Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre of Indianapolis, Inc. -- better known as Indianapolis Civic Theatre -- and the City of Carmel Redevelopment Commission announced Tuesday evening that Civic will be moving to Carmel's new Regional Performing Arts Center. It will be, according to a press release, "the primary occupant for the 500-seat proscenium theater" beginning with its 2011-2012 season.
A major loss for Indianapolis? Absolutely. Any time an institution moves outside of city limits, it's a blow to the Indy arts community.
A disappointment that the new arts center won't be anchored with a fully professional theater company? Yes.
A smart move for Civic? That's anybody's guess. With a total payment due from Civic of $10 million, one has to wonder if there's enough of an audience for community theater in this new location -- or enough new big-check donors -- to generate the necessary revenue.
And, of course, there's the memory of Edyvean Repertory Theatre, which went out of business shortly after a made the major move from CTS to the University of Indianapolis (and that was still within city limits).
Your thoughts?
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In the meantime, Civic does have professional designers and it seems to get pretty lucky with the caliber of volunteer performers that want to perform there. I have seen ten Civic shows in the two years since I became a theatre blogger. I have been impressed with every one. I have also had positive experiences every time I have interacted with any of the staff.
I claim Indianapolis as my home town as much as I claim Carmel, but I feel sorry for Indianapolis in this situation only up to a point. I guess I just don't think of Indy and Carmel as vastly separate communities. I drive from Carmel to downtown Indianapolis and surrounding counties very frequently in order to see a wide variety of theatre. I will continue to do so. I know a lot of actors, directors, and designers that also drive all around central Indiana to do what they love.
I don't mean to seem naive or insensistive about the seriousness of Indianapolis losing vibrant arts groups through lack of political, financial, and other kinds of support. I just...am delighted that Civic is going to be so close to me.
I felt a similar delight after I attended my first show at the lovely new Carmel Community Playhouse in Clay Terrace. I am very much looking forward to supporting both the all-volunteer CCP and the "hybrid" Civic Theatre.
I feel...(at the risk of perpetuating a Carmel stereotype that really does not apply to me)....
...rich!
Hope Baugh
Indy Theatre Habit
I fail to understand how having a full-time company that pays its actors anchoring the performing arts center is better than one that has a professional, yet less-transient staff, and offers members of the community direct access -- as an audience member or a performer -- to high-quality entertainment. I'd be interested in hearing you explain your reasoning.
And thanks to others who have offered rational words of support during what is going to be a really tough transition for Civic. I also want to say thanks to Brian and the others from Carmel Community Players who, IMHO, have shown a great deal of class in welcoming Civic to Hamilton County.
No insult intended or, I think, delivered.
To clarify: I want the Indy area to grow in its arts and entertainment offerings and to strengthen what it already has. Fully professional companies are a sign of--and a catalyst for--that growth.
That in no way means that fully professional companies automatically have a higher track record of success or are willing to take more risks than avocational or professionally managed companies. It also doesn't mean that they have the money to lure an audience to the new venue.
That being said, I'd love to see more fully professional theater in this region...in addition to what Civic and other theaters are doing.
Looking ahead, I wish Civic nothing but success in the new space. There, I hope it will be surrounded by other companies that, collectively, are committed to raising the bar for quality work.
Lou
As a non-season ticket holder for any arts group besides the opera, my plans are based on what is coming up that sounds most interesting at the time. Generally speaking when looking for up coming activities, I only look at what is taking place in Marion county. This doesn't mean that I believe there is nothing worth seeing or doing outside the county lines. But when there is so much to see and do in Indianapolis, I just don't have any need to look outside the county.
I believe that it is a very real possiblity that the Civic Theatre will fall off my radar. That's too bad because I enjoy the performances I have seen but with so many other choices so much closer to home, I doubt I will be there any time soon.
Carmel chose to build a $80 million concert hall with two theatres seating 1,600, 500, and 200 respectively.
If Indianapolis wants to be the cultural center of Indiana, they need to think beyond sports.
Good luck to both.
"Indianapolis" could easily be replaced with "Carmel" in the following names:
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Opera, International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Children's Choir, Indianapolis Ballet..............
A new trend of aging venues, shrinking donor base, and weak community support could decimate the past decade of efforts to attract and retain highly educated and compensated professionals to live and work in downtown.
Some of you might have been long standing patrons. But I would hope that while disappointed about the change in venue you would have enough trust in your past relationship with this fine establishment to know that they are trying to do what is best for the majority of those involved - including the longevity of the theatre itself.
Will some perhaps have to travel a bit further? Yes?
Should you expect the same quality of theatre that you've enjoyed in the past? Absolutely!
And when the audience lights dim and the stage lights come up - you will be transported beyond Indianapolis, beyond Carmel - to another time and place - and truly isn't that what it is all about?
The world keeps turning and I doubt our day-to-days are going to be truly affected by this event. Go or don't go. Hey, look at that: life goes on!
I'm happy for Civic. Best of luck!
C.
What Carmel chose to do was to purposely build yet more theaters - without a major tenant to support it - thus creating an overstock. I don't blame Civic as much as I blame Carmel for being short-sighted in not realizing that its selfish actions were designed to benefit only the Carmel community and not the region as a whole. There is simply no other explanation. Cherry-picking existing groups from the heart of a region ultimately leads to a Detroit-like mentality. Now, if Carmel had built the theater as an incubator for beginning "new" arts groups -- that's an entirely different thing -- and would have been quite commendable.