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Colonial Theatre and Berkshire Theatre Festival Merge

Kiss Me Kate

By: - Nov 20, 2010

Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial Colonial

It was the Kate Maguire show yesterday at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield.

While not quite the media frenzy of the pending British Royal Wedding, there were lots of giddy jokes about dating, going steady, engagement, consummation, and living together.

The occasion was a community meeting and ersatz press conference. Maguire and the substantial audience of local folks seemed shocked when I actually asked some tough questions. Which she deflected deftly saying “You’re so negative Charles.” But I hung tough after the applause died down coming back with “You’re charming Kate but you haven’t really answered the question.”

During the event representatives of both boards signed a “memorandum of understanding.” It is rather like real estate which is under agreement pending the closing. For now, the boards and staff remain separate. If negotiations progress as expected there will be the formation of a holding company that would seek tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) or IRS non profit organization. It is anticipated that the process will take from six to 12 months. Until then, both organizations are free to break off the relationship.

Right now there is euphoria about the process of a merger between the gorgeous but underachieving Colonial Theatre and the venerable Berkshire Theatre Festival with two stages and an ambition to expand its programming. The Main Stage, in the historic Stanford White building, is a dinosaur badly in need of the total renovation that BTF simply can’t afford.

The deep stage of the Colonial, which has been brought back to its 107-year-old gilded glory, does not have the annoying obstructed sight lines of the BTF’s Main Stage. While the plucky BTF pulled off a musical last summer in its 100 seat Unicorn Theatre “Babes in Arms” and “Annie” on the Main Stage there are daunting challenges.

Programming the Colonial as well as the two stages of BTF it’s kind of a no brainer that Maguire would start the season in Pittsfield with a musical. I asked “Which one.” For which Kate doesn’t yet have an answer. In general she described just getting used to the new position as CEO and Artistic Director of the Colonial Theatre and the Berkshire Theatre Festival.

“I could give you a schedule and program now” Maguire said “But that will entirely change by the time we open the season.” True.

While the media is reporting the opportunities and challenges of moving from the 400 seat BTF Main Stage to the 800 seats of the Colonial the numbers are deceptive. As Clarence Fanto has reported in the Eagle, the Colonial has been running under 50% of capacity. But the truth is the Colonial is more like a 600 seat house because nobody sits on the benches in the uncomfortable nose bleed seats. That means that, pragmatically, the Colonial represents an increase of about 200 seats. Is that really enough capacity to do those more ambitious shows and musicals which Kate hankers for?

Gamely, she replied “Kids” as the answer for those upper level seats. I asked how she will get them there. “They’re young, they can walk” was the response which brought a good laugh from the audience. What she meant is that the undesirable, upper level seats will be sold at bargain prices and subsidized by grant writing. The idea is to encourage attendance by young audiences by giving them exposure to theatre. Great, but it isn’t going to really help the bottom line.

During the reception in the lobby, following the event, I was approached by the head of the company that renovated the Colonial. He informed me that, because of the theatre’s historic status, they were not able to replace the benches, or the tight balcony seating. At least during the first five years of operation. The vintage theatre reflects the smaller bodies of a century ago. That’s generations before Americans bulked up.

The audience was wowed by Maguire. Rightly so. She lights up a room with her megawatt charisma and personality. There were a number of speakers on stage, as well as a dense section of board members of both organizations, which sat mute. When it came her time to speak Kate stepped out from behind the table and microphone to perform standup for the utterly charmed audience.

With warm humor she informed us that her youthful elocution lessons were paying off. Her Mom was in the audience to appreciate the remark. Maguire grew up in Lowell.

She recalled 16 years ago when she first took over at the 82-year-old BTF. It seems an elderly woman grasped her arm and provided a bit of history. Kate acted out how the woman said “This stage is sacred.” It resonated with her as she elaborated. She related how everything she knows about life has come to her through theatre. It opened doors for her which she now wants to convey to others. At times, it seemed that she was choking back tears while maintaining her composure. It was an emotional moment and a stunning performance.

With all the dating and foreplay analogies floating about, which included the directors of both boards, the question was asked about how this relationship was initiated.

“I always make the first move” Maguire said with whimsical zest.

Apparently the “first date” between the organizations started before the founding director, David Fleming, resigned abruptly on August 31. It became obvious that his booking and marketing strategy just wasn’t effective. The Colonial’s programming has been hit and miss, with far too many dark nights, particularly during high season. The program has been eclectic at best striving for something for everyone but lacking real focus and identity. With a steady menu of one nighters that tends to take reviews and the media out of the mix. It is difficult to build the kind of word of mouth that keeps audiences returning to the theatre. That creates an identity crisis as local residents become apathetic about driving by a dark theatre.

While Maguire exudes sanguine optimism, she hardly has a magic wand to turn the Colonial around, while simultaneously facing the challenges of programming and selling tickets in Stockbridge. But, like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, she now has three spaces to work with: Baby Bear, Unicorn, Mama Bear, Main Stage, and Papa Bear, Colonial.
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Although Maguire is reluctant to tip her hand Michael MacDonald, president of the Colonial’s board of directors, jumped in. He described a strategy to turn the expansive lobby into a meeting and performance space. There is a strategy to create small scale events that draw intimate audiences. Particularly events coordinated with the successful Third Thursdays that attract throngs to the downtown.

Seth Keyes, currently the Colonial’s interim general manager, will stay on and work with Maguire on the schedule of one nighters. The programming strategy for both theatres will largely remain in place. With BTF producing plays and the Colonial booking a variety of acts. But the three stages now provide a greater range of options. An intimate show or act that is unlikely to fill the Colonial may be presented at the smaller BTF stages. Or a hit show, with legs at BTF, may move up to the Colonial to extend its run.

While BTF will focus on theatre during high season, by combining with the Colonial, there are many more options for year round theatre. It is likely that the beautiful vintage theatre will become a viable option for out of town tryouts of Broadway bound shows. Producers who develop shows in California will find it far more attractive, and less expensive, to work closer to Broadway. We saw that last summer when a show based on Vince Lombardi had a run at the Mahaiwe, in Great Barrington, prior to opening on Broadway. Expect a lot more of that.

An advantage of making the Colonial available to Broadway bound shows is that Maguire does not have to develop them. All of the start up costs are covered by the independent producers. She then books the shows and takes a cut. That’s very different from mounting only her own shows at the Colonial. For those she does produce, like popular musicals, I asked if that would change her casting strategy to seek bankable stars?

Too many Off Broadway shows never move to the Great White Way because of the lack of marquee name recognition. Audiences are reluctant to pay Broadway prices to see actors they have never heard of.

Again, Maguire deflected the question stating that BTF has done just fine with its casting. But one of its greatest attractions has been Randy Harrison who has been doing a show each summer usually in the intimate Unicorn theatre. What about putting Randy on stage in the Colonial in a musical? During a one on one, as the event wound down, Kate agreed that Randy does do musicals but it is not his first preference.

Pressing I asked what about the idea of a musical in general to open the season. She commented about being concerned about competing with “Guys and Dolls” which is the first show on Barrington Stage’s schedule, just up the street, in Pittsfield.

Last summer there were dueling Sondheim musicals launching the season for Barrington Stage and Williamstown Theatre Festival. Julianne Boyd has discussed with me the logic of starting with popular musicals each year. It is calculated to bring in the kind of revenue that provides the cash flow to sustain a season. It also is a marketing strategy that provides excitement and momentum. Boyd is betting that “Guys and Dolls” will pack them in.

It will be months before we know what WTF plans. They are often the last to announce and crank up their PR apparatus. Because of their rental arrangement with host Williams College, in general, WTF doesn’t have boots on the ground until just before show time.

But there are hints of what to expect under new artistic director, Jenny Gersten. Last summer, Nicholas Martin assured me he will return this coming season to direct one show. While Martin opened the season, last year, with “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ he was convinced to turn it over to first time director Jessica Stone. It was a bold move especially with her idea of an all male cast. The audience just loved it. Martin instead directed “Our Town” but bet on him returning with a musical.

Right now, settling in with new challenges, Maguire has a lot on her plate. There are now three stages to program and a lot more seats to sell. She has assumed the combined debt of two relatively stable arts organizations. As Anita Walker, the director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council stated, this is not a merger motivated by desperation. It represented an unprecedented recognition of two boards to work together. There is also some downscaling of staff and costs as duplication is eliminated. It also means that the Colonial will now have improved marketing and development capability.

Yesterday, it was all Kiss me Kate and Here Comes the Bride. Come summer, however, the honeymoon will be over. Let the games begin.