Saturday, December 02, 2006
UPDATED: AMT lays off artistic director
UPDATED: I have been set aright by a private email sent to me. Apparently, I was indeed smoking crack. Michael Miller and Tim Bair are not and were not a couple, although Tim was apparently is partners with someone else who was on AMT staff...which must have been what I read about and "remembered", however incorrectly. So, I feel better now knowing that Miller didn't have to lay off his life partner.
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OK, this isn't a gossip blog, but did you read this Merc article about AMT Artistic Director Tim Bair getting laid off? I notice two odd things about it:
1. Here's the gossipy part. In his quote Managing Director Michael Miller says "I'm very sad. Not only do I have great respect for Tim as an artist but he's also a good friend." OK, is it just me, or wasn't it common knowledge that these were partners in life as well as business? This quote means either:
a. I was on crack about that.
b. They were, but they're not anymore.
c. That this quote sounds like something out of the 1950s. That either they're loathe to admit a relationship publicly because of the sexuality issue (but then why even bother to throw in the "good friend language?") or they're loathe to admit it because they don't want people to question why they were both hired. But in the theatre aren't both situations pretty common?
Perhaps it's just a)
2. Here's the odd part: In the article they mention this: "Another factor in the decision was the theater's plan to focus almost entirely on co-productions, which usually involve freelance directors." Co-productions? I thought they were moving towards more local productions, instead of tours. This news cheered local actors and designers a lot. But if all they're doing is funding other theatres to do work and then do a run at AMT that won't help locals much. Does anyone know what this means exactly?
Now, I haven't seen Christmas Dreamland, the first original show AMTR has done in my memory and which Bair co-wrote and directed, but it got a good review in the Merc at least. Bair must be bumming. That's the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat all in one week!
************************************
OK, this isn't a gossip blog, but did you read this Merc article about AMT Artistic Director Tim Bair getting laid off? I notice two odd things about it:
1. Here's the gossipy part. In his quote Managing Director Michael Miller says "I'm very sad. Not only do I have great respect for Tim as an artist but he's also a good friend." OK, is it just me, or wasn't it common knowledge that these were partners in life as well as business? This quote means either:
a. I was on crack about that.
b. They were, but they're not anymore.
c. That this quote sounds like something out of the 1950s. That either they're loathe to admit a relationship publicly because of the sexuality issue (but then why even bother to throw in the "good friend language?") or they're loathe to admit it because they don't want people to question why they were both hired. But in the theatre aren't both situations pretty common?
Perhaps it's just a)
2. Here's the odd part: In the article they mention this: "Another factor in the decision was the theater's plan to focus almost entirely on co-productions, which usually involve freelance directors." Co-productions? I thought they were moving towards more local productions, instead of tours. This news cheered local actors and designers a lot. But if all they're doing is funding other theatres to do work and then do a run at AMT that won't help locals much. Does anyone know what this means exactly?
Now, I haven't seen Christmas Dreamland, the first original show AMTR has done in my memory and which Bair co-wrote and directed, but it got a good review in the Merc at least. Bair must be bumming. That's the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat all in one week!
// posted by ElisaC @ 4:22 PM 
