The Playgoer: Our State Theatre?

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Monday, June 05, 2006

Our State Theatre?

Ever hear of the New York State Theater Institute in Troy, NY? Did you know that...

In a state regarded as the nation's cultural capital, it receives more state operating aid than any other theater, more than nationally known institutions like the Brooklyn Academy of Music or the Public Theater in Manhattan.

The theater is receiving $2.1 million this year, compared with $7.3 million in theater-related and arts education grants disbursed last year to several hundred other cultural institutions around the state by the New York State Council on the Arts, the state's grant-making body — though Lincoln Center draws substantial sums from New York City and from deep-pocketed donors.
According to the Times today (not in Arts, but in Metro) this "state authority" is now under intense scrutinu over how it's spending this sweet subsidy.

So I guess we do have a state theatre after all--and it's racked with graft? Well, we'll see...

(Actually, a Manhattan apartment is not an unusual expense for a regional theatre doing all its casting and hiring out of NYC. But in this case, it sure doesn't look good.)

Anyone know this theatre?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

They used to be very supportive of NYC companies - and were very devoted to theatre for youth (as opposed to children's theatre) - a very sophisticated presenter - but hadn't heard much of them since they vacated the Egg in Albany (yes it does look like an egg over the Albany skyline)

Single Lane Media said...

The unspoken question: why do regional companies do all their casting and staffing out of New York? Must be that there's no talent in the sticks. Or anyone with talent will, of course, end up in New York.

Of course.

Frank