New format starting in 2008 allows more use of the theatre

Here is a question some have asked. “Why won't there be a resident company starting in 2008 at the Black Box Theatre in the Indian Head Center for the Arts?” What is the new format and what are the advantages?

The short answer is that the new theatre format is a venue for hire, allowing diverse programming across many disciplines – dance, drama, standup, poetry, music, and multi-media work – to be staged here. So a variety of performing companies, including our former resident company, as well as other local and traveling groups will be able to present exciting professional work using this new open format.

The longer answer explains why we are following best practices in the industry of the challenging business of performing arts by maintaining an open door policy.

The DC metro area has many companies and creative individuals who produce fantastic work across a range of disciplines without the infrastructure and/or personal desire to run a venue. One of the goals of our new format is to help performers overcome the difficulties they face that come from not having a consistent audience. We want to help companies grow from performing at smaller venues like ours – where they can establish and experiment, to the larger ones – where they can make a living and thrive.

We are in good company in the use of this format locally, modeling our approach after the DC Arts Center. Black box theatres around the country ranging in size from 50 to 200 seats are perfect for growing small performing companies, acting as “arts incubators”.

Our region is growing and becoming more diverse. This diversity demands variety. Something for everyone. The disadvantages of a long term resident company come from the huge challenge of remaining creative and fresh while dealing with increasingly diverse tastes. Not to mention the logistics of running the venue and program, year in and year out. By taking care of the house management, we help the companies stick to practicing their craft.

Finally, in order to be responsive to longer-term trends, the Indian Head Center for the Arts needs to build the right infrastructure now. Ideas about sustainability have been worked through ever since the idea of a black box theatre was born. This new format will not be reliant on a single idea or company. It will instead give audiences a wider variety of performances to come and enjoy. In this way it is more than just a venue for hire: it becomes a home for many, both audience and performer alike, reaching out to better serve the community.