RICHARD CARSEY

OK, I'll bite. I may be one of the few who think that if this is handled correctly it could be a great thing for our community on both a local and national level. Despite the excellence of the work that happens here, our audiences (and even we) have a tendency to have folksy "good for you kids" attitude toward artists in our community. I think anything that can allow us to move past that is a great thing.

What is created here is some of the highest caliber theater in the country, and it should be celebrated--and not in just an insular "let's have a cookout" way. Great artistry SHOULD be recognized, SHOULD be remembered, SHOULD be encouraged in any way possible. And if that recognition makes it to the papers, or the websites, or in a listing in a national publication that cares to write about the arts, it increases the visibility and respect we garner in our community. It encourages people to get involved, to attend, to give money. Visibility is a GOOD thing. Recognizing the excellence of the artistic achievement is a GOOD THING!!!

That said, I know that people react negatively to the idea that it might turn into a contest--when one person is recognized, it means that someone else (probably just as worthy) is not. We object to the idea of "competing" against one another, and I completely agree. We all compete in auditioning for roles, why make it happen even more. But I think there are ways to construct it so that it's not a list of nominees and then someone wins.

When I was working in Minneapolis recently, I attended their awards ceremony as a guest of one of the actors I was working with. There are no categories. There are no "Best" awards. There are citations that are given for outstanding work. It can be a designer whose work has been noteworthy in a variety of venues during the year. It can be a choreographer, It can be an actor (at any level--there were citations for performances in small companies as well as large). It could be an ensemble in a production. It could be a writer. it could be for a company that went out on a limb and did a particularly challenging production that reached a new audience.

The point is, there were no categories. No best play, best actor, best actress. There were no set number of citations given each year. The group that chose the citations were representatives of the theater community, community members who had an abiding knowledge and interest in the theater, and yes even one of the critics. No popular vote, no campaigning. Just an honest acknowledgment: here's work everyone should know about. Here's work that's happening in our community that makes this a great place to live. If you didn't know about this theater company, you should check it out.

It was a celebration, it made everyone proud, and it got HUGE attention in the press. It was also sponsored, and corporate donors line up every year to be a part of it, which has enlarged the number of corporate sponsorships to individual companies as well.

Also, I think if it does happen, it should absolutely be named after the Lunts. In our business they are recognized for their excellence and their devotion to the theater. I love the other name ideas as well, but none of them has the history and respect of the Lunts. They are an international part of Wisconsin's artistic heritage.