RAT v TCG: Anarchy v. Organization

["Adam Gertsacov" <kafclown@well.com>]

Here are a couple of thoughts about the conference: (kind of long)

First of all thanks to all the host theatres, the hosts, and everybody who
attended, gave their time, energy, thoughts, power, and heart to attending
the conference.  To me, the gererosity of spirit and of resources (housing,
theatre space, food, etc) was really phenomenal.

ORGANIZATION VS. ANARCHY

Erik in the wrap up said something about asking one person to represent  RAT
is like trying to ask one band to speak for Rock'N'Roll .  They don't. They
represent themselves.They have their own agenda, their own reasons
(nefarious, benevolent, or otherwise) for being involved.

Having the two conferences  at the same time was very instructive.
TCG is a service organization.  it's a well oiled machine.  it has clear
goals, a clear mission, and a clear constituency.  A constituency that is
getting older, more staid, more institutionalized.  Over the past few years,
Ben Cameron has been bringing a more radical energy to TCG,  re-energizing
it, partially with some of the energy of participants from previous RAT
conferences.

RAT on the other hand, has no service organization, no clearcut goals, no
clear constituency.  Anything that happens at RAT is the product of
individuals  doing stuff or volunteering for their own self-enlightened
reasons.  Sometimes people are at odds with one another.  Sometimes the
schedule gets changed or confused.It's normal to do so.

People attend and participate at RAT for many different self-enlightened
reasons)   Perhaps its to try out some new ideas.  Perhaps its to book
yourself into a new theatre.  Perhaps its to do it because you think its
important.  Perhaps its to introduce yourself to your neighbors.

 Everybody who came to the RAT conference came with a different reason for
being there.  Is that equally true for the TCG conf?

 If you are at the confernce, you are a RAT.  Presumably this means that if
you are not there, you are not a RAT?  Or perhaps you are if you think you
are? like Louis Armstrong said when he was asked "What is swing?"  He said,
"If you got to ask, you ain't never going to know."

This whole thing raised a question for me--- is  the RAT conference becoming
a sort of farm system for TCG?   Will participant theatres "graduate" from
RAT up to TCG as they get more "successful" money and fame-wise?

Or is there a distinct difference between the aims of the small and not
quite organized independent theatres that are  and the large and
institutional theatre?  What happens to the 'Zine when it gets too slick and
glossy and "mainstream"   Can it maintain its energy?  Or does it turn into
a rarified shell of its former self?

For me, the strength of RAT is in its networking abilities, and the
abilities to meet people with similar ideas and problems about theatre, and
the generosity of spirit and bonding that happens when people show up. I'm
sure that's what most of the TCG participants also got, though.  So, what's
the difference between the two?

Well, that's enough muckraking and question asking for tonight....  I
enjoyed attending the RAT conference....




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