Also I think the other side of this coin is that artists needs to create and not become dependent on board members, administrators and current system to give them jobs. This too is also a huge topic. How Daisey now chooses to perform as an artist and how he came to that decision speaks to this issue. Work between administrators and artist should be done to find a balance between these two ideas.

I am curious. What in piece do you think is instructive or prescriptive to administrators or their staffs? In other words, they need to see it so that…(fill in the blank)

Hopefully the job of anyone working in TCG would be to speak honestly about the “state of the nation” of American Theater. It is a question of whether that can happen, as you pointed out, since TCG essentially owns the conversation, action and money. Eyring made the opposite argument to Mike Daisey’s show to a readership whom most of them probably did not see the show. That is why his monologue should be included in an issue that presents both sides of the issue. While that may be ironical I also think that is good reporting and coverage of all sides of an issue.

I think the irony is not lost that the show that critiqued the theater conferences and break out sessions also became one. I also would say that all the administrators that were at the conference are the people that need to see it the most.

“From The Executive Director” is an established one-page comment at the front of every issue American Theatre magazine, not “Teresa Eyring’s article” as you call it. I believe former head Ben Cameron wrote this TCG comment every issue during his tenure. Usually he spoke generally to the “state of the nation” of not-for-profit theatre. Eying’s post here is of a similar nature. This “TCG page” is probably the only page not under editorial of Jim O’Quinn. So your “letter to the editor” is misdirected in this instance.

That said you are right on about Teresa Eyring’s Pollyannaism. But she probably feels that’s her job. TCG in its collective of theaters working under the non-profit model, for all intents and purposes started the conversation and the action of regional theatre years ago. And it still essentially owns that conversation and action and money, even now as its model miserably fails. Mike’s performance has a great deal of insight and with gentle good-natured humor (no “bitch slapping” administration staff as in his essay) makes fun of the failures of regional theatre. A relevant piece of theatre entertainment that is as least as germane as any breakout session that a TCG conference might throw at the subject. So it’s ironic and interesting that this piece of theatre became the same TCG conference breakout session that it mocks. And of course it would be the complete and most beautiful irony to have, as you suggest, Daisey’s script now published in American Theatre.