thestar.com: The latest development in the Factory Theatre dispute between Ken Gass and the board of directors who fired him on June 20 finds Gass removing himself from any future involvement with the theatre, despite the thousands of signatories demanding his reinstatement as artistic director. He also calls for the unilateral resignation of the board.
5 comments:
I found this article a little startling. Of course discrepancies do happen in the theatre, but I feel as though we just don't hear about them as often. We are so used to everything and everyone working like clockwork, especially in educational theatre. But this is a good example of a very real possibility. It also shows just how closely a community can grow to the leaders of its cultural scene. The artistic director obviously made an impact on the community if even the directors of the season were making a protest. I think the article should be a reminder of how one can be woven into a community through what they have to share.
Why are we surprised or shocked that an artistic director and a board of directors have irreconcilable differences. The board of directors might need to step down in order for the theatre to attract a new artistic director. This whole thing is shows the fact that the politics in every theatre are unhealthy and when you bring personal squabbles into the workings of the theatre you get things like an entire season fslling apart like it did here.
Ken Gass was terminated by the board because . . . there's no because. That is why this is an issue. In June the Board voted to terminate Gass as the Artistic Director and informed him of their decision the next day. Of course Gass is going to call on the Board to resign if he feels wrongs have been committed. And until the board says otherwise or can prove that the guy who pulled the Factory Theatre out of the red in 1996 is guilty of something he has a point. Others agree.He has a lot of support from the rest of the Toronoto theater community including 2 celebrated Canadian playwrights who have sworn to never produce work with the factory again - one of whom has a play scheduled in this upcoming season.
Whether you agree or disagree with Gass this has significant repercussions on the future of the Factory. Gass's call for the board to resign is either a smear campaign or a cry for justice depending on how you see it. Either way, causing distrust in the board within the theater community could scare away donors and investors, and will make it harder to find new ones. The Board, and their new Aristic Director are in a very difficult situation. They went from being a healthy regional theater to being the villians - not the place to be when trying to uphold your company's mission statement.
I have to agree with Gass (and Matt). Sometimes the only way to rebuild from the ruins is to burn them to the ground and start from scratch. Regardless of whether you agree with Gass's perspective or the Factory's board's, the bad blood that Gass AND the board now represent will stay with The Factory for as long as those persons are still active with the company.
Did the board fire Gass unceremoniously for the good of the Factory or did they do it just to be dicks? If the good of the Factory is truly their aim, then it seems their only recourse is to resign. If they just wanted to be dicks and fire the guy they didn't get along with, then I guess they've no reason to leave.
I agree that this article is a little shocking, but Gass makes a good point. To recover from something, it is sometimes good to get rid of it completely and start from scratch. There is definitely a reason by the Factory Theatre is dysfunctional, and if individuals cannot work together, then everyone might need to go. Leaving a bitter taste in the air won't help Factory Theatre come back from this. Hopefully all will work out for them in the end whatever measures they take
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