Response to Gary Chambers

[Guillermo Verdecchia]

> What holds Canadian drama
>back is not the academic community's theories; rather a
>maze of public and private sector bureaucracies, which
>together totally control the economics of Canadian
>dramatic art, and thereby often exert destructive
>influences on an artistic level.

While there may be some merit to Mr. Chambers' assertion that economics has much
to do with the state of theatre in Canada (and the rest of the world) there is
no evidence that professional associations and bureaucrats have held Canadian
theatre back.

As a professional actor and director Equity and ACTRA have provided me with
decent minimum wages and working conditions.  They have also provided advice,
financial assistance, RRSP plans, maternity leave for my partner ...

Joining Equity or  ACTRA is not as torturously difficult as Mr. Chambers might
lead one to believe. Yes, many do accumulate the requisite number of apprentice
engagements within the allotted time frame but many others join as I did.  I
joined Equity (after working for a few years as a non-Equity performer) when I
was offered an Equity contract by a PACT theatre. Very simple. Sign on the
dotted line, pay the fee, here's your card, welcome to Equity. As a member of
Equity, I was entitled to join ACTRA for a nominal fee. I did so. Since then, I
have earned a living as a theatre-maker and have seen many  actors of all
shapes, sizes, colours, ages join these associations.

Finally,  I will add that I have worked at Fringe Festivals, Backspaces, Extra
Spaces, International Festivals,   Regional theatres and  A-houses and never did
a local burgher, greengrocer, Equity business rep., banker, mob boss, Rotarian
or Knight Templar  determine whether a play of mine was produced or whether I
was  to play a role in a given production. These decisions were always taken by
theatre professionals. Maybe such cabals operate in "community theatres" but I
don't recall anything of the kind at the KW Little Theatre. Perhaps things are
different in Lethbridge.

GLV