and/or add your own.

1. Do you review works by non-American playwrights? (Don't forget that includes Shakespeare, Beckett, Moliere, David Hare, Pinter, etc.)

2. Do you review works directed by foreign-born directors?

3. Have you ever applied to a Young Critics Seminar?

4. Have you ever applied to a Cultural Bridges Seminar?

5. How often do you travel outside of the U.S.?

6. How many languages do you speak?

You get the idea! Have fun and get your ideas in by January 19.

Thanks,
Kerri

News from Seoul

Hello everyone,

The World Congress in Seoul went very well, and ATCA had 5 members in
attendance--one of the best turn-outs among the 28 nations that were
represented. Eric Bentley did attend and the we ATCA members got to
shake his hand and get a few photos with him. Bentley's acceptance
speech and various other papers (including mine) are available for
download on the IATC Web site.

I submitted my report from the IATC executive committee meeting to
Larry and Chris, and I'm sure Dominic will excerpt from it in the next
ATCA Update. In any event, here are some highlights for the
International Committee!

>> Yun-Cheol Kim (Korea) reported that there were approximately 93
attendees as this World Congress.

>> The 2008 IATC World Congress is slated to take place in Bulgaria.

>> I reported that ATCA has resolved to host the IATC World Congress
in Chicago in 2010. IATC president Ian Herbert was pleased that we had
come to a decision so soon after our annual meeting in June. No
further discussion.

>> The next IATC Ex Com meeting will be in Salonika, Greece from April
26-29, 2007. As of now, Larry and I are slated to attend.

>> PROPOSED Young Critics Seminars 2007 (NOT CONFIRMED) are slated for
Bulgaria in late April and Serbia in May.

>> In regards to YCS, the IATC ex com discussed including a
cancellation clause in the application due to last-minute
cancellations for various 2006 seminars, which caused embarrassment
and difficulties on behalf of IATC and the hosting nations.

>> PROPOSED Cultural Bridges/Senior Critics Seminars for 2007 are
slated to take place in Romania and Chile. (NOT CONFIRMED)

On a separate but equal note, the Canadian Theatre Critics Association
will be holding a colloquium called "Criticism and the University" in
June 2008. They can host *one* member of ATCA.

See you all in February in NYC!

Kerri

Old friend Lloyd, plus young seminars

Dear Group friends:

I am very happy to tell you we have four applicants from the U.S. for Young Critics seminars in Asia and Europe. They are:

Seoul, Korea: Randy Gener and Gwen Orel

Vilnius, Lithuania: Philip Stephenson

Charleville-Mezieres, France: Lauren Snyder

The applications have been sent to the seminar honcho, Margareta Sorenson, in Sweden and we should hear back soon about which of our number will be whipping out their passports. I'll let you know.

Those of you who have been on vacation or out in the backyard might have missed the dolorous news this week that Lloyd Richards passed away on his very birthday, at what might have been 87 years of age. (Lloyd always was very cagey about birthdates and other nonsense.) He for years was a formidable presence among us at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, among others as head of the Yale Drama School, and on Broadway as the discoverer, patron and sensitive stage director of August Wilson. Over a 30-plus-years acquaintanceship with Lloyd, I always felt he never loved critics a whole lot, but he was encouraging to us at the O'Neill and worked with Ernie Schier and Ernie's heirs to bring young critics into "the process" as acolytes and older critics as dramaturgs, back when nobody knew what the word meant. Eighty-seven is a pretty good run, but we wish he were still around to talk about every playwright he ever knew and gave a step up to.

All the best and a safe holiday week to you all,

Larry

Update: June 21, 2006

ATCA INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE UPDATE

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2006

YAHOO! GROUP

Ira Bilowit and Phil Stephenson have joined the famed Yahoo! Group. Please make sure you do that ASAP. There should be a message (or two) in your inbox inviting you to join. Please let me know if there is not.

ARE YOU IN OR OUT?

Jonathan Abarbanel has volunteered to call members who were not at the Canada conference to confirm that you are still interested in being involved with the committee. You may also respond to this e-mail if you have not yet been contacted.

LOCAL BOY MAKES GOOD

Congrats to our own Bruce Burgun for being elected to the ExCom! We will expect him to feel deeply obligated to our committee's agenda at every turn. ;)

WE ARE THE WORLD?

As Dominic mentioned in his ATCA Update on Monday, Michael Barnes has been appointed as the chair of the ad hoc committee for a possible IATC World Congress in the U.S. Alice Carter has been invited to be part of that committee as well. The international committee--that's all of us, folks--form the core of this advisory group. This is why we need to know ASAP if you would still like to remain on the committee. Dominic wants to formally convene the ad hoc committee before the end of June, and release a preliminary report by the fall.

2006 YOUNG CRITICS SEMINARS

As of June 21, 2006, new ATCA member Lauren Snyder (OffOffOnline, New York City) has applied for the France seminar. Randy Gener (American Theatre magazine, NYC) may apply for the one in Korea. Committee member Phil Stephenson (Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh) has expressed interest in the Lithuania seminar.

IATC WORLD CONGRESS IN SEOUL

I will be the official ATCA delegate to the IATC World Congress in Seoul, Oct. 21-26. Glenn Loney and Carol Douglass have expressed interest in also attending as ATCA representatives (though not delegates.) Larry is in conversation with Yun-Cheol Kim, who is the Korean IATC representative and congress host, regarding the details.

YOUR INTERNATIONAL "TO DO" LIST:

* Sign up for the Yahoo! Group

* If you were not in Canada, let us know if you want to remain on this committee

* Save the date! The NYC mini-conference will probably be the last weekend in January or the first week of February 2007. We will probably have one committee meeting during the weekend.


Thank you for your work with international!


~Kerri Allen
American Theatre Critics Association
International Committee Vice Chair