Who do we serve? In his essay The American Theatre is Not Built for Us, Theatre and Film Director and recent recipient of the Bridge to Faculty Fellowship at UIC Monty Cole ponders the viability of the traditional non-profit theatre business model in today's environment. In part 1 of this 2-part interview, Smartistry founder Melissa Peck and Monty (whose work has been seen at theatres like Steppenwolf, Center Theatre Group, The Goodman Theatre, and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, among others) discuss the impact of his essay as it highlights a critical turning point for the arts. As theaters and venues start planning their return to operations following a year of closures, the time is right for companies and artists to reprioritize and reframe both their programming and audience-building strategies. Listen in as Monty shares his vision for creating fandom in the theatre and hear his one "wildly unpopular" idea for season-planning. For more information about Monty Cole's work including three upcoming film projects, visit monty-cole.com

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