Christmas Comes Early at the Theater

It is beginning to feel like a very early Christmas here at Triad Stage.  The halls are alive with Cratchits, Spirits and Ghosts as we prepare for our first ever CHRISTMAS CAROL.  This production is the fulfillment of over ten years of dreaming.  From the very first conversations Rich and I shared about Triad Stage, we hoped to include a full scale production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL.  As long as North Carolina Shakespeare Festival was still brining their production to Greensboro, we didn’t feel it was appropriate for us to mount a competing production. But the dream remained strong and the wishing has only strengthened my deep desire to share one of my favorite of all stories with you.  I am delighted to finally have the chance.

Too often, Dickens’ ghostly tale of holiday redemption is seen as an obligation by regional theaters, a guaranteed audience pleaser necessary to balance budgets and fill seats.   I find a liberating artistic freedom in approaching the play not as a requirement, but a privilege.  I share this story with our Triad audience because I love it.  I find in Scrooge’s wild night the glorious potential we all have to wake one day and suddenly become better than we are, to discover that a new life is possible and that our past sins can be thrown aside.  I rejoice in the promise of re-connecting to lost humanity and renewing the social contract.  Dickens' book is one of the most powerful novellas ever written because it so perfectly blends politics, moral outrage, spirituality and hope to create a holiday tale short on sentimentality, but overflowing with wisdom and hope.

As with any great classic, A CHRISTMAS CAROL remains fresh as long as we approach it with honesty and curiosity.  I have endeavored in our new adaptation to see the play through the eyes of children.  I have asked these children to haunt us with their ghostly tale and to remind us that there is some of Scrooge in each of us.  And like Scrooge, in each of us there is the potential to reach out to our fellow citizens, to give freely and to strive to be better. 

Last night we said goodbye to EDUCATING RITA.  I was so pleased with the work that everyone did on the show.  Designers, director and actors all found new life in Russell’s play, approaching the work with enormous dignity and generosity.  I’m delighted to have had such talented artists working here at Triad and I hope that last night isn’t the last time we will get to see Dennis and Lori act at Triad. 

Two weeks ago, Rich and I travelled up to New York to accept our check from the American Theater Wing at a lunch to honor the ten recipients of the National Theatre Company Grant.  But the day was already filled with excitement long before noon.  Rich and I met with Teresa Eyring at Theatre Communications Group to share the story of Triad Stage.  It was a fantastic meeting and I was delighted to finally get to meet Teresa in person.  TCG is vastly important to the not-for-profit theater in the US and it was great to  have an opportunity to talk about our work the same month TCG’s national theater magazine American Theatre featured THE GLASS MENAGERIE in their production notebook section. (Check it out—the photos look amazing and such recognition is a great honor for Triad and Greensboro.)

As Triad enters its second decade I hope that we can increasingly take on a role on the national stage, engaging in the discussion of the future direction of American theatre.  I certainly hope that we will continue to engage with TCG in their extremely useful advocacy and support.

Teresa toured us around the offices and I was especially interested to see the offices of American Theatre.  I’ve been reading the magazine since high school and value the publication as a way to keep in touch with all the work that is happening at regional theaters big and small around the country.

From TCG it was off to the American Theatre Wing lunch with a stop at Shake Shack for some frozen custard—because I can’t resist frozen custard.  The lunch was a whirl of faces, names and great conversations.  I think Rich and I were a bit overwhelmed to find ourselves sitting with Angela Lansbury.  She was gracious, entertaining and a delight.

Each of the ten theaters had an opportunity to talk about a problem we had faced or were facing and how we were responding.  I talked about the challenge of keeping the act of dreaming possible in the face of the realities of now.  I was very interested to hear the other nine theaters talk and hope that the dialogue we began at the luncheon can continue.

I am deeply appreciative that the American Theatre Wing decided to let the American part of its name guide it to a national emphasis in their theatre company grants this year.  We were from cities as far away as Portland, OR and a near as NYC.  And all of us had a palpable passion for forging a new generation of American theater.

Rich and I finished our day, exhausted and proud enjoying drinks with some of Triad Stage’s nearest and dearest New York family.  And then I was off to the theater since I can’t  let a trip to New York pass by without every available evening spent watching theater. 

More on that next time.

Comments

[Keaton]

I can't wait to hear about the rest of your trip. You have, for good reason, been critical of the modern New York stage before, so I am naturally curious as to what show(s) you chose to see and your thoughts on them.

[laurie croft]

The ambience of the olde greensborough theater is rare & classical. The atomosphere is warm & friendly. The actors are very talented & the shows well put together. I am never dissapointed when you, Mr. Lane are behind any of the shows. Thank you so much for providing a very entertaining evening!

[Curtis Johnson Realty]

Well, celebrating Christmas doesn't stop only during December. We really have to have the heart about Christmas the whole year round. This is the time of giving and sharing. We just have to open our hearts that Christmas can be 345 in year. Thanks a lot for sharing your thoughts. This is indeed a great opportunity to know your thoughts. More power.