Theatre Allies | AACT

Theatre Allies

Coming Together
Collaborating for success
If one were to identify a specific phrase that descibed community theatre, “Coming Together” might embody numerous aspects of what we do:
  • Local businesses/arts councils/advertisers/sponsors/underwriters and community theatres coming together to keep theatres open and provide programming for communities.
  • Patrons, supporters, and single-ticket-buying community members coming together to experience theatre productions and educational programming.
  • Volunteers coming together to build sets, usher, sell tickets, clean facilities, stage manage, operate lights/sound, and perform on stage to create the best possible productions.
  • Productions sometimes coming together at the last minute with theatre magic and pulling off great opening nights  (Let's be honest...)
Joined hands

Theatre Allies is a new program implemented by AACT to encourage and celebrate theatres—and even individual theatre supporters—coming together to form alliances in which theatres are strengthened through collaboration, cooperation, and assistance on a local/regional level. Webster's defines an ally as "one that is associated with another as a helper; a person or group that provides assistance and support."  And that's what this program is all about.


Sample Alliance Features
  1. Regular meetings (once a week, once a month—whatever works for the allies)--meetings can be in person, over the phone, some email—what works best
  2. Discussions regarding history or current challenges that are perceived to stand between the theatre’s current situation and where they dream of being
  3. Recommendations on strategies, artistic choices, staffing, board of directors, volunteers, administration, etc.
  4. Possibility of some shared resources (e.g., equipment, tools, set pieces, costumes, etc.)—limited to whatever is reasonable and possible for sponsoring theatre
  5. Joint ventures (e.g., attendance at Board of Directors’ meeting, auditions, rehearsal, special event co-presentation, joint production, etc.) —options are limitless
  6. Various alliance relationships are possible: Peer-to-Peer, Mentor-Mentee, etc.--the specifics can be customized to whatever is needed or most beneficial to both Allies

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Charter Members

While we’re just launching this exciting program, four AACT-member theatres have already stepped up and formalized their alliance, or expressed interest in participation:

  Grand Rapids Civic Theatre  (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
     Bruce Tinker, Executive/Artistic Director
  Midland Community Theatre  (Midland, Texas)
     Tim Jebsen, Executive Director
 

Salina Community Theatre (Salina, Kansas)                                                                                                                                                                                        Michael Spicer, Executive Director

Paired Allies Venice Theatre  (Venice, Florida)
     Murray Chase, Executive/Artistic Director
Artists Collaborative Theatre  (Elkhorn City, Kentucky)
     Stephanie Richards, Executive Director

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Getting Started

For more information on the Theatre Allies process and to download a Member Alliance Agreement to participate in this exciting program, click the appropriate link below:
                         Theatre Allies General Procedures   |   Member Alliance Agreement 

 

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