Business, News

Theatre Puget Sound and Cornish Vie for Seattle Center Playhouse Lease

The Theatre Puget Sound “arts incubator” proposal represents, perhaps, a bigger break with Playhouse management past–Cornish replacing Intiman as the singular primary tenant isn’t structurally that different, except for being a college, instead of a theatre)–but it may be a good break. As TPS makes clear, they are not a producing organization, so their management of the Playhouse can be devoted to its maximal usage. Continue reading Theatre Puget Sound and Cornish Vie for Seattle Center Playhouse Lease

<em>Approaching ecstasy</em> Pours Cavafy’s Poetry into Liquid Bones in Suits

Arts & Entertainment, Dance, Music

Approaching ecstasy Pours Cavafy’s Poetry into Liquid Bones in Suits

There’s no question that Cavafy is a major poet, but his reputation had to wait until society caught up to him. Though he worked as a nondescript ministry clerk for years, Cavafy made of his poetry a treasure house of the erotic, sensual, visceral–every fleeting thing that shot through the body, he trapped not in amber but in ink, refusing (as Auden later wrote of him) “to pretend that his memories of moments of sensual pleasure are unhappy or spoiled by feelings of guilt.” Continue reading Approaching ecstasy Pours Cavafy’s Poetry into Liquid Bones in Suits

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Andrew Russell and the Intiman in October

Still, nothing in the announcement of Russell as consulting artistic director cast new light on how Intiman planned to reinvent itself as a company that wouldn’t financially crash and burn in spectacularly public fashion. Last fall, Intiman’s managing director left abruptly, a substantial amount of debt was “discovered,” and a desperate fundraising drive’s “success” was followed by the news that Intiman would close its doors. Continue reading Andrew Russell and the Intiman in October

Arts & Entertainment, Off-Task, Visual Arts

Intiman Patio Haunted by OCD Ghosts?

Alert reader Brian Sully just emailed this photograph of all the chairs on the patio outside Intiman Theatre, carefully arranged in the water at the fountain’s perimeter. “The fountain furniture rearranger struck last night,” writes Sully. “Maybe expecting a very warm day today.” If that is the case, they’re not using my AccuWeather app, which only forecasts a high of 70 degrees.

I happen to disagree with the chair placement in general, as you’re not facing the cast bronze “Fountain of the Northwest,” by James FitzGerald. Continue reading Intiman Patio Haunted by OCD Ghosts?

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Intiman Theatre is Now Closed for Business

It’s important to remember that when Intiman blames its troubles on management missteps and a lack of oversight that Intiman’s endowment is administered by a separate foundation. It would have been impossible for former managing director Colburn to access the endowment’s funds without the knowledge of the board. Which is to say that despite all the protestations about uncovering a crisis, Intiman’s board must have been aware of the organization’s desperate need for funds the past two years. Continue reading Intiman Theatre is Now Closed for Business

Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

ACT’s Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi on How to Reinvent Your Theatre

Those pessimistic about the Intiman’s chances said, At least we’ve still got ACT, referring to A Contemporary Theatre’s revival from a near-death experience in 2003. But not so quick. “We’ve turned the boat around,” ACT’s executive director Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi told me on the phone, “but we haven’t gotten it back to the dock yet.” ACT hopes to close this year with its second balanced budget in a row, but the theatre owes some $2.7 million in debt obligations. It’s in the third year of a five-year plan to repay part of that debt. Continue reading ACT’s Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi on How to Reinvent Your Theatre