The Business of Theatre

Terminology is important. It's important because we would like everyone to understand the meaning of a word in the same way that we understand its meaning. We want to make sure that we can communicate with each other so that things get done, and there are no hard feelings. In a perfect world, we would all have the same dictionary, the same picture reference, and the same understanding. Well, no maybe that would be hellish and Peyton Place-like. Variety is the spice of life.

But understanding business means understanding language, and the real meaning of business terminology makes or breaks deals for artists and for the community all of the time. This is especially true in theatre arts.

I have just read the minutes of Meeting No. 5 of the Arts Advisory Committee. There was mention made about use of the local municipal facility and how professional theatre groups were more likely to be able to set up and tear down quickly, thus saving money, as compared to community groups which are run with amateurs. The minutes as recorded made it obvious that there is a lack of understanding from one side about what constitutes professional vs. community theatre. This can be confusing for most people, and causes a lot of stress and bad feelings due to terminology.

The usual misunderstanding (and that is what was wrong with the above meeting) is that people believe that the terms 'Non-Profit' and 'Not-For-Profit' mean 'amateur'. If this were true, then you would be visiting 'amateur' doctors at the KGH and the Hotel Dieu and almost every other hospital in Canada. People employed by the city would be amateurs. Queen's University would have 'amateur professors'.

Non-profit organisations are legal entities, businesses with a business model that says 'We will not sell shares of stock in this company, which is exists for the benefit of society or for a part of society. Our directors will not receive payment for running this company.' Non-profits are allowed to pay their employees. If you are paid, and if you make your primary income from theatre, then you are a theatre professional, even though you may work for a non-profit organisation.

Theatre companies may be non-profit and use professionals. In fact, in theatre, that is the more likely scenario than having a for-profit company, like Mirvisch.

Amateur means that you are not paid for your work. Community theatre companies normally use amateur actors, and amateur staff to mount productions. These are people who have employment in another field, and who choose to use their free time for theatre. Usually, they have more time strictures than their professional counterparts, whose daily work would be mounting the production.

Professionals are paid workers, actors, stage crew, directors, producers who make their living by working at the business of theatre. So yes, if you are being paid in a day to set up or strike a set, and that is your only job, you tend to be a little fresher at it than someone else who has just worked eight hours and then hoofed it to the theatre to see where they can lend a hand.

The Stratford Festival is a professional theatre company. It pays its actors, and its crews. It pays the creative teams that work on productions. It is a non-profit company. It has a board of directors who oversee the business without compensation.

In Kingston, the biggest employer for theatre is Thousand Island's Playhouse. They are a non-profit (charitable), professional theatre. They operate a two venues and have their own productions using professional actors and staff.

At no time should you believe that the terms 'professional' and 'amateur' are reflective of talent or ability, or love of the art.

It's simply a matter of money.

~AM

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