_TEXAS STAR THEATER CLOSED_
September 27, 2005
Readers,
Late Wednesday I received an email (copied below) from Stephen Bishop
Seely, who is the Associate Artistic Director of TST. I called him
that very day and we had an almost two hour phone conversation about
the nightmare that he and Artistic Director Thomas Morrissey were
going through.
At the very moment we were on the phone Thomas was having a meeting
with the Granbury City Hall/Council about the theater, the problems,
etc. surrounding it.
GREASE and GYPSY both received glowing reviews, and GREASE broke all
box office records (at that time). It was such a big hit that is why
Stephen and Thomas were able to transfer it over to the Courtyard
Theatre in Plano (not associated with PRT as the City of Plano owns
it).
My email address was attached to the mass email that Stephen sent to
the Granbury board, City Council, media, and "powers to be" as well
as concerned theater supporters.
So when I came back from Canada there were so many emails regarding
this it took forever to read them all. Many were supportive of TST,
Stephen, and Thomas.
But there were also several evil, vicious, mean, and cruel emails/
letters attacking the theater for its productions of filth, vulgarity,
sexual innuendo, and promoting the gay agenda.
Um.......GYPSY? GREASE? I don't remember Gypsy Rose Lee making out
with the "Gotta Have A Gimmick" ladies. Was Danny Zuko having an
affair with the T-birds? And if I'm correct, every friggin high
school in America has done a production of GREASE. So I'm lost here.
TST was advertising in the DALLAS VOICE, so to show that they welcomed
ALL types of people, they put a small rainbow sticker on the door.
A patron during an actual performance of GYPSY complained to the box
office about this and threatened to tear the sticker down. They told
him he could not do that. Several days later it was gone. Someone
tore it off. So they put up another.
This resulted in the Hood County paper putting a picture of the
sticker and article about it on the FRONT page of their paper, right
next to the horrors of Hurricane Katrina articles and the death of a
local motorcyclist.
From this came a small, minority group of people emailing, calling,
and demanding the theater change its policy, productions, etc. Oh,
and a majority of these complaining were season subscribers (according
to Stephen).
I have posted the "official" statement from TST and the email from
Stephen and let you decide on your OWN terms who is right or wrong.
I have my own personal feelings, opinions, and views of all this. But
I want you to decide on your own.
That is why I posted both views for you to read:
Here is TST's official statement which was released yesterday:
Texas Star Theatre to Temporarily Close
The Board of Directors of the Granbury Opera Association has
announced the temporary suspension of all productions and operations
of the Texas Star Theatre Company. This difficult decision was made
as a result of recurring and increasing financial shortcomings. This
is a temporary closing and plans are underway to provide more cost
effective productions. The down time will be used to make repairs and
do some remodeling.
Max Jones, President of the Board of Directors, said "Members of the
board have a fiduciary responsibility to maintain a financially sound
operation and to maintain the property we own. The management team of
the Texas Star Theatre inherited our past deficits. They, members of
the board and other Opera House friends have worked hard to make the
theatre profitable. Some progress has been made but additional
management and operational changes are necessary to achieve our
vision, fulfill our mission and succeed as a business."
Members of the board said they are aware of the controversy that has
surrounded the artistic direction in this summer's shows. The first
two musicals, Gypsy and Grease, received outstanding reviews.
"However, some of our patrons were offended, believing the productions
focused intentionally on the risque'. Other patrons took no offense,
saying the presentations were fresh and true to life," said Mr.
Jones. "I am convinced," he said, "that through offering a variety of
quality productions we can meet the needs of our concerned patrons
and meet the needs of those who desire to see some new and different
shows. Also, the Board of Directors is aware that most productions
allow an artistic director to present material in a manner that
protects the play's integrity while being sensitive to a community's
standards."
Raymond Haynes, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer, said "While
the resolution of controversial public issues may have required some
adjustments that is not why we are suspending operations. We simply
do not have funding to pay for increased administrative costs."
At the present time, the Board of Directors is assuming all production
and management responsibilities of the Granbury Opera House. A small
operational staff will assist with the transition, prepare for future
presentations and maintain the box office, explaining options for
current ticket holders and for those interested in future shows.
Here is the email that was sent LAST Wednesday by Stephen, the
Associate Artistic Director of TST:
Theatre People,
The new TST is about to shut its doors. Not due to money or finances,
but due to a small, vocal "red state", conservative, ignorant,
religious right group that is very determined and very organized.
These "censorship terrorists" have exhaustively mailed, emailed,
phoned, met, conspired, complained, contacted, harassed, and have
begun to break through the VIPs of Granbury that support this
theatre. This support team taking the heat includes all the members
of our Board of Directors, reporters, writers, newspaper publishers,
government officials, school board members, merchant owners, and
general audience members.
Their biggest complaint, among many, is that the new TST is promoting
pornography, sex, bad language, vulgarities, obscenity, and
encouraging the demoralization of an old historic town. It all
started with the use of 'g*dd*mmit'. It was used on this stage for
the first time in 30 years and has made Texas Star Theatre a target
of their close minded, racist, homophobic, right wing attitudes.
These people won't stop until the theatre is closed down and they
have booted us out of town.
Thomas Morrissey, an incredible new staff, and I have turned this
dying theatre around and have brought a new and broader audience
(that has broken box office records) to Granbury and has revived our
theatre. Since we have taken over in June, we have had more people
attend our shows than any other show in the last three years. We
have quadrupled our season subscribers. We have made significant
progress. We have just started turning a once "melodrama driven
community theatre" into a world class regional theatre and for the
first time; people under the age of 55 are packing into our seats.
We opened our season with Gypsy (which have 4 'g*dd*mmits' in the
script). We followed with Grease (which was the highest attended show
in the last 3 years). Stars Over Texas, a musical revue of new
music, was next and currently, we are in the middle of a four week
run of The Boys Next Door.
The Board of Directors and local supportive businesses have been
bombarded with phone calls and emails demanding everyone in Granbury
boycott the Texas Star Theatre. The ironic thing is that 80% of our
audience is from out of town and we will not be significantly
affected by a boycott. The Board of Directors is very concerned with
our next show, the very popular I Love You, You're Perfect, Now
Change. The cast is here and we are in the middle of rehearsals.
Although this show ran for 3 years in Dallas, a mere 50 miles from
Granbury, the 'Christian Citizens' of Granbury demand that we shut
our theatre doors before the show opens on October 6th. This would
cause many people, a staff of 15+, actors, designers, directors,
etc., to lose their jobs and shrink the job market.
I ask you from one passionate theatre artist to another to please
email the list below (together or individually) and let them know you
support our cause. Express to them that the audience for theatre is
diverse and larger than the local Baptist church. Please let each
one of them know what theatre does on a larger scale, locally and
nationally. We need your support. Just one email to let the locals
know that you support the efforts of Texas Star Theatre and its
commitment to bringing plays and musicals as written to an audience
that craves theatre. That in no way our season should be
misconstrued as pornographic or that a performance of Grease or I
Love You, You're Perfect . . .should ever be confused as an evening
of "sex on stage".
We here at Texas Star Theatre have worked too hard to have a thriving
theatre in an upswing taken away from us because of a small minority
that likes to bully community officials.
Texas Star Theatre will not be censored. We will not become another
target. I Love You, You're Perfect. . . will not be silenced or
sanitized. Locally, we will continue to fight for First Amendment
Rights including freedom of _expression and will not fall victim to
bible beating, homophobic, racist, & sexist hypocrites. If we allow
this to happen with the mildest of shows, how are we ever going to be
able to produce great theatrical work in the future?
Thank you for your time.
Peace,
Stephen Bishop Seely
Associate Artistic Director
Texas Star Theatre
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