CMU School of Drama


Monday, March 28, 2011

Travel creates connections that continue to pay for theater companies

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "When the world of theater is so readily available on DVD and online, is it really necessary for presenters to gallivant around the world in search of plays, productions and performers?
Yes, for the real thing, says Pam Lieberman, executive director of Pittsburgh International Children's Theater and Festival and the manager of children's theater programming at the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

2 comments:

Sophie said...

I think this article shows that theatre is all about the connections you make and keeping in touch with people. And I don't mean this is a bad way at all. I think it's great that these people can go around the world to meet people in order to bring theatre back to pittsburgh. Their connections are not just benefitting themselves, but the whole pittsburgh community. They are able to bring shows that would not have necessarily come to pittsburgh here. But this article also shows that everyone you meet could be important in your career one day. You never want to burn a single bridge because that person might be extremely useful to know one day.

Meg DC said...

Interesting that the view here is that the value of having entertainment live is so much greater than the value of entertainment in general.

I think the other points are more valid since they bring up points which are less opinion based. Of course the vibrancy of a piece and what determines a hidden gem of a show are opinions, but typically people who enjoy visual entertainment will be more inclined to agree with these since they are not making an economic decision where they must contrast the value of time and money of that magnitude. I am not sure that that kind of spending is rationally justifiable.