Striking Out On Ones Own?

I just wanted to post a quick link here this morning. This article talks about starting up one's own theatre company. Loyal blog readers here at Always Off Book know that I have pondered and planned to do this very thing for a while now, and I am getting closer to taking the first step. Perhaps sometime in 2011.

But as for the article, i admire the drive and passion of those involved. But I have to say each of the companies profiled seemed to be rather well plugged into something before they started. The piece starts off as though it will explore how people came from nothing at all to creating successful companies, in both the profit and non-profit sector. I was especially hoping to learn about how to secure venues.

Yet it really was about fund raising in the modern theatre world. Which of course is important, if you have the grandiose visions that some of these companies had. (Along with the highly debatable assertion made here that "modern theatre is dead.") But I have a far simpler vision, and have not yet written traditional theatre's eulogy. Plus my network is nowhere near as exquisite as those in the article.

Yet I did take away something from this piece; confirmation that passion to get something done in the arts can and will eventually lead to some form of success. My hope is that it will hold true even for my humble plans.

You can read about my overall plan for how I, or anybody, should start their own theatre company with minimal resources to get a better idea of what I am talking about.