Slog - Comments on New Managing Director at ACT http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act The press release: Susan Trapnell is stepping down as managing director. Jolanne Stanton is stepping up. What it suggests: That ACT is finally feeling financially healthy again. Trapnell had been a managing director at ACT from 1982-1998 and when the shit hit the fan in 2003, they called her back to save the day. We can infer that, four years later, the day has been saved. Now Trapell is going to work as ACT's first Executive Director of Endowment Funding, to build a big cushion whose interest will be a significant source of institutional funding. ACT's current endowment is around... Copyright 2008 Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:02:21 -0800 Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:08:06 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by alto Come on now. You can't write a post like that without a detailed explanation of exactly how and why ACT was fucked up so fast. I must know!

]]> alto http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c652589 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c652589 Arts Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:31:30 -0800 Comment by GDC Oh, that's easy: The previous artistic director Gordon Edlestein spend all the money on big productions with out of town actors. He then hid the losses and financial problems from the board until the theater was $300k in the whole (or something like that- I seem to remember they need $300k or they were closing down). Then he split for another job (I don't remember, again, but I thought he had taken another job and the money problems came to light after he announced he was leaving- they two events were close together).

I am open to correction but that is how I remember it. I am sure there are other factors at play, but “East Coast Carpet Bagger Attempts to Destroy West Coast Theater” is basically it.

]]> GDC http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c652602 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c652602 Arts Thu, 01 Mar 2007 17:54:11 -0800 Comment by Laurence Ballard Let us not forget a Board of Trustees far too trusting and asleep at the helm...

]]> Laurence Ballard http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c652636 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c652636 Arts Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:56:43 -0800 Comment by Charlatan Things were messed up way before Edlestein. In fact the messing up happened when Trapnell was there for her first stint.

]]> Charlatan http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653367 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653367 Arts Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:54:28 -0800 Comment by Laurence Ballard In all honesty, the big mess up was leaving the base of Q.A. - now On The Boards - and moving downtown into the Eagles Building, in the first place - everything flows from that decision. But that's another story.

]]> Laurence Ballard http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653381 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653381 Arts Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:14:32 -0800 Comment by Brendan Kiley Care to elaborate, Charlatan?

]]> Brendan Kiley http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653383 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653383 Arts Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:16:56 -0800 Comment by KBE Susan Trapnell has never been asleep at the helm of ACT theatre. She has in fact been the strongest bone in the body of the organization and deserves better than snide comments from uninformed people who cannot provide ANY facts. Despite the efforts of ignorant artistic directors like Edelstien, SHE SAVED ACT. Her energy, influence and inspiring actions made it possible to keep this great Seattle theater going. Shame on anybody who suggets differently.

]]> KBE http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653667 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653667 Arts Fri, 02 Mar 2007 15:04:28 -0800 Comment by Laurence Ballard Shame rests with people who make inflammatory comments, complete with capital letters, anonymously.

As for both my comments above, KBE[sic], I stand by them.

I WAS THERE.

]]> Laurence Ballard http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653765 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/03/new_managing_director_at_act#c653765 Arts Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:08:06 -0800