Hey, A.C.T.!

posted by Melissa on Fri, May 2, 2008
in Local Theatre, Local Theatre

One of the actors in Impact's 'Tis Pity was handing a flyer to a friend yesterday when this actor (who shall remain nameless) was accosted by an onlooker. "I'm in the A.C.T. version of that," he smirked, "and we're laughing about you guys doing the play at the same time as us." Is this kind of snarkiness really necessary? Here's what I think.

I think that A.C.T. and Impact are completely different theatres, with completely different approaches. Wealth does not make theatre better, just as poverty doesn't automatically create artistic integrity. A rich theatre isn't automatically a gutless sellout, and a small theatre isn't automatically beneath serious consideration because of its size.

In my experience of Bay Area theatre, this community of close to 400 performing arts organizations is incredibly supportive. In twelve seasons of Impact Theatre, I literally cannot count the number of favors I've given out and been given in return -- personnel recommendations, rehearsal space, script exchanges, ticket donations -- the list goes on and on. Everyone in the Bay Area theatre community understands that there is no such thing as competition in the theatre. If someone attends any theatre in the Bay Area, that someone is more likely to make their way to Impact at some point, not less. It behooves Impact as a theatre company and as a group of individuals living within a community that loves its art to see every theatre in the nine county Bay Area packed every night.

My guess is that this A.C.T. actor is from out of town. I can't imagine a Bay Area actor creating an adversarial relationship between Impact and A.C.T. where none exists.

There are things I can do at Impact in our tiny space that simply cannot be done in a large proscenium, and there are things Carey Perloff can do at A.C.T. on her huge stage that are impossible for me to do in the Sub. The tandem 'Tis Pitys will be completely different shows for that reason alone, not to mention the fact that Carey and I are two different people with two different visions. We're not competing with each other. Impact and A.C.T. have different audience bases, and, if anything, the two 'Tis Pitys are drawing more attention to each other than they would standing alone, no? I think it's more likely to create greater audience for both shows than anything else.

If I weren't going in for some ridiculously major surgery right after our 'Tis Pity closes, I would say that we should hold a panel discussion after A.C.T.'s 'Tis Pity opens with a combination of their personnel and ours, sharing and discussing our different approaches, what we discovered, and what we learned in the process. Impact has a lot to teach A.C.T., and A.C.T. has a lot to teach Impact, because real professionals never stop learning from each other.

And, random A.C.T. actor, real professionals respect each other. I've never encountered anyone from A.C.T. displaying anything but the utmost graciousness, professionalism, and respect, so, again, I have to assume that this actor is from out of town.

In the spirit of mutual respect, A.C.T., I'll comp any of your 'Tis Pity personnel that would like to come see our version, and I hope that you will return the favor to our personnel.

Let's meet and discuss our excitement about this hot mess of a Carolinian bloodfest! Come on down to our house, A.C.T., and let's play.