The Village Theatre Project

Connecting
with the Community

Encouraging Participation and a Sense of Ownership

The theatre community in America has struggled over the past decade to combat the growing percentage of time that audiences spend in front of the television or at a movie, rather than at a live performance. Many theatres have tried to address this by making their offerings similarly "easy" - by asking patrons only to sit back and passively enjoy the performance.

To successfully compete with film and television we must show audiences the sheer power that is unique to this live art form. Live performance is the one place where audiences see both the artwork and its creator at the same time; actually see the piece being created before their eyes, and through their reactions, contribute to it’s creation.

The difference between watching a film and seeing a play or musical is much like the difference between viewing Michelangelo’s David, versus actually watching the master carver chisel the final details into the stone.

Beyond simply attracting audiences, we see it as our responsibility to:

Engender interest and participation of audiences through symposiums and similar forums. We will offer “memberships” rather than subscriptions – encouraging patrons to make a single donation in exchange for access to all activities of the theatre – workshops and readings as well as productions.
Encourage a bond between our Company and members of our Community – we will seek frequent opportunities for these groups to become one; to share ideas and thoughts socially as well as in more formal settings.
Expose tomorrow’s artists and audiences to the magic of live theatre – we will reach out to the schools and other youth organizations, with our Company and the REP – our youth performing group – to encourage participation in the arts.