construction versus companies / albee's eightieth

Two recent items caught my attention.

The first is an article from the March 9, 2008 New York Times about several high-profile non-profit theatre construction projects. The article contains observations about audience developement, the history of non-profit theatre and the continuing lack of resident companies.

The NYTimes article can be found here.

Edward Albee turned 80 on March 12. National Public Radio has an article and an in-depth radio piece on him that you can listen to on their website here. In it Albee talks about the audience experience and the purpose of art, and says, among other things, "The whole notion that that which is entertaining must be empty, is preposterous."

For those interested in Albee, a production of his first play, "The Zoo Story", will be presented in early May at Warren Wilson College -- along with an early Terrance McNally play, "Noon". The two plays are being directed by students in the Directing II class. A rumor is spreading that I may direct a third piece on the program, but I'm not sure if I believe it. Warren Wilson Theatre contact info is here.