The Boston Globe: After 33 years, Boston University and the Huntington Theatre Company are parting ways, and the university is putting the BU Theatre up for sale, effective immediately.
For the highly regarded Huntington, which just two years ago won a Tony Award for regional theater, the dissolution of the partnership with BU ushers in a period of uncertainty.
19 comments:
My best friend from home attends BU for Design and Production, and he said his whole class was completely blindsided by the move to sell the theatre. The students had only found out once they read this article, and immediately went to the teachers who said they had known it was in the pipeline for years but were shocked the trigger had been pulled. The current students will be forced out of the building at the end of the 2016-2017 school year, with the new mainstage not being built for quite some time as they evaluate which of their properties to turn into a "Carnegie-like" space, in their teacher's words. I can't even begin to imagine how I would feel if Purnell was suddenly ripped away from the current slate of drama students, and I've only been here for six weeks. The seperation that the current freshman and sophomores will feel is rough, and also limiting to performance opportunities, as the only spaces they will have are small black boxes and one studio theatre. Talk about a tough break.
I am curious about what lead BU's leaders to this decision. The Huntington is a huge selling point for students looking at BFA drama programs. While I did not apply to BU, the only reason I would have applied would be the relationship with the Huntington theater. I am sure there is a better reason for this split rather than a simple time to part ways. Perhaps the mission of the BU Theatre program no longer aligns with the mission of the Huntington. Perhaps their students were not getting enough learning experiences with the Huntington. Either way, Jacob makes a good point that it seems rash and unfair for BU to cut ties with the Huntington before a real plan for a new theatre building has been solidified and realized. What are the design and production students supposed to do for the next few years while a big building is built or renovated? I know the freshman drafting studio also existed in the same building as the Huntington. Are they going to even have studio space until the new building is established? Will the only productions take place in small black box theaters? While I am sure this decision is part of a larger plan to attract more students to the program, the immediate effect seems like it will be pushing prospectives away.
It’s crazy to think of a school with as prestigious of a theater program as BU deciding to sell their big main stage space, seemingly, so suddenly and without warning. I’m from near Boston, so when looking at theater design/ production schools to apply to BU was one of the first ones I toured, but I ultimately decided not to apply as I wasn’t a big fan of the campus. I didn’t realize until I came here how well known it is for their drama DP program; it was a lot of the people in our class’s second top choice after CMU. The explanations in the article that are quoted about the theater being sold, along with the buildings where students took design classes, don’t seem very well- explained to me, and I can’t help but wonder if there is some other reason for this sudden decision. Where are students expected to test out their design and production management skills on a large scale? And, almost more importantly from a freshman- student perspective, where will their design classes be held? It’s very weird to imagine the equivalent to this here; of Purnell or the Chosky or 33 being suddenly taken away. Obviously it’s a bit different because BU’s campus is so much more fragmented, but the idea is the same. I don’t think it’s possible for this to not have an effect on the number of applications they’ll have for their theater program for the next few years. I can imagine being very upset, as a freshman DP, if I was at BU right now.
Much in the same way that we are elated when a baby is born and sad when a loved one dies, we are excited when a new theater building is opened and saddened when an old and loved theater is decommissioned. I hope that whoever the next owner of the “BU theater” continues using it as a theatrical space. The one time I have been inside the theater building there, I quite liked the space as an educational building, but it was clear that the university could be doing better by their students, by having a properly maintained building much closer to the main campus. I am a huge supporter of the overall trend in educational institutions to tend more towards interdepartmental collaboration, rather than segregated conservatory programs, I think for the students and professors that really care and have the drive to delve into multiple areas for the enhancement of both, the move will be a good thing. On a cautious note however, there is something to be said for depth rather than breadth, especially if that is what your school consciously focuses on, like at BU.
I first saw this article on Facebook from a friend I knew from Pre-College that ended up going to Boston University. The caption to the link on this exact article was, "Excuse me, what?". She then replied to a comment on her post with "We all knew this was in the works, I just don't appreciate the way we all found out the decision was official." I have to say that even though I can't really sympathize with her, I have to agree with her that one of the worst outcomes of this entire event was that the students were not informed before a formal press release was made! From a communications perspective, this is embarrassing and rude. This will cause a serious effect on the day-to-day lives of the students who are directly affected. Although this may be an exaggeration, I feel as though this may be like finding out a close friend was in an accident through Twitter.
Being from the greater Boston area, I have seen BU in the Globe over the past year for a number of issues, and so this to me feels like another bump on a concerning path for the University as a whole. BU, along with some other area schools, has been in the news lately due to a concerning lack of black students and faculty, and for the hub-bub created around its recent defunding of its African Studies Center.
When beginning the college process I was very interested in BU, but quickly realized the program was not what I had expected. When I first visited the University, I toured both the Business School and the Theatre School. The business school was immaculate (correction, much of it WAS a basement). The theatre school felt like a basement. On top of that, it was far removed from the campus). Many claim the school’s “partnership” with the Huntington is a draw, but for me it was a concern after learning the school didn’t have access to its own shop for many hours each weekday. It felt like two families living in a one family home. And it seemed like the Theatre School was the forgotten child of the larger University (at the Admissions reception, the Theatre School was not mentioned a single time). Overall, my takeaway was a demonstrated lack of investment from the University in the Theatre School. This was very discouraging, especially given the school’s reputation and because it was clear that the Theatre School could be so much more if the University as a whole prioritized the program.
Many are guessing as to why BU chose to split with the Huntington, and why so suddenly. While I do think a change to the program could be greatly beneficial, this change seems poorly planned and very abrupt; especially considering that the students at the program had no idea this was coming. I think it’s a shame that the school would basically cut-off their current system without having a new one in place – it would have been much better to see this change announced for a few years down the road, accompanied by an announcement for a new theatre complex to be constructed closer to the BU campus. It is also odd that the school would so completely severe ties with the Huntington, since I think changing the relationship would have been a better solution than ending it. In the end, most of us (myself especially) are just speculating. Maybe BU Theatre has a plan. From where I stand, it looks like they don’t, and it’s a great disservice to their students.
Like Scott I’m from the area around Boston, and the Huntington has been a fixture of that landscape for most of my life. When I started looking at colleges and touring them BU and its theater school was one of the ones I visited. I went there really wanting to like it, its located in a city I love and their program got to use an amazing theater space. Unfortunately, it was quickly revealed that the program suffered from a serious issue. The Huntington theater (or BU theater as they insisted upon calling it) is home to both the BU theater program and the Huntington theater company. At first that sounds like a good thing, after all with that close a relationship it should be easy for students to get professional experience. While that is true, the downside is that neither group ever had enough time in the spaces they needed. During the tour the Huntington had the shop but practically as soon as they left there was going to be BU students there trying to finish their show. Also like Scott has already pointed out their theater school is literally in a basement.
Given all of this its not that surprising that BU is looking for a new space for their program. What is surprising is that they are doing so so suddenly. It seems odd to completely upend your program and sell your main stage while seemingly having no plan for how to replace it.
Being from the Boston area, I have been hearing endless outcries of complaint over the past few days. The Huntington is an incredibly beautiful, well-known, and well-loved theatre. Just two years ago the Huntington was awarded the Tony for Regional Theatre, and the theatre people I knew in the area were totally overwhelmed with pride. The split, I'm sure, has to do with the difficulties BU had with working with The Huntington. It is difficult to operate as a school and as a theatre company with limited space and other resources. I completely understand this. What I am particularly upset about is the Huntington being on the market. It is such a gorgeous theatre with so much potential, and yet the article states that within a year, it may no longer function as a theatre space at all. The other part of this that bothers me (and a few other commenters) is that BU does not seem to have much of a plan for its theatre students now that they've severed ties with their mainstage space. Where will their big performances be? It is October, after all. What is the plan for the rest of the year? I can't help but think about this year's seniors who dreamt of performing one more year at the Huntington, now forced to question where their last college shows will be. I hope that the article simply isn't telling us everything there is to know, because it seems very disappointing to me thus far.
In the wise words of DIck Block, "Boston looks nice this time of year". Well for any applying drama major, the school is really going to loose some credentials, and look a little less nice. When I was applying to colleges and visited Boston University one of the biggest draws was how amazing the facilities were, especially this theater. The fact that it is collaboration with the Huntington was only a bigger plus because students can get opportunities to work and see other professional productions. Now, it seems that it is all going to waste. I first read something about this on Facebook and saw there was a possibility that the theater would be remodeled into a Student Center, breaking down such a beautiful theater for a UC would be horrible. I can not wait to see where exactly this all goes, and how it really effects the theater program Boston University has.
The article talks a lot about the past relationship the Huntington has had with Boston University and more over, the formal actions each side has taken for pricing and selling the theatre. what I find a little sad and quite irksome is that there was only little mention of what this means for the drama department of Boston University and did they even mention the students who will be greatly affected by this transition? I think this article does a great job of putting into perspective what type of situation Boston University and The Huntington are really in. It seems that this situation is purely legality. I don't know much about this event, but this article and some of my peers comments have made it clear that their was really a disregard for those who i assume got the most use out of the space. It is always sad to see a theatre loose its magic and become closed, but I think its even more sad that the students and people who helped make that magic were pushed aside due to formality.
The Huntington is really what made BU into an enticing program.
I think something strage must have happened behind a curtain somewhere. This seems like a strange change to kick up so suddenly. I wonder if the program is seriously in the red, or perhaps the university really needed the money.
The Huntington is such a large organization with a lot of money, it also seems strange that they rely on the university to operate a theatre.
I think the worst part is the students who were just accepted. They were just accepted into a great program that is looking at practically shutting it’s doors.
And now Dick can’t use his BU jokes anymore….
I was pretty upset when I heard about this separation. The Huntington theater is a wonderful part of the Boston theater community and the connection to BU was great for students. Boston University was one of the schools I was looking into for grad school, and it being connected to the Huntington Theater was a big pull for them. It is really sad that Boston University couldn’t work something out and sell the space to the Huntington, who would use the space and I bet even allow Boston University to use it on occasion. While I know there was some animosity between the Huntington staff and the students, I believe this could have really been beneficial for both organizations had they been able to work though some issues. With Emerson closing their space as well, the theaters in Boston are really going through an unfortunate phase in their history, that seems full of uncertainty.
I am curious to see how this changes the University, I have friends who are there currently and may really feel the changes. When I went to tour the school a HUGE selling point for the program was the tires to the Huntington Theater. And then in addition, the Huntington gives way for students to branch out in Boston to other theaters. In related news, the Emerson is also parting ways with one of their prized, larger spaces. It is also really sad that the Huntington needs to find another partner for the money. Talking to people who go there for technical direction it seems like the space is almost falling apart. I am curious to know about government programs for sponsoring the arts in Boston. Just because the arts attract a lot of people to the area so I would think the government would want to preserve theaters and theater programs.
Oh my! Geez. All I keep thinking about is how close I was to going to Boston and how unfortunate it would of been had I gone there. I mean The Huntington is such a great factor for this school, I truly can’t imagine how this negotiation came to be. I wonder how quickly they will see repercussions of this. I understand the press for time and resources, I can see how problematic that would be to work in, but what the hell are the current students supposed to do? College, Boston Specifically isn’t cheap, these families are invested in this university, and depending on them to give them a well rounded, challenging education. It honestly sounds like they didn’t even consider them. And then they say that within a few years this gorgeous performance space might not even be a theatre anymore? At what point are we just letting financial factors let us make terrible decisions?
I feel so bad for the students at BU, because the space at the Huntington Theatre was one of the main reasons I applied to the school in the first place. It's a gorgeous space and has a lot of great places for students to really learn their craft. I can understand why they would want to move closer to the main campus, as you do have to take a shuttle to get to the Huntington from there. However, that isn't a good enough reason to just sell a building that is so synonymous with BU Theatre. Imagine what would happen if we suddenly were told that Purnell was shutting down without any warning from administration. There would be outrage, and I know that I would be heartbroken. This place has already become a second home to me, and I've only been here for a couple months. I can't even begin to think about how broken up BU students must be about this, and I can only hope that they find them an even better place to perform.
I am from the Boston area and have several friends that are attending the design and production program at BU. During my college “hunt” I toured the BU campus and was not impressed with the facilities. The fact that the school put them in the basement, off campus did not convince me to apply to BU. It doesn’t surprise me that they have decided to make the move, but if I were a student I would be heart broken if my home turf was being sold. Especially something that has happened so quickly. The faculty and students had no idea this was a coming and now they are being told to leave within the upcoming year. Once it is all said and done, im sure the school has plans to improve the existing facilities and no longer have to share their space with the Huntington. BU has a very reputable theatre school and I can’t see them doing anything to jeopardize that name.
I was honestly quite shocked by the news and very disheartened to hear that Boston University was selling their theater building. I have to wonder if their student body was aware of the coming change. Based off the article it makes complete sense why they have chosen to sell the building and the surrounding buildings; to consolidate to their Commonwealth Avenue campus. If we look at how successful Purnell functions a main reason for that is that we all are in one building and it makes communication between departments so much easier and the overall feeling that the theater spaces are just as important of a part of the academic environment as the studios and classrooms. While that being said the emotional satisfaction coming from traditions is just as important. It from my understanding that there had been a growing strained relationship between Boston University and the Huntington theater and that has helped lead to the current situation. I image that must be hardest truth to accept for the alumni because of amount of significance that place holds in their hearts. I don’t foresee this as the downfall of their theater program but rather a step down a new path.
Huh, this really does seem truly bizarre. I guess I can't say I'm very familiar with the BU - Huntington Theatre Company setup, but reading about their relationship did seem kind of strange. It does seem equally weird that the university would pull the trigger on this big decision without notifying the department or coming up with some sort of interim plan to make sure BU BFA students continue to get a top notch education. If I were a newly admitted Freshman, I definitely would be pretty pissed off. It just seems like if you come to a school based on a certain premise, and then that situation no longer holds true, you've kind of been given a raw deal. This certainly sounds like the situation at USC where an entire MFA class left the program after a poorly botched curriculum reshuffling. Anyways, I would like to hope that this misfortune at BU is only temporary and that they sort out their facility problems in the near future.
This article really interested me as just this past spring when I was visiting colleges I did schedule a tour of the Huntington Theatre, which is actually one of BU's largest venues for performances. What was even more shocking was the decision to put up for sale the two adjoining buildings where all the theatre design and production classes are taught. I would be interested to read a follow-up article on this issue to see where those students will be placed, as it appeared to me that the only studios available for scenic and costume design classes were in the building that will be no longer part of the school. My heart goes out to these students, as I hope they were made aware of these changes that I am sure the school has been planning for some time now. I can't imagine what would have happened if I had decided to attend BU, although from the article it appears that they are trying to look at the situation in an optimistic light, as this may be the necessary step to renovate their performance, rehearsal and studio spaces for generations to come.
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