Blogosphere - where great thinking is happening

In addition to all of the most major newspapers arts sections, traditional industry periodicals, web-sites, etc., I have been reading a lot of blogs lately - a lot.

I am trying to really understand what is happening across the country in theatre, the arts, and non-profits and how difficult the environment is. Whenever, I am trying to sort out idea or major themes for myself, reading others thoughts certainly helps. For now I am just going to focus on theatre.

I should as a side note mention how amazing it is that SO many people are out there posting and how intelligent many of them are - whether I agree with them or not. There certainly seem to be enough folks focused on the issues at hand so maybe we can make a difference for future generations.


In nonprofit theatre the debates seem to be centering for the most part around two arguments:

1. The funding model for theatre has to be changed, but how - more earned revenue, more contributed revenue, or more government support?
2. Do all the theatres in trouble really deserved to be saved (two overriding arguments are emerging - (a) there just too many theatres or (b) is the fact that a particular theatre's "art" really wasn't that relevant, engaging or well-executed why it is in trouble in the first place, and if should it be saved?

Then there are the cross-over debates that folks from non-profit and for-profit theatre are having. These are issues that have more or less plagued theatre for a long time:

1. Should we just give the "masses" what they want and make some money or do great art and hope the masses notice?
2. Are the so called "masses" pop culture obsessed, short-attention-span idiots or are we under-estimating them - in other words - do we know what the masses want?
   
3. Those darn critics have too much power.
4. How the hell do we get people to come see shows?

So over the next few posts I am going to throw out my thoughts on these and point out some the blogger who have had some really interesting (and maybe even controversial) thoughts on it.