Chill, y'all

Relax. Breath. If Mel Brooks can have a singing career, anything is possible.

Fourth Floor Rehearsal Hall, 158 N. Broadway, July 26th

Tessa Bartels is a lovely and charming woman. Byron Foster has a super sense of humor and you can tell by the sparkle in his eye that he is full of wit. Susan Godfrey is a charming lady with a great smile. John Flanagan is as smart as he is funny, and he's mightily equipped on both those fronts.

These are the Skylight Board members I met with in the Fourth Floor Rehearsal Hall of 158 N. Broadway last night. Hardly a vicious group. Not rancorous in the least. Certainly not patronizing, and indeed one might call them civilized to a fault. They all were very eager to listen to a group of artists that had been invited to a small meeting at The Skylight, and though their ears were big they ultimately were unable to give us any answers that would satisfy us that the decisions that were made at The Skylight were proper ones.

The artists in the room, identified as something of a leadership group in this Skylight crisis (a label we all accepted for purposes of discussion with a clear acknowledgement that we were only representing our peers) were yours truly, Pam Kriger, Norman Moses, Richard Carsey, Leslie Fitzwater, Paula Suozzi, Becky Spice, Ray Jivoff, Michael Wright, Alissa Rhode and Tony Clements (via Skype proving that the social media impact of this story knows no end).

There was one other person in the room last night, a man who has helped to change lives in the past several weeks, paying for that with a tremendous, life altering change of his own. That man was Eric Dillner.

I've written often that I believe Eric Dillner must step down from the Skylight for the greater good of the company. Last night was my first opportunity to look Eric face to face and say those words.

I did not shirk. And I did not shirk several times.

I did not mince words and clearly told Eric and the assembled Board members that I believe that Eric must step down for Skylight to succeed at this point. But I also did something else that gives you a glimpse into how I really feel about this whole situation.

I defended Eric. Complicated, no?

I will continue to defend something about Eric Dillner that needs to be acknowledged. The man nobly recognized a long brewing financial disaster at The Skylight months ago. He started the process that needs to be started, one that will continue to be daunting for a long time to come. Unfortunately, he tripped badly. Very, very badly. His actions after the trip have been divisive to the point of outrageous. I don't believe these actions were planned, and that perhaps is the greatest tragedy in this tale. For right or wrong, Eric is the fall guy in this very sad state of affairs.

However, sympathy goes only so far. Eric must step down or the Board must decide to reverse their decision so that the Skylight can work on the plan for recovery, not the plan to build trust in every corner of their stakeholder pool.

I have heard interim Skylight Board President Terry Kurtenbach make the clear analogy that the Skylight's large line of credit and projected deficits is essentially like having a checking account that is overdrawn by $400,000. I've also listened to long standing donors of some means say they are withdrawing their support to the Skylight because Eric Dillner still remains on staff. What I can't understand is why the current Skylight Board continues to add to that overdrawn balance, when it's really gonna to be an uphill battle just to get to zero?

I have great respect for the Board members I met last night, and the Board members I know are continuing to serve The Skylight. However, there does come a point when I start to question if the full Board, in making the decision to continue to back Eric, is being financially responsible to the institution. That point has come for me.

I know that if I essentially kept writing bad checks, that my bank wouldn't be happy. I personally must ask if the Board if acting in the best interests of The Skylight by not firing Eric Dillner. My all apologies to Mr. Dillner, you must be fired, so the Board can do the responsible thing for the institution.

I've reached the place of acceptance that tells me that the Skylight is a different place. The artists that were in that rehearsal room last night, a place where we have laughed and worked together, one in which I met my wife and have taken my daughters, a spot where we have come together to solve problems and work on jokes that would hopefully amaze audiences, were the artists with some years in at Skylight (I'm being kind to that old codger Norman Moses right now).

It has become frighteningly true that we can all be replaced. We've all suspected it since we've started performing, but the admission that many of the roles for next season at The Skylight have been recast, puts that in starker terms.

I suggested to Tessa Bartels, who I believe is the perfect person to serve in the new role of Skylight Board Vice President of Artist Relations, that perhaps the artists in that room were merely the wrong invite list. Here and now we have been clearly told we can be and have been replaced. It is time for the Board of the Skylight and the management to assemble their own leadership core from artists that are supporting their decisions. There must be some out there somewhere.

I applaud the decision to make last night's meeting happen, and I believe there will be more open community forums to come. But for me, my need to hear more is over. There are other artists who don't feel the way I and my peers in that room did last night, and I'm sure the Skylight Board will enjoy working with them. I hope the Skylight Board and management can quickly find artists who agree that the decisions that were made were the best options available. And when those artists start to ask questions about why the Board feels the ongoing support for their mismanaged decision is the best course, I hope they are willing to accept silence. So far, that silent answer is the one I feel we as a community have been asked to accept.

No more for me. I don't accept it. Silence got us into this situation, I don't believe it will get us out of it.

YOUTH QUAKE! The most exciting thing of the week, possibly the month, possibly my whole summer!

Thank God youth is wasted on these younguns.

Go here: MILWAUKEE YOUTH ARTISTS

I got nothing else to say about this other than, "Thank God these are the kids I will be asking for a job someday."

Video Twenty-Five: Catalano Square, July 24 (The Final One)

Here are final thoughts from the July 24th meeting at Catalano Square with Terry Kurtenbach, Eric Dillner and concerned Milwaukee artists, donors and patrons.

Please, for any further clarification contact me or Terry Kurtenbach or Eric Dillner at the following e-mail addresses:

Jonathan West: jonathanwest@artsyschmartsy.com
Eric Dillner, Managing Director of Skylight Opera Theatre: ericd@skylightopera.com
Terry Kurtenbach, Interim Board President of Skylight Opera Theatre: tkurtenbach@deloitte.com

Video Twenty-Four: Catalano Square, July 24

Pam Kriger points out what's wrong. Who is she? Oh, just someone who donated to the fund to fix the roof of The Broadway Theater Center, someone who has been on The Skylight Board of Advocates, someone who was to have directed A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD/A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE.

Video Twenty-Three: Catalano Square, July 24

The Skylight management talks about the possibility of Artist representation on the Skylight Board.

Video Twenty-Two: Catalano Square, July 24

I give the Skylight leadership an option to work with the Arts in Crisis Intiative through The Kennedy Center.

Video Twenty-One: Catalano Square, July 24

A discussion of adverse leadership is prompted by Colin Cabot.

Video Twenty: Catalano Square, July 24

More matters of trust are explored.

Video Nineteen: Catalano Square, July 24

Molly Rhode...they may not make them better than this. (Her mom brought a table cloth to the meeting and her sister takes impeccable notes--the family may be perfect.)

Video Eighteen: Catalano Square, July 24

Tim Frautschi...how can't you not love this guy?

Video Seventeen: Catalano Square, July 24

Vision quest! It's really a quest this time.

VideoSixteen: Catalano Square, July 24

We are family...well sort of not.

Video Fifteen: Catalano Square, July 24

Tell us what we're getting for our money by actually telling us what we are getting for our money.

Video Fourteen: Catalano Square, July 24

Artists who have withdrawn have been replaced. We're not gonna tell you who yet, cause surprises are fun.

Video Thirteen: Catalano Square, July 24

Artists are responsible for fixing this problem, and, I learned today that if they don't they are bad Americans.

Video Twelve: Catalano Square, July 24

How do you maintain great art at an artistic venue without an artistic staff? Make it the responsibility of the artists you've just disenfranchised and then let them know it's going to be their fault if that doesn't really work out so good.

Video Eleven: Catalano Square, July 24

What were the other options explored? Specifically. Really, come on now, specifically. The voice you hear in the background is Jamie Johns, former Resident Music Director at The Skylight.

Video Ten: Catalano Square, July 24

Please remember this statement: "The long and the short of it is, we cannot afford a full time Artistic Director."

Video Nine: Catalano Square, July 24

Why should we trust you Eric? Terry Kurtenbach answers. It is, we are told, not an easy thing to get a Board of Directors to say they are sorry. Time is also not on our side, it seems.

Video Eight: Catalano Square, July 24

The United Performing Arts Fund Board Chair Alec Fraser weighs in.

Video Seven: Catalano Square, July 24

Interim Skylight Board President Terry Kurtenbach reveals that a 10-30-180-360 day plan for the Skylight will be drafted by Eric Dillner with some measurable outcomes for what it means to heal the rift in the artistic community.

Video Six: Catalano Square, July 24

Colin Cabot is not clear about why the Skylight Board voted the way they did on Thursday night. Might I add, a weary Colin Cabot who flew in from the East for this early morning meeting after offering a tremendous amount of help, only to have his offer rejected.

Video Five: Catalano Square, July 24

"Who is responsible for what" explained in some business terms. Not so much artistic terms. Appeals to honor and responsibility. And a little mea culpa. We're sorry for delaying our response. Not really sorry for anything else.

Video Four: Catalano Square, July 24

Interim Skylight Board President lays out the problems, explains the good things about America and the democratic process and kinds of sets the tone for where we're heading with all this.

Video Three: Catalano Square, July 24

Terry Kurtenbach lays out his provisos for accepting the interim Board President position with Suzanne Hefty's resignation.

Video Two: Catalano Square, July 24

Eric Dillner addresses the crowd. I have an answer to Eric's last question. Resign.

Video One: Catalano Square, July 24

I'll be posting these in small doses as fast as time today allows. I'll try to include as much content from today's meeting as possible. And I will have more commentary at some point. Believe me, much more.

Terry Kurtenbach introduces himself.

First of many thoughts from a day at Catalano Square

Okay, lot to get out here today.

Throughout the day I will let the words of the new Board chair (interim, and I applaud him for stepping up at this less than desirable time to assume such leadership) Terry Kurtenbach, Eric Dillner and concerned community voices speak for themselves through video updates. However, a quick characterization of the mornings events.

Colin Cabot beautifully pointed out that there is adverse leadership at The Skylight now. We also know that there is a plan, a very reasonable, economically sound plan, that would be able to go in effect immediately if Eric Dillner chose to resign or the majority vote of the current Board at The Skylight decided that last night's decision was the improper one to back his leadership. When asked if he thought it was the right thing for the health of the Skylight to step down, Eric Dillner, the personified adverse leadership, clearly stated that he believes his staying on as the managing director also responsible for the artistic vision of The Skylight is the best choice in this epically bad situation.

After today's meeting, I love The Skylight even more.

And after today's meeting, I believe more than ever that Eric Dillner must step down.

After today's meeting, I believe that the best solution to the major problems at The Skylight is for Eric Dillner to graciously and heroically step down, for the Board of the Skylight Opera Theatre to accept Colin Cabot's immensely generous offer to return immediately as an interim managing director, and for a proper plan to be established by Colin and a new Board at The Skylight to work with all stake holders in this struggle to restore the organizational capacity of The Skylight to something we can all be proud, rally behind and which is supportable in artistic and financial terms.

I applaud Eric and new Board President Terry Kurtenbach for their presence of mind to address a group of concerned citizens who clearly love of The Skylight. I also believe these two men representing the leadership of The Skylight from a staff and Board position clearly love The Skylight in their own ways. I simply believe that their current vision is misguided, and though it was made clear by both of them that they are looking for acceptance and support by a disenfranchised artistic community of a plan to subjugate the art of The Skylight instead of doing farther reaching institutional changes that could have been more publicly explored, and I respectfully state that I find their plan unacceptable when other better plans are available and immediately actionable.

I write this not as a character indictment on any player in this game. I still believe that everyone is working in the best interest of The Skylight, but I believe a good long range plan for The Skylight (one that will ultimately change The Skylight in more ways than what appears the current Board and management plans for The Skylight are) has just been summarily dismissed for a plan that might have short terms gains but far reaching and irreparable damages to the institution.

Another note of the July 24th Catalano Square Meeting

Screw strategy. Screw manners. Here's how I feel.

There has been a meeting of Milwaukee arts lovers held in Catalano Square at 8am since June 26. It has been at 8am.

8am.

Not 9am.

If, and this is a big if, Eric Dillner wants to heal the artistic wounds in this community, he'll do better to be on time at 8am and talk about his love of the arts with fellow Milwaukee artists.

Show us you love the arts in Milwaukee.

Set the alarm, take the shower, be on time.

We'll see.

Wake up, and Show up! Catalano Square 8:00am

The gathering Breakfast Club will meet at 8am.

Then, at 9am, a couple of special guests. Read here grafted from tuesdaysblog.com:

An emergency meeting of the skylight opera theatre board of directors tonight ended with a very close vote to retain eric dillner as managing director.

skylight board president suzanne hefty has stepped down, and was replaced by terry kurtenbach, who will remain president only through the board's annual meeting in seven weeks. kurtenbach has agreed to be interim president with the express charge that eric dillner demonstrate that he can heal the rift with the artistic community.

eric dillner and colin cabot will meet with the artistic community in catalano square tomorrow morning, friday july 23 at 9:00am. cabot has asked that the community come and be “professional, forward-looking, and focusing on a positive direction” and to give dillner a chance to make amends.

Ray's Five: Before The Storm

I recorded this Ray's Five on June 11, five days before the Skylight started it's cancerous decent into madness and sorrow.

Oh, for the simpler times...

Skylight Den Mother Resigns

You can replace employees, and some will say they are simple "at will" folks lined up for a paycheck, but I defy you to try to replace a volunteer like this.

For the whole list of carnage, please visit tuesdaysblog.com to read our own Walter Winchell of this Skylight situation, the esteemed Mr. Clements who was saved by a nutritional life of Kit Kats by The Artist Formerly Known as The Skylight Den Mother.

Dear Mr Dillner, Skylight Board and Skylight Board of Advocates,

Although the recent resignations of directors, actors, other artists and, now, the Cabots undoubtedly have a much more significant impact on the organization, we tender our resignation from the Skylight as well. Who are "we"? We are Carol and Amy Jensen who, for the past 12 years, set our schedules around the Skylight's "Tech Weekend" bringing food to the cast of each of the past 60 productions (save one tragic weekend we missed and for which we forever take responsibility for Branch Woodman's broken leg due to our failure to provide sustenance).

We started because of Tony Clements and his attempt to subsist on a Kit Kat diet. We continued because of the small, but wonderful, glimpse of the rehearsals we received as our reward. We worried through the rehearsals when the cast and the show wasn't coming together so easily. We rejoiced in the shows where the cast was so in sync in rehearsal that we knew what magic we would see opening night. Sometimes we knew the cast members well, sometimes we didn't. This past May, Bill arranged for the cast of Pirates to sing Happy Birthday to Carol - using the brownies that she had brought as the "cake" for the candles.

In addition to feeding the cast five times a year, we have, at various times, been Skylight employees, volunteers, donors, subscribers and, of course, always avid supporters. We've donated auction items to Skylight night and purchased our fair share as well. We have been so proud to be a part of the Skylight family.

Since mid June, our plans for the new season were uncertain and we agonized over what to do. Could we still continue our Tech Week tradition to support the cast without condoning the recent actions of the Board and management? The answer to that question became painfully clear late last week and with the inevitable resignation of so many artists.

Our role at the Skylight is small compared to the many talented and beloved artists both on stage and behind the scenes. But, it has been special to us and to the many casts that have shared our small repast on what is usually the longest day of rehearsal. Without them, our role, like so many others, has essentially been eliminated. And so, we must heartbreakingly resign, biding farewell to our treasured Skylight tradition.

One final note. In a meeting just last week with Mr. Dillner and Ms. Hefty, Amy tried to describe the sense of fear and loss of the Skylight spirit that was leading to the overwhelming outcry by so many. She tried to explain what it is that makes the Skylight so special. Mr. Dillner nodded reassuringly and said that it is the building that draws everyone together and that the "process" is still the same. Mr Dillner, it is neither the building nor the process that makes the Skylight special. It is the people. It was a wonderful family that came together in ways both great and small - onstage, offstage and in the audience - to passionately and collaboratively create, support and sustain the magic. Above all other responsibilities you may have, Mr. Dillner, it was your job to nuture that.

With the greatest sense of loss,

Carol J. Jensen
Amy S. Jensen

The Cultural Alliance weighs in more on Skylight

Read Christine Harris' most recent post on the Skylight situation (The Skylight Situation and the Overall Cultural Sector).

Please then leave comments, send e-mails to Christine and the Cultural Alliance Board for their continuing fast action to develop some community dialogue on this matter. It is vital that we hash this out in the open, and the greater community that loves the institution is allowed to participate.

This is no longer a Skylight issue. This is a community issue. This effects us all. There have been two mentions of this in The New York Times and various other national media sources in addition to our local continuing coverage in the past month. You do not get this kind of coverage unless things are really, really good or really, really bad. I think we all agree that this is a situation where the latter is true and the former is the hopeful goal.

The current Skylight management may continue to frame this as an internal problem but they have a greater responsibility to the community at large and should accept any forthcoming invitation from the Cultural Alliance or any other impartial mediator for sustained, open, honest communication in a public forum for the greater good of our entire sector.

Okay, that was a little "artsy managey" speak. Basically, everyone should talk in public, together, and I think the Cultural Alliance and Christine Harris are the perfect sound minds to spearhead this.

Weigh in now by going to The Cultural Alliance's website and giving them some love.

My word thought for the day

Read Tony Clements' blog posting about Eric Dillner's response to the artists withdrawing at Skylight by clicking through to tuesdaysblog.com.

Then memorize this word and its definition:

hu·bris (hyōō'brĭs) n. Overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance.

Then remember that hubris ain't such a good thing and go about your humble day.

Lest you think I'm a total racist, here's shout out number two to another new Milwaukee theater troupe

My timing is totally off on this one (their show BEAUTY'S DAUGHTER just closed this past weekend in both Milwaukee and Fort Atkinson, I am such a loser).

But I am thrilled to hear such good things about Uprooted, Milwaukee's newest African American theater company.


Look for the logo. I'm told they deliver the goods mightily.

While Rome is burning, look at the fresh faced kids at Young Blood Theatre Company

I'm a little ashamed that I haven't posted this earlier. Very ashamed because of the following details.

There's a new company is town.

They are young.

They doing a play that I was unbelievably brilliant in back in college.

And they are doing it in a bar. A bar with a bowling alley.

How can this not be a good thing?

Milwaukee, welcome Young Blood Theatre Company! Tada!


Young Blood Theatre Company a group of enterprising youngsters who are currently doing John Patrick Shanley's SAVAGE IN LIMBO (I was Murk, a really great Murk) at Landmark Lanes for the next week and a half (my mea culpa admission is that they have been running since last week.)

Here's the details on the rest of their shows:

When:

Wednesday, July 22 2009 @ 7:00pm,

Monday, July 27 2009 @ 7:00pm,

Wednesday, July 29 @ 7:00pm (closing)

Where:

Landmark Lanes

Side Bar

2220 North Farwell Avenue

Milwaukee, WI

Check out their swanky website for their other upcoming shows, too. They claim that they are "Under Construction" but just for the energetic and polished look of how they are presenting themselves, I can tell these kids got moxie.

Just spitballing, use whichever one of these you like folks

"It's rough, but there are always people ready to pick it up and run with it. I guess the answer is, 'The show must go on.' " - Kristin Godfrey, Skylight Marketing Director

The above quote was given to Tom Strini in response to questions regarding the pile up of artists withdrawing from their obligations at The Skylight in response to the recent firings of two low paid chorus members in the season opener BARBER OF SEVILLE. (Click here for Tom Strini's journalistic take on the matter and click here for the lion maned Tony Clements and his tuesdaysblog comments)

As a wordsmithing exercise, I put myself in Ms. Godfrey's shoes and realized it's tough talking to hard nosed reporters. To that end, I cobbled together a few ideas and came up with 10 other possible statements to Tom Strini's snoopy newsy probing. I'm not suggesting that Ms. Godfrey's statement isn't full of wit, smarts, and good old PR sense. I'm just offering these 10 other options should anyone at The Skylight need to grab for a quick "quotable quote."

Use them at your will. My gift to anyone whose reading. Change a word or two and the folks at Harley Davidson dealing with massive layoffs and job cuts are welcome to steal without attribution:

1. "Sorry, my mother is out right now and I don't know when she'll be back. Call back later."
2. "You know what Tom, I don't know the answer, but let me get back to you with a better piece of well crafted double talk in a few moments."
3. "Who says all those people have quit? Until I see it written in sheep's blood on the side of The Broadway Theater Center, I would only say that it's speculation."
4. "I'm sorry the person you want to speak to isn't here right now. As soon as he returns from his Techskills New Job Seminar, I'll have him return your call."
5. "Bill Theisen can't quit us, we already fired him!"
6. "Can I speak to you off the record for a moment? The real reason those chorus members were fired: PITCH PROBLEM. But you didn't hear it from me."
7. "We are saddened by this recent turn of events, but we're confident that we'll be able to find a replacement for all the artists who have chosen to decline offers of work next year. In fact, we're excited by an inquiry from a very talented performer that we just received who is quite big in the news right now. Does the name Sponge Bob Square Pants mean anything to you?"
8. "I'm just as speechless as anyone else about this whole situation. Unfortunately I've been hired to replace one of the fired chorus members, so I've got to get off the phone right now and do some vocal warm ups."
9. "Sure, we heard about all the people pulling out of our shows, but let's talk about the real news of the day. I hear Paula Abdul is really mad and won't be returning to American Idol next season. Sharpen your pencil point on that one."
10. "The Skylight management admits that the handling of this entire situation has been grossly miscalculated and is meeting right now to make wide spread community reparations. Though it is a daunting prospect, we are commited to actively speaking openly and publicly with the greater community that clearly has responded strongly to this situation and also loves the institution we are internally fighting to save. We are firmly resolved to working with our dissenters for a transparent open relationship that will unify all parties and to help our struggling institution once again be the glorious community jewel that we have all treasured for nearly 50 years."

Come to think of it, you'll have to strike that last one.

That's just too absurd for anyone to dare to think about saying to the press.

join my posse for a trip to Madison to hear Michael Kaiser speak about how to save The Arts in Milwaukee

Okay, Michael Kaiser isn't coming to Madison to talk about how to save the arts in Milwaukee alone. But one can dream.

I'm not suggesting that the arts in Milwaukee are in need of saving. I am simply advocating for a good group of art loving citizens from Milwaukee to join me in Madison on August 24 to listen to Michael Kaiser, President of The Kennedy Center, as he hits the state capitol as part of his cross country tour to talk about Arts In Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative.

This is a chance to take part in a symposium given by a guy who decided that the arts in America were approaching crisis stage and that his job as President of The Kennedy Center was to organize a way to advise struggling institutions how to do good, respectful, trusty worthy, community building turnaround. Sounds like a good thing to listen to, don't you think? (That's right, I'm pointing a finger at you, you know who you are.)

I would love to organize a carpool group to Madison that day. Maybe we could even have a little supper after the symposium at some quaint Madison bistro like State Street Brats or some other swanky joint.

I you'd like to be part of my posse, shoot me an e-mail at jonathanwest@artsyschmartsy.com by Friday, July 24 and I'll send in a collective RSVP. If you choose to go alone, make sure you tap me on the shoulder at the Overture Center that day. Here's the details:

Arts In Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative

Symposium with Michael M. Kaiser
President of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and author of The Art of the Turnaround

Monday, August 24, 2009
2:00 – 2:45 pm Book Signing with Michael Kaiser
3:00 – 4:30 pm Symposium

Capitol Theater
Overture Center for the Arts
201 State Street
Madison, Wisconsin

Kaiser addresses the challenges facing non-profit arts and cultural organizations today through fundraising, building more effective boards of trustees, budgeting, marketing, technology, and other areas pertinent to maintaining a vital organization during a troubled economy. The Madison event is free and is part of a 50-state tour.

Books will be available for purchase.

Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative is funded by Helen Lee Henderson and Adrienne Arsht.

To register for this symposium, RSVP to info@overturecenter.com with your name, affiliation, number of guests in your party, and phone or e-mail contact. No phone reservations accepted.

I gotta lot to say today, pardon moi

I rarely take a nap. It’s not one of those things that I find refreshing or rejuvenating. I’m just not a siesta kind of guy.

At about 2:00pm today, in the middle of a conversation with my wife, I looked at her and said, “I have to lay down, right now.”

My sudden urge for a horizontal pose comes on the heels of an extraordinarily complicated week. I am going to wear my heart on my sleeve a little in this post. Right now I am alternately completely thrilled by the future of creativity and a community wide appreciation of the sheer celebration of the arts while also being completely emotionally crushed by the reality that those qualities that I find so thrilling and possible are unquestionably not important to some key players in Milwaukee’s performing arts community.

I have been accused of being far too involved in the arts community in Milwaukee. Perhaps it is a warranted accusation as I look at my calendar and recognize that I have obligations to several area arts collectives penciled in for upcoming attention. I am a lover of the arts, that’s me.

Don’t worry, really, I’m getting to a point.

This particular week, I’ve had the rare experience of having a few “Aha!” moments come together in one seven day span. When one considers “Aha!” moments, one usually imagines that these “Aha!” moments give a new clarity that offers a new form of freedom and a certain positive enhancement to character. I can claim that feeling on a couple of “Aha!” moments this week, but I will regretfully add that I have discovered that “Aha!” moments also come in painful, frustrating moments of brutal realizations about how the world can and does often work.

This week was one of those weeks where I had to be in several places at once (at least mentally). My day job as Managing Director of The Sunset Playhouse offered many superb new challenges this week with beautiful demonstrations of how volunteers can come together to support a community effort. I am reminded on a daily basis that I am the luckiest man in the world to be employed at an institution that believes that every hand that goes into building and maintaining the institution deserves equal respect and consideration. We opened a performance of the musical FAME last night, got ourselves through the usual tense last minute processes involved with producing theatre, and did it all while trying, imperfect as we are, to communicate the core values of our theatre through actions rather than vague rhetoric. (The week also included at least two parties, because we believe in celebrating even the smallest strides forward towards being an inclusive arts group that connects to a broad and expanding community.) I’m very fortunate that I experience “Aha!” moments everyday at my job because I’m surrounded by extraordinary volunteers and staff who don’t seek to mandate change, but insist upon helping make every experience richer for the greater good of the group.

I also had the rare experience this week to work with the extraordinary staff at Ten Chimneys Foundation on the first annual Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program. I literally watched the dream of the institution come true this week. Ten of the finest regional actors in the country came together at Ten Chimneys to be given the opportunity to reconnect to the creative place in their soul that initially drew them into a career in the arts. Led by the fabulous actress and teacher Lynn Redgrave, these fellows and an additional group of Wisconsin actors (I included myself in this, as yet another notch in my belt of wanting to soak in all that is arts in our region) had an experience that actors don’t normally have. The folks that were at Ten Chimneys this week are the mentors and vets who continue to commit themselves to the rigors of a career in the arts.

I could elaborate on many fine “Aha!” moments from the week, but one in particular comes to mind that I will carry with me to remind myself that the relationship between artist and art lover is a delightfully surprising one. I offered a monologue during a half-day master class with Lynn Redgrave that was observed by a select group of Ten Chimneys’ donors and supporters. My first go was, shall we say, less that astounding. Ms. Redgrave in a gentle but deliberate way worked with me to actually do something that would connect with a new immediacy to an audience. My second showing of the monologue was a revelation for me and, I would almost immediately come to realize, for the audience of donors and supporters. On a group break after performing my improved monologue, I was approached by a key donor who said, “That was extraordinary. Your first go was really not so good, but after she worked with you, your monologue was wonderful.” I realized in this complicated compliment that an “Aha!” moment of mutual education has just been shared. I had learned something about acting, and this donor/supporter has learned a lot about the delicate balancing act that is artistic achievement and how artistic excellence is not often quantitative, but always qualitative.

And then, there was the next chapter in the Skylight story. Sigh. Grunt. Ug. That’s what my “Aha!” moment sounded like on this one.

I received a phone message from Bryce Lord midday on Friday. In returning Bryce’s call I discovered that Bryce has been fired from an upcoming production of BARBER OF SEVILLE at The Skylight for comments he had made about Skylight on Facebook. As far as Bryce could understand, the comments had evolved from a status update I had made in the early hours of the changes at The Skylight.

I haven’t come to complete terms with this yet, but my “Aha!” moment in regards to The Skylight situation was that the balancing act of artistic integrity and institutional rigor is fragile and if you want to take emotion out of the whole experience, you’ve already missed the point.

I’m not even going to try to parse that last sentence, so I’ll just go on to write my thoughts.

I’m very saddened about all that has occurred at The Skylight in the past several weeks. I’m saddened most however that there actually does exist an “us” vs. “them” struggle at an arts institution that I have loved in the past and which needs so much immediate attention and care.

I don’t believe there has ever been an evil plot for takeover of artistic control at The Skylight. I actually believe that everyone internally involved in the Skylight matters is working in their best interests, believing in their hearts that they are continually doing the right and good thing for the health of the organization. But there is something out of balance right now that has made every decision at the Skylight guided by a rigid sense of maintaining business operations ahead of artistic acheivement.

The business model of any arts group is a constant, living, breathing adjustment of making sure there is an equal balance of great art and sound business. When one of those sides takes prominence, there’s bound to be problems. Believe me when I say that if The Skylight management had chosen to fire Eric Dillner and have Bill Theisen run the company himself because they couldn’t support two senior management positions, I would be just as outraged as I am now.

The great tragedy of what is going on at Skylight run now is that a sacred community trust has been broken and it seems that this trust will continue to crumble. I believe the management of the Skylight when they say they are reaching out to Skylight artists to have conversations about the future. But the definition of those Skylight artists has come down to those folks with contracts for next season.

I had my last Skylight contract end in January of this year. Prior to that, the last contract I had at Skylight was ten years ago. Somehow, though, I always considered myself a Skylight artist. I’m under no delusions now to think that my commentary on the unfolding situation at The Skylight any longer makes me a Skylight artist in the eyes of a group of people who would believe that it was a good idea to fire two modestly paid chorus members who had made semi public remarks about the institution that were less than flattering, yet far from deadly.

Trust is a quality I always associated with The Skylight. In a week full of “Aha!” moments that celebrated the special trust between art and institution, my aforementioned nap was necessary because I finally have determined that I no longer have any trust for the doings at The Skylight.

I don’t purport to be a better manager than anyone at The Skylight, but I do pride myself on understanding that the world of arts management is very different than the world of motor parts management. This is to say, arts administrators who routinely celebrate the fact that emotion and experiences are the essential components of what the core of the arts offers as its “product” can’t cavalierly throw them out when the balance sheets don’t look good. When the management of an institution subjugates the art and emotional connection of an institution to a community and makes what amounts to easy choices by eliminating the core practitioners of the art for sheer dollars and cents decisions, I’ve lost all faith that the sacred trust that is an unspoken but vital part of all arts management can even be adequately mended.

This is a crisis of community concern. The appalling circumstances that can allow an institution like the Skylight to continue to break the trust of the community it has connected to and relied upon in that past (this being the arts loving and free speaking community), is not entirely their fault. It is the fault of us all who don’t take the time to consider the essential reason for arts institutions’ existence: being the expressive mirrors of a community.

No more naps for me. There’s too much work to do. This arts management stuff can work, but we’ve all got to keep talking. Great ideas come out of dissenting voices, and when those are killed, so is creativity.

Whew. Thanks for listening.

Fire me!

Today, Bryce Lord was fired from The Skylight for their upcoming production of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE. This is the letter he got from Skylight Board President Suzanne Hefty:

Dear Mr. Lord,

Due to your recent comments on Facebook concerning the Skylight Opera Theatre, the offer to provide services as Ambrogio in the Skylight Opera Theatre' 2009-2010 production of The Barber of Seville is hereby withdrawn. Your statements violate what we consider are the obligations of an artist who performs at the Skylight.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Hefty
Board President

Bryce believes the comments that Ms. Hefty is referring to stem from this thread:

Commenter #1 firmly believes that Claire Richardson would be putting a cigar out on someone's eyeball right about now.
June 16 at 10:08pm ·14 people like this.

Commenter # 2 at 10:11pm June 16
Ohhhhh ...my guess is he's been doing that for quite a few years now. Hence the lack of vision. Was that too blunt?

Bryce Lord at 10:13pm June 16
And I'd be glad to hold "someone" down for him...

Guess what folks? I AM COMMENTATOR #1!

Shocked? Yes. Surprised at this point? Wish I could say I was.

I've gone over in my head all my other Facebook status updates that have stirred up commentary. Things like:

Jonathan West is proud of his wife for finishing yet another triathlon, and is perturbed that these things tend to occur about an hour away from our house and generally start at 7am. Family friendly events my non-triathlon ass.

July 12 at 11:11am · Comment · Like

and...

Jonathan West Why was there no bacon smell in the air yesterday in Milwaukee? This Cudahy fire has conspiracy written all over it.

July 7 at 10:48am · via TweetDeck · Comment · Like

or...

Jonathan West This can almost make Paul Bucher seem like a sympathetic character.

Flynn had affair with journalist who wrote about him - JSOnline

Source: www.jsonline.com

When journalist Jessica McBride penned a glowing profile of Police Chief Edward Flynn for Milwaukee Magazine earlier this year, many in the Milwaukee Police Department jokingly dismissed it as a love letter to the chief. Little did they know.

June 19 at 10:10am · Comment · LikeUnlike · View Feedback (13)Hide Feedback (13) · Share

...clearly mean I should be fired, sued or stripped of all my dessert privileges.

I have more to say about this. Much more. But for now, just know that this is beyond absurd in my book.

Remember Janet Zweig? She wants to help make you a Thousand Dollarnaire!

I threw in with everyone else on the Janet Zweig public art affair some time back. You may recall that this talented artist almost had her great public art project cock blocked in Common Council committee world. "Nah!" said the art lovers of this community and Zweig's project is shuttling forth quite nicely.

To that end, the artist contacted me and others to post information about how you can become a part of her public art project. This is a pretty fine deal, too. If your idea is one of 15 selected to be represented throughout her exhibits, then you get a thousand clams.

Put on your thinking hats and show your pals and business associates that all the hullabaloo about Milwaukee being a creative hub isn't just lip service.

Here's the details:

Idea competition!

$1,000 honorarium to each of 15 winners or winning teams

Your observations and ideas are wanted for "Pedestrian Drama" a public artwork by Janet Zweig, a series of animated plays displayed on flip signs along East Wisconsin Avenue.

Just tell us a story of a pedestrian encounter you've seen on the sidewalks of Milwaukee.
We are looking for tales of remarkable and remarkably unremarkable pedestrian encounters.
We are looking for stories of amusing or quirky interactions that are "pedestrian" in both senses of the word.

If your idea wins, it will be developed into a short play consisting of two or more people interacting on the sidewalks of Milwaukee. With your consent, your idea may be combined with other winning ideas in order to complete one play. The plays will be developed in collaboration with Milwaukee actors, dancers, and directors. They will then be translated into short animated films for display on one of 5 flip-sign kiosks attached to light poles in downtown Milwaukee, beginning in 2010.

Each of 15 winners or teams of winners will receive $1,000 and will be named on the kiosks. If two or more stories are merged into one play, the winners will share the $1,000.

For details, examples, and how to apply, please go to :

www.janetzweig.com/PedestrianDrama.html

Say what you want about this whole Skylight thing...

...but it sure is keeping the bloggers busy.

That's all. Really, I got nothing right now.

One more thing about this Skylight situation

The current response from the Board of The Skylight is predicated on a relationship with Bill Theisen as Artistic Director.

This is not a discussion about Bill Theisen, I'm afraid.

This is a discussion about vision.

If Bill Theisen respectfully declines the offer to come back as Artistic Director, does this negate the idea that The Skylight Board will consider another person or persons as Artistic Director?

This cannot be, must not be about one person. This is about the belief in cherishing artistry for an arts group.

Spoken like a true heretic, don't you think?

A collective, "huh?"

The e-mail I received came from friends (literally, that's what it said)

This was the body of the e-mail:

For immediate release.


Respectfully,

Skylight Opera Theatre Board of Directors
friendsofskylight@skylightopera.com

This was the content:

From the Board of Directors of the Skylight Opera Theatre

The Board of Directors greatly appreciates the recent public and donor messages of concern and support for The Skylight’s artistic product. We have read, heard, and discussed them all, and thank everyone who has expressed support for The Skylight.

At a full meeting of the Board of Directors last night, it was resolved to establish communications with Bill Theisen regarding the role of Artistic Director at The Skylight. The Board sincerely hopes Bill will agree to return to The Skylight as its Artistic Director for the company’s 50th Anniversary Season. We continue to respect Bill’s artistic ability and his value to The Skylight and to the Milwaukee arts community.

The Board remains committed to strengthening The Skylight’s financial position so that it can continue to serve as a creative force in the Milwaukee community -- and as an employer able to showcase a variety of artists for years to come. Our old organizational structure is not fiscally sustainable in these economic times. The Board’s strategic plan emphasizes establishing an overall structure including artistic adminstration that will work for The Skylight now and can be adapted when finances improve.

The Board would like to accept and embrace the many offers it has received for benefit performances, assistance in fundraising, and donations. Anyone interested in helping The Skylight can e-mail the board at friendsofskylight@skylightopera.com.

The board continues to support Eric Dillner and the entire staff of The Skylight who have filled in and carried on during this time. They deserve the respect and appreciation of all.

Now many people might have a problem with this letter, but I'm still just trying to figure it out.

I'll go as far as giving a tip of the hat to The Skylight Board for edging towards reversing what many of us see as a short sighted decision to fire the Artistic Director in the first place. But it's a tip with some hesitation.

I don't really need to spell out how ludicrous it is to imagine that Bill Theisen would gladly skip into work on Monday morning as the newly restored Artistic Director, knock on Eric Dillner's office door and happily chime, "What are you doing for lunch today Managing Director old pal 'o mine?" Right? We all see that, right?

Here's the thing that I take issue with as an arts administrator myself. This response and any other response about any of this situation lacks Eric Dillner's fingerprints, the man that the Board of Directors has expressed full confidence in as the leader of the institution.

I was just talking about this letter with a friend and colleague who was scratching her head not quite sure what to make of it, when I found myself thinking about a parent fighting battles for their children. If I were to go on the schoolyard playground and fight all my children's battles, you better believe that the moment I left my kids on that schoolyard playground alone, they would get their asses kicked. And for good reason.

I will acknowledge that it is good that the Skylight Board has given some response, stupefying as it may be. But where is Eric Dillner in all of this? If we are to believe that the Board of The Skylight is open to accepting offers of help from those eager to contribute their time, talent and resources towards helping fix the financial ship that is off course for the company, doesn't it seem the supported leader who is supposed to be organizing the future of the company might want to come forward?

Sorry, but I can't get behind this all...yet. (I really, really hope that yet is going to fade away.)

We've not yet heard specifics on when some much touted community forums are going to happen where we can all ask direct, hard questions of the people we are supposed to (and believe me when I say, the people we WANT to at some point) get behind and support as the community comes together to guide The Skylight into a more celebratory place. The Board of The Skylight is trying to do some parenting, I'll give them that. They are simply setting their child up to be left alone on the playground yard for some pretty serious ass kicking.

Do you love art in Milwaukee? Do you love breakfast? Join us for BREAKFAST CLUB, Part Two

A couple weeks ago a group of arts lovers met in Catalano Square (just South of The Broadway Theater Center in Milwaukee) for breakfast to discuss how they might work together to advocate for putting arts more front and center on our citywide agenda.

We're doing it again tomorrow, so if you love art, set your alarm clock and join us.

We welcome anyone who loves art in Milwaukee, makes art in Milwaukee, or simply believes that art and artists have a place at the table in a city that boasts often of its vibrant arts scene.

I've been involved in a lot of these, but I think this is the real deal. No oversight from a governing body, no axes to grind (well, maybe a few), and plenty of good energy of people looking for proactive things to empower artists and art lovers as major stakeholders in the whole process of getting things done here in Milwaukee.

Here's the details:

When: Friday, July 10
Time: 8am-9am
Where: Catalano Square, South of Broadway Theater Center
What to bring: Your breakfast, or coffee at least at that early hour

See you then!

Singing Skylight Protestors

Opera singers and musical theater types know how to harmonize their way through a protest.

THIS JUST IN FROM THE MANAGEMENT AND BOARD OF THE SKYLIGHT!

Nada.

Just saying.

The Former Skylight Den Mother puts on her protest shoes

I mean, come on. This is a sweet lady who has seen PIRATES OF PENZANCE like 47 times. It's a gloomy day when you crap on this lady.

More pics from Skylight Protest

Some Skylight protest eye candy.



That's Tamara Martinsek. Good sign.



Holding signs while singing. Tougher than it looks.



Colin Cabot meets with protesters. There's a theater named after him at The Skylight. Maybe you've heard.

My Daughters learn a thing or two about picketing at the Skylight Protest at the 411 Building (it ain't the last, folks)

Today, my daughters had their first venture into civil protest.



That's Dorothea in front. Carmela is pretty loud, so I imagine she was screaming somewhere (I regret to say I had to work and couldn't join my daughters in their first foray into public dissent.)

It seems fitting that Dorothea and Carmela were standing in front of the 411 Building protesting the Skylight's recent decision to eradicate their artistic integrity and hide behind a veil of nasty numbers as explanation for their short sighted action for many, many reasons.

First, and foremost, I met Dorothea and Carmela's mother at The Skylight when she directed me in a musical. Without that, no Dorothea, no Carmela.

Then, of course, there was the wedding that Dorothea's and Carmela's parents had in the Skylight bar with 200 or so of our closest friends and the Latin jazz band.

Also, we got a Baby Bjorn at a babyshower that we had at The Skylight thrown by our Skylight friends that both Dorothea and Carmela snuggled in, sometimes while their mother was directing an opera at The Skylight.

It made sense that these tikes were protesting in front of the 411 building along with other peaceful protesters because several floors above Skylight Board members were meeting today in the offices of Dorothea's Godfather, who I might add along with her Godmother has been kind to the little lady on birthdays and special events, admirably filling the role of Godparents.

Finally, it was fitting that my seven-year-old daughter and my three-year-old daughter protested for artistic integrity to be restored to The Skylight because they have a collective wisdom in their 10 years of life that allows them to know when something is just not right. These girls called it. The biz at Skylight still stinks, and I'm certain that if things don't change, we're going to be driving the ladies to fewer swim lessons and dance classes and many more sing-a-long protests like these.

The Huffington Post says The Skylight is following all the wrong rules

Michael Kaiser had a great article in The Huffington Post the other day called Arts in Crisis. I think it's a must read for anyone who thinks that cutting artistic programming or programmers and doing things like combining your marketing director's job with box office management duties is a bad idea.

Okay, it's for all of us who think that this Skylight mess is still a mess.

Really, it's for all of us who think that the key thing about making art is making art. Not making money, and not even operating out of a fear of possible bankruptcy and insolvency.

Michael Kaiser suggests there might be other options. Hmmm? That seems to be a siren call that some people don't seem to hear no matter how high you tune it up.

Who is this Michael Kaiser, you ask? Some crazy artist slinging vitriol and art speak all over the web? Not quite.

Michael Kaiser is the President of The Kennedy Center. In response to a national art crisis, Kaiser has basically made The Kennedy Center a lab for arts groups struggling through tough times. In fact, arts groups that are having problems can apply to the Arts in Crisis program through The Kennedy Center for Kaiser and his crew to come in and give some advice and help.

Yet another example that there are other options available to struggling arts groups other than subjugating their art for a downsizing plan that focuses only on dollars without a lot of sense.

Read the whole article, but here's a sample quote from Kaiser:

We can survive the current economic downturn if we keep our programming vital and work harder than ever to convey our message. Those arts organizations who compete well will survive and recover when the economy recovers. Those that continue to cut away at their programming are likely to become irrelevant.

• The Recession

This was supposed to be my vacation week

I really can't believe that in the last post I left, I thought I was being cute spelling out F-U-C-K-E-R.

Okay, so I'm supposed to be on vacation. I'm supposed to be sitting at the beach, eating ice cream for breakfast and reading trashy novels.

But I'm hearing stories like the following one.

Last Friday, a group of arts loving citizens met in Catalano Square just South of the Broadway Theater Center to discuss loving art and discussing ways that arts lovers can be advocates for change. And, sure, we talked about Skylight Opera Theatre.

There were actors, directors, visual artists, patrons, and even an Artistic Director in attendance. Our common bond was simply that we love art.

Bagels were served. Bagels that were provided by Pam Kriger, who is slated to direct A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD, A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE at The Skylight next year. Pam is also on something called The Board of Advocates at The Skylight which is basically a do-gooder group. Pam also helped pay for the Skylight's new roof.

We very peacfully met, made some nice introductions and cleaned up after ourselves. We'll meet again next Friday, July 10 at 8am in Catalano Square, and if you love art and are in Milwaukee I urge you to attend.

I learned that after this hearts and flowers art lovers meeting that Pam Kriger ran into a Skylight staffer in the Broadway Theater Center who told her that the management had told the staff that they had heard about this subversive meeting in the park and that staff should enter the building from the back or not come in at alive if they were scared for their safety.

We ate bagels.

Bagels provided by one of the directors in the Skylight's upcoming season.

We all talked about how we love art.

Scary? Only if you don't like salmon spread and art.

Oh, and by the way, Pam, the woman who did help pay for the Skylight's new roof, and who is also supposed to direct for the Skylight next season, had not had any of her numerous calls returned that she had placed to Eric Dillner. A superb way to treat a donor and employee, right?

And this is why I am not really fully away on vacation.

Sheesh. I can't begin to tell you how much I wish I was simply drinking an umbrella drink and wearing a funny shirt.