CommEWEnity Theater

Recently there has been a huge outcry about Florida's funding of the arts or lack or cut of said funds. Heres the thing, as an actor, improvist and overall theatrical guy, I think what the art "community" doesn't realize is that "art" is a HOBBY and doesn't deserve free money. Stick with me on this one, it may piss you off (but i promise there is a point).

Lets say your a golfer. Not a Tiger Woods golfer, but a fairly good weekend golfer none the less. Some rich guy buys a huge chunk of land and builds a golf course to play on. He keeps it impeccibly maintained, stocks a nice snack bar and even lets you practice for free before a big tournement. Of course when the tourney takes place, he charges YOU a $100 entry fee and also charges the people who want to watch Tiger kick your ass $200 each for a nice seat on the 9th fareway (thats like the 50 yard line, right?). This scenario goes on all over the world probably every weekend and there is even a tv channel dedicated to showing it 24 hours a day.

The rich guy took a chance, invested in a business to support his hobby, ended up making some good money over all and has a nice house to show for it.

NOW lets say he makes some bad choices/the economy tanks/his wife leaves him and takes her half...whatever..and he winds up not being able to hold the big upcoming tournament. What should he do? Surely there must be a Funding for The Golfs. After all, golf is(so im told)a legitimate sport. Hell, it's even in the olympics. The answer of course being NO, fuck the course owner. He lost the business game, no take backs, no bail outs!

With all of that being spewed, replace that golf course scenario with a theater in your town. Theater is a business(Community theater is a hobby). If a person is going to open a theater they should do so with the understanding they need money. Not "funding" money, but business money. Just like the above golf course, get a wad of cash, open your theater, sell tickets at a price that will both pay your rent and pay your actors and thrive on till your a gozillionare, broke, retired or living comfortable.

If your running a theater and not paying your actors, where the hell is that ticket money going? Rent you say? Then you arn't running a business, your running a HOBBY.

Don't get me wrong, community/hobby theater is an outstanding way for actors, directors, producers and crew to learn the craft of theater. But if you can't at least throw them some gas money or buy them a meal each night then you, as the theater/hobbiest are simply using people to stroke your ego and accomodate your hobby.

Why is there a Funding for The Arts but not a Funding for Fat Guys Who Eat Twinkies in Public? Hmm maybe Twinkie guy just needs to call his lunch an "installation".

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