Late June Update
Greetings from the home office…
Thank you to all who continue to support GCTC during difficult times. I write today with an increasingly familiar feeling that we are all on a tightrope together, adapting to its sway and stretch, as triggered by the weather. One moment, I am almost resigned to losing balance and tumbling into the chasm, but a few seconds later, my footing improves and I experience a surge of hope—hope that we can use our resources to make a meaningful impact, regardless of the storm that continues to howl.
This excerpt from our last newsletter captures my mood on June 12, as we staggered to find our role in response to a global call for action:
As this self-proclaimed progressive company, which is dedicated to social justice, undertakes an internal audit of its own contribution to systemic racism, the action itself drips with irony, which is precisely why it is so important for us to face the music for which we were not prepared. And now, we are trying to balance the need to take discernible action with the need to understand the depth, complexity, and consequences of said action.
Thanks to all of you who wrote in with replies to this statement. The majority of responses expressed overwhelming support and appreciation for our position. Several people wrote to express concern that we had not specifically mentioned the oppression of Indigenous people. One subscriber wrote to express appreciation for GCTC, but also opined that our statement smacked of “political correctness run amok”. This diversity of opinion is emblematic of the moment, and it motivates me to provide context for our position.
The Black Lives Matter movement asks us all to focus immediately on the systemic oppression of Black people. I don’t see this as a zero sum proposition for other oppressed communities, since, as critical thinkers, we are able to vocally and visibly support Black Lives Matter at a pivotal moment while simultaneously allowing this action to inform a broader and utterly inclusive movement of anti-racism. Black Lives Matter has asked for our exclusive attention right now as a response to the systemic violence endured over generations, and I am happy to answer the call.
The call, as it were, is not about to end anytime soon, as leaders in BIPOC communities continue to build momentum in spite of challenges presented by the pandemic. GCTC, like many peer organizations, understands that it is our responsibility to educate ourselves, to assess our own complicity in systemic racism, to support the anti-racist movement externally, and, most importantly, to undertake this work without relying on BIPOC leaders to gently provide guidance. If you follow us on social media, please stay alert for education opportunities that we will be posting throughout the summer, offering links to anti-racist resources such as reading lists, online symposiums, lectures, and performances.
Planning for 2020/21...
In addition to the work on anti-racism, we continue to explore possibilities for next season. Relative to live performance for audiences in person, the only thing that we know for certain is that we will follow public health guidelines. If we were to re-open for live performances, maintaining 2-metre physical distancing rules, our theatre would boast a capacity of 31 people. Rest assured that I am as excited by the prospect of these performing conditions as you are. Playwrights, whose royalties typically equal 10% of gross ticket revenue, are, quite possibly, even less enthused than the rest of us.
Companies across the country are handling the programming conundrum in a variety of ways. Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre recently announced an audio-only season in 2020/21. The Grand Theatre of London, Ontario, has cancelled the season outright. Others are aiming at a variety of online activities and performances. During recent meetings with thirty-five local independent artists and companies, I gathered information to determine how GCTC can effectively provide support to the artists in our community who are most vulnerable during the pandemic. Although all of this is subject to change, my current thinking, in point form, goes something like this:
June through December 2020: provide direct support to local playwrights through regular online meetings and constructive feedback on works in progress
September through December 2020: provide access to GCTC’s facilities for independent artists who can use the space while adhering to public health guidelines, giving them space to create and develop work for future production at GCTC or elsewhere. Program an outdoor production that will allow for safe physical distancing of audience members and artists, alike
Throughout 2020/2021: Promote all of the above work through online interviews, profiles and performance excerpts to GCTC’s supporters
January through June 2021: Possibly revive our suspended production of Daisy by Sean Devine, which closed on March 13, after three performances. All physical components of the production are still in place onstage. Program a series of solo performances, possibly in GCTC’s lobby and other alternate performance spaces.
With your patience and support, we will incrementally reach these goals, or reasonable facsimiles thereof. We understand that none of us are alone in our frustrations and fears about the future, but we also know that we can overcome enormous adversity through adaptation.
The trick to staying on a tightrope, I suspect, is to focus on the absolute simplicity of putting one foot in front of the other on a solid surface. Your ongoing support helps us maintain the confidence that we need in this moment, and, on behalf of everyone at GCTC, I thank you for sticking with us as we make our way across the rope.
Eric Coates, artistic director, GCTC