“How will you make theatre for a better tomorrow?,” I asked. “Send me 6-word wishes for theatre: play, company, field, artists.”
On New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, I inquired of my Twitter followers (and some in turn then asked their followers) about their “Six-word theatre dreams” in variants of the same question: “What are your ‘six-word wishes’ for theatre to come? Dream show; career hopes; changes in business – your call.” “In only six words, what are your desires, plans, visions for the future of theatre?” “Theatre 2012 & beyond: how will you make theatre for better tomorrow?” “From limits, theatrical creativity can emerge. So what are your six word theatre dreams for yourself, artists, companies, or audiences? Imagine!”
After a slow start, the answers came flooding in and, for me, they provided an optimistic, inventive, creative start to the new year. The six-word form, which is certainly limiting, yielded answers that were practical, whimsical, inspirational and at moments even poetic (take that, haiku!).While the participants represent the barest tip of the iceberg of those who make and love theatre, they nonetheless paint a picture of theatre’s possibilities alongside the desires we all have for the discipline. These are the dreams, in ultra-concise form; how many of them will — and how will they — be realized, in this new year or in the years to come?
A few words about my process: every response I spotted, if on topic, is included here (my apologies if I missed yours); not wanting to start placing limits too early in the new year, I have included multiple responses from those who chose to craft them, so a few who were inspired by the challenge will appear more than once. With over 100 replies, I decided not to attempt to organize these thematically, or with a singular through-line; they appear in alphabetical order, which serves to highlight certain themes and words. Even those single words are evocative: I noted ‘more,’ ‘accessible,’ ‘collaboration,’ ‘new,’ ‘work,’ and ‘risk,’ to select but six (in keeping with the original assignment) among those that recurred.
Finally, on the name of every participant, I have added a live link to their Twitter page. If someone wrote something that resonates with you, take the time to reach out to that person, especially someone you’ve not encountered before; follow them, ‘@’ them and strike up more of yet another theme found here often: conversation. “Social media” is a buzz-friendly construction, but new connections with those who share your interests, and our obsessions, is the most marvelous result of this still-new medium. You are not throwing thoughts out into a massive stream of incoherence; you are curating your own community and finding kindred spirits, in this case those who also have your passion for theatre.
Today I am merely a conduit. Revel in the ideas and ideals of those who are your friends, even if you’ve yet to ever meet them onstage, backstage or in the audience. Here are their six-word dreams — and perhaps yours.
* * *
A complete social media theatrical experience. @SimsJames
A Sondheim show in the Sondheim. @Dfact1
A spanking brand-new Sondheim score. @BlueskyFox
A successful non-jukebox Australian musical. @humphriesmark
Accessible, inviting. Engaging the audience’s imagination. @Gedaly
Accessible to all in everyday places. @TheatreSmart
Actors acknowledging crazy workloads techies have? @EmilySchooley
Alchemy over boilerplate, communication over sales. @Travisbedard
Always paid for work I love. @niclabonde
Amen. We re-own the creator’s dream. @HiQuity
Artists work with communities for good. @LindaInPhoenix
Audience feels something real during play. @Wmbish
Audiences choosing theatre over a DVD. @pearliestpearl
Bigger, better, faster, more (and original) @Lacatchat
Book of Mormon tix? Cheap! Easy! @Glennsumi
Bright, bold work supported and seen. @Poorboy_theatre
Bring the funny to the world. @Reduced
Bringing the arts back home. @Walt828
Candy wrappers opened before show starts. @AijaGreen
Challenge assumptions; examine biases; dream untethered. @Halcyontony
Clear visions of challenging new concepts. @SonnetInspired
Collaboration is key to creative success. @Donnachronicles
Collaboration as inspiration to the world. @TheatreSmart
Connecting the four generations working today. @TheatreSmart
Core shakers like Next To Normal. @twayward
Deep engagement, careful listening, connective questioning. @Matthewreeder
Desires-strong / plans-invisible / visions-scary @YesVersusNo
Disney over? Take two weeks OFF! @FriendlyLoner
Emerging dreams; landing real; refining play. @Lisalotta
Everyone being nice to the ASM. @Stagemanager92
Everyone involved who wants to be. @Lacatchat
Excellent, Relevant, Purposeful, Joyful, Accessible, Unforgettable. @Ddower
Extraordinary season: great work/smart investments. @ahrmi
Fewer premium seats in center orchestra. @GratuitousV
Find balance of creativity and marketability. @gabef1ores
Finish my Masters. Get a job. @Catipish
Follies gets filmed before it closes. @K_delrossi
For true collaboration, joy, humanity, community. @Sallycadeh
Funding for our company’s first season. @Askewtheatre
Get into (and outside) new spaces. @Lacatchat
Help make theatre relevant for all. @Kevinhoule
Honest work, accessible, friendly, thought-provoking. @Petricat666
I want to explore the light. @ReeseSondheim
Innovative forms of performance get funding. @LindaInPhoenix
Inspiration at each and every turn. @Keithbennie
Let’s revive original production of Pippin. @BlueskyFox
Lighting designers invited to first meetings. @LindaInPhoenix
Make art on my own terms. @MariahMacCarthy
Many brave, unconventional, bold original works! @BroadwayGirlNYC
Mary Stuart reopens with 2009 cast. @Raisins_Liasons
Me to We, Scarcity to Abundance. @Ddower
Mindbending fully produced dubstep space musical. @Musicisfreenow
Moments that make the hearts beat loud. @Failurefarms
More about art, less about money. @Kre8ivMona
More accessible. More diverse. More original. @CatPop
More arts funding support from cities. @EmilySchooley
More butts in more seats please. @Michaelhharris
More innovation, more David Cromer. @Alexqsmith
More opportunities for talented Canadian artists! @THEATREtc
More poor kids in the audience. @Buttercupples
More sharing of resources, talent, information. @Jfdubiner
More shows choreographed by Steven Hoggett. @TwoShowDays
More than forty percent houses. @Ryanroks
More youth audience for OffOff Broadway. @theaterfanatics
More new play productions, mine included. @GwydionS
Near West Theatre venue gets funded. @MarkWSchumann
New Broadway shows which ask questions. @stephtastic17
New original musicals not closing quickly. @Mdrnhousewivery
New plays get produced and thrive. @Bflood28
New voices, new approaches, new audiences. @Moorejohn
Newsies performed live in my kitchen. @Thecraptacular
No cellphones, talking, singing. (in audience) @Glennsumi
No electronic distractions in the audience. @Backstagejobs
Passionate tenacity leads to success, right? @JessKiva
Pay actors more, community involvement, laughter. @NSBTtheatre
Peaceful, productive three-department musical collaboration. @Naturalreadhead
Performances challenge audiences to THINK. @EmilySchooley
Personal, intimate, breaking all our expectations. @JessHutchinson
Play Harper in Angels in America. @SophG6
Plays people like better than movies. @MichaelRock
Popular, funny, life-changing theatrical experiences! @TheatreSmart
Produce the plays of unknown playwrights. @scriberess
Pub theatre pub theatre pub theatre. @dwbcampbell
Rediscover joy, inspiration, passion and fun. @Beth_wolf
Revival of Rockabye Hamlet – on Broadway. @Minisquiggs
Risk-taking, artistic integrity and conversations @Gbenaharon
Risk-taking new work. Balanced budgets. @RebeccaEnde
Rooms I want to live in. @Msteketee quoting @pollykcarl
RTC transfers Sons of the Prophet. @Shutterbug93
Sands shift, revealing new creative opportunities. @LindainPhoenix
See Art, Create Art, Support Art. @DFooksman
See one new storefront company/month. @ThtrBob
Sell out our run @americanrep. @thelisps
Serve the audience. Think outside box. @DarrenEdward
Shows that take me somewhere else. @GratuitousV
Socio-political Freedom through artistic liberation. @Occupyantigone
Steady work, inspiring teammates, creative progress. @ObsrvatnlstNYC
Students getting jobs in theatre industry. @Fmcctheatre
Summerworks selects Ten Foot Pole Theatre. @Robsalerno
Sustainable funding sources, embracing new voices. @Edenlane
Take big risks. Tell great stories. @CodyDaigle
The Mark Hellinger restored to legitimacy. @Kevinddaly
The world changes into something new. @OLittleGreenPig
Theatre as vital to American culture. @Fmcctheatre
To bring artists and communities together. @Dloehr
To change someone’s life with storytelling. @Amyjalltheway
To see MY plays Off-Broadway. @JOWinNYC
To think outside the box office. @Amyjalltheway
To work under a production contract. @BrittneyMorello
Want to make art? Do it. @Reynaldi
Women cast regardless of body size. @EmilySchooley
Work on something that really matters. @Roxiezeek
Working with former students. @Dramagirl
Write something more than a grant application. @Lacatchat
* * *
My six words for 2012? “I’ll see you at the theatre.”
Thank you, Howard, for sharing these, and also for the live Twitter links. What a brilliant boost to 2012. YOU are a Twitter Treasure!
I wonder, out of all of those, which six words were used the most often.