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Interview questions and answers from John Briggs
Interview by Joel Dorr
Joel Dorr: Tell us about your theatre background?
John Briggs: I first began my journey in the theatre my sophomore year in
high school. I was cast in South Pacific and I knew I would be in the theatre
the rest of my life. I attended the University of Wyoming and in my junior
year landed my first professional theatre job as an actor doing rotating repertory
summer stock. The next summer I did professional summer stock for a different
company and I've been making my living in the theatre ever since.
In 1971 I became the artistic director of The Jackson Hole Opera House, a
summer stock theatre in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The next summer I was artistic
director of both the Opera House and Dirty Jack's Theatre. In 1974 I decided
to leave Wyoming because there was simply not enough professional theatre
to support either my financial need or my need to grow. I toured the United
States for two years doing dinner theatre until I moved to NYC.
In NY, I did well enough as an actor but I wanted to do more. In 1979 I co-founded
Merrimack Repertory Theatre in Lowell, MA. I knew then that I would always
work as both an arts administrator and performing artist. From there I was
the Associate Artistic Director for the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas, Artistic
Director of New Stage in Mississippi and the Burt Reynolds Institute Theatre
in Florida, the Associate Producer of Theatre Three in Dallas, the Florida
Shakespeare Festival in Miami, the Cumberland County Playhouse in Tennessee
and First Night Atlanta.
At different times throughout the years I co-wrote the Broadway musical Play
Me A Country Song, the Off-Broadway adaptation, Shogun Macbeth, published
by Samuel French (being revived in 2008), and wrote the musicals, Crazy Love,
Dracula, A Rock Opera and Illyria.
Dorr:I understand you left Wyoming at a young age so you could pursue a professional
career in theatre. Tell me how you became involved with Off Square Theatre
Company and how it feels return to Wyoming to be the first to launch a professional
company in this new facility?
Briggs: In June of 2006 I saw the notice in ArtSEARCH for an Artistic Director
for Off Square Theatre Company. I had no idea that there was a professional
theatre company in Wyoming, much less in my professional theatre birthplace.
I applied immediately and I was fortunate enough to get an interview. After
a couple of telephone interviews I was invited to come to Jackson to meet
the Board and significant others involved with Off Square. Again, by good
fortune, I was selected to head the company and I moved here in mid October.
Of all the places I've worked, either in Wyoming or across the United States,
Jackson Hole is my favorite. I love the altitude, I love the magnificent beauty
of the town and region, I love the life-style and most everything else about
the town.
One of the challenges in coming to Off Square is making a home in the new
Center for the Arts. We are the resident theatre company and primary tenet
in this new fifteen million dollar facility (something that is a major accomplishment
for any town this size): a 500 seat, proscenium auditorium with a full fly
system and solid industry standard lights and sound. We also occupy a large
rehearsal hall to accommodate our rehearsal and educational needs.
Returning to Jackson as a theatre professional is the happiest circumstance
I can imagine. The fact that I work with the best board of directors I have
ever met and that my staff is facile and creative just makes it all the better.
Whatever the difficulties, it is worth everything just to be here. And we
have a golden opportunity to create one of the finest regional theatres in
the country.
Dorr: Why was this location selected? What was the area like before you built
your theatre and how has it changed since you built your theatre? What are
the expectations of the community for this theatre?
Briggs: The location of the Center for the Arts was part of a protracted process
that began over ten years ago. Prior to the Center facility, Jackson actually
was home to three summer stock theatre companies: The Jackson Playhouse, Dirty
Jack's and the Pink Garter. The Playhouse and the Garter are still in operation
as summer stock companies. Off Square is a year round theatre company and,
as such, depends far more on the community than the other companies. Since
my coming, we have increased our budget from four hundred thousand to one
million. That increase requires far more contributed income and ticket sales,
as well as, increased marketing and labor costs.
Dorr: What do you hope you can change about the audience with your new theatre?
Briggs: It's not so much that I hope to change the audience as to offer them
a wide variety of consistently high quality productions which affords them
(and us)to think differently about life in general.
Dorr: Who owns the theatre? Is it subsidized by the city? State?
Briggs: Off Square Theatre Company is an independent 501 (c)3 company that
makes its home in the Center for the Arts, also an independent nonprofit company.
We are subsidized by private contributions, state and local grants, ticket
sales and educational tuitions. The Center is subsidized almost exclusively
by private contributions and rents.
Dorr: What was the cost to build the complex?
Briggs: The cost to build the entire Center for the Arts facility was thirty
million dollars. However, the part that Off Square occupies cost twelve million
dollars.
Dorr: Does the theatre company pay rent or what consideration were made for
them to use the facility?
Briggs: We pay monthly rent for our administrative offices and for our rehearsal
hall. We pay daily rent for the auditorium.
Dorr: How much use of the facility does Off Square Theatre Company have, such
as office space, rehearsal space etc.?
Briggs: We are in the midst of an abbreviated season. The Center didn't open
until mid-March of this year so we will only be using it about ninety-five
performance days. That will increase next season. As stated previously, we
have our administrative offices and rehearsal hall in the Center.
Dorr: Is the complex expected to become a profitable venture?
Briggs: I would be very surprised if the Center for the Arts became a profitable
venture. It would need to develop a rather large endowment to consider itself
profitable. Off Square Theatre Company, on the other hand, has every reason
to believe that we will be profitable. It may take two to three years for
us to find our equilibrium but I am quite confident in the direction we are
moving.
Dorr: Tell me about your marketing. Who do you anticipate to be a subscriber?
Have you launched any subscription programs to get "charter" subscribers?
What does you're audience demographic look like?
Briggs: One of conditions of my coming to head the company was hiring a marketing
director. Since my arrival we have built a marketing plan that is local, regional
and national in scope. We have committed more money to marketing than any
other company in our region. Part of our marketing strategy included a subscription
campaign. We are still selling subscriptions and when we finish we will have
sold four times more subscriptions than in the history of the company. People
in this area are not used to the idea of subscriptions and so our challenge
is to get them onboard. The demographic of Teton county is quite extraordinary.
The saying here is that the billionaires are pushing out the millionaires,
and yet there is the usual core of professional educators, medical workers,
small business owners, etc. We have to structure our prices in such a way
as to be inclusive of all who
inhabit the valley.
Dorr: Tell me about your opening night with Peter Pan. Why that show? How
did the audience receive it and what feedback did you get?
Briggs: Opening night of Peter Pan was everything we needed it to be. I chose
that show because it would challenge the new facility and because it would
make an enduring statement about what Off Square Theatre plans to offer in
the years to come. The audience reaction was overwhelmingly positive. They
are still talking about it.
Dorr: How do you plan your season? What criteria do you use to pick shows?
How do you think your next season will play out?
Briggs: My season is intended to offer a bit of everything to our audiences.
I am experimenting to see if we can support high professional musicals during
the summer but other than that we are offering classical, contemporary, premieres
and musicals. My criteria to doing a show is if I want to see it or direct
it. I have to want it in my theatre. My next season is already in process.
Some of it will be determined by how we do financially and some of it will
be determined by what I learn from my experiments.
Dorr: Do you have a staff role in the facility or are you strictly part of
the Off Square Theatre Company? What other artistic productions do you hope
to bring into the new facility?
Briggs: We are represented on the Board of Directors of the Center and involved
in resident issues. We are currently talking about co-presenting productions
with the Strasberg Institute and Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in NY for next
year. We are co-presenting the Truth In Translation Project with South Africa
this season. I plan to institute a new play festival within two seasons and
a Shakespeare Festival.
Dorr: How many people on your staff?
Briggs: I have seven full time employees: Director of Marketing, Director
of Education, Production Stage Manager, Resident Costume Designer/Artist,
Resident Artist/Educator, Events Manager/Bookkeeper, Technical Director.
Dorr: What computer software does your organization use and for what purpose?
Briggs: Our office uses MS Office for most things; we also use Quickbooks
Pro, Photoshop, and Adobe Audition.
Dorr: What is the background on your name Off Square Theater Company?
Briggs: The Company has always done theatre that was a bit "off"
for the community. Also, the facility that was used was just off the town
square. So the name identified both qualities of the Company.
Dorr: What do you think will be critical to make sure Off Square Theater Company
is successful?
Briggs: Like with any nonprofit theatre company today, I believe our financial
success will be in our ability to find a sixty-five/thirty-five split, earned
to contributed income. Our artistic success will live in our ability engage
our audience.
Dorr: What is the toughest part of your job?
Briggs: The usual stress that comes from juggling the financial to the artistic
side of things.
Dorr: Are you a union theatre?
Briggs: We are using AEA guest artist, SSDC and USA contracts. In time I can
foresee being a full LORT company -- maybe in five years.
Dorr: What is the biggest lesson you have learned and what advice would you
willing to give to others embarking on a career in theatre?
Briggs: When I taught I told my students: if you're not compelled, don't do
it. Theatre in this country is unbelievably difficult, maybe impossible. If
you're coming from a middle-class life style and if you're expecting that
same life style you are very likely to find yourself miserable more often
than not. Theatre is a way of life, a philosophy that is not that different
from religion. The few who find fame do not define the art, it's the ones
carrying the torch in little towns across the country who make the difference.
If you're looking for fame and fortune you are lost to the art of theatre.
Dorr: What is the most inspirational experience you have ever had in theatre
and why?
Briggs: I opened Romeo and Juliet the first season of Merrimack Repertory
Theatre. Lowell, MA was (still is) a depressed area. One evening three large,
loud men wearing bowling shirts came to see the production. They had been
drinking. I informed the box office manager that if there were any problems
to call the police. At the end of the performance the loudest and largest
of the men walked up to the box office manager and said: "she shouldn't
have died." Then he and his friends walked off into the night. I have
never forgotten how powerfully the theatre can be and that anybody can be
touched by what we do.
Dorr: Is there anything else you'd like me to consider for this article?
Briggs: Keep in mind that Wyoming is the least populated state in the Nation;
that there are great distances between towns; that, as a theatre company,
we are the first fully professional theatre company in the state and that
we are intend to serve the greater state within the next five years. Our challenges
are different from other companies but our blessings are many.
To read the complete article on “The Final Frontier”
click here.
# # #
©2007 Dramabiz Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
