Celebrity castings can help theatres in hard times, says new head of Bristol Old Vic | Theatre

Bristol Old Vic’s new director has said there is sometimes a need to cast big stars in stage productions as theater goes through an “undeniably challenging” time and has to compete with streaming services for people’s time and money.

Rebecca Dawson will start as managing director and joint chief executive on January 6 and will lead the oldest continuously operating theater in the English-speaking world into its 260th anniversary.

Dawson, who will work in partnership with the theatre’s artistic director Nancy Medina, told the Guardian in an interview that the theater was in “undeniably challenging” times, still reeling from the Covid pandemic and austerity, and now facing pressure from the cost of living.

In October, the debate over the casting of film and TV stars was reignited when Nadine Rennie, co-president of the Casting Directors Guild, issued the following statement: He said the trend was “killing” the industry and mid-sized theaters will be the first to go.

With Ncuti Gatwa starring in Born With Teeth, Alicia Vikander in The Lady From the Sea, Susan Sarandon in Mary Page Marlowe and Bryan Cranston in All My Sons, there’s no shortage of starlets currently starring in the West End.

And this year at Bristol Old Vic, the likes of Mel Giedroyc and, most recently, the city’s own Jayde Adams, starred in flagship productions.

Dawson, who previously runs Punchdrunk Enrichment, a charity that creates immersive theater for schools and family audiences, and is on Arts Council England, said he thought big names should be cast as long as they were good.

“They have to be the right people, and you have to go through a proper process to know it’s the right thing,” he said.

“This is part of a mixed economy,” said Dawson, emphasizing that theater must diversify its revenue streams to survive, giving the example of pantomime productions that rely on famous actors to attract theatergoers.

“It makes people think ‘this is interesting, I want to go see this,'” he said. “Maybe next time they’ll go to a different show. It’s a pretty interesting gateway for some viewers.”

Asked if he sees streaming services such as Netflix as direct competitors to theatre, Dawson said: “There is competition for people’s time and money.

“People are really excited about going to the theater and getting out, but organizations need to take some time to ask, ‘Are we doing interesting things for our community? How can we get into this space both locally, regionally and nationally?’ It’s a good thing to think.”

Audiences are less predictable than they used to be, and major commercial theaters are realizing that a star lead in a play can help them predict demand for the show, Dawson said.

But he added: “The important thing is that these are good productions; it’s about talent rather than just becoming a celebrity badge.”

Another advantage is the interest of big stars in the theatre, with many looking for credibility, which helps against “digital competitors”, Dawson said.

He said the theater was struggling with the cost of living while also dealing with the “long tail” of Covid, Brexit and austerity.

However, Dawson argued that the UK government supports increasing public funding for theater and the arts despite the challenges it faces. He said Arts Council England grants had stopped since about 2012, equating to a cut of almost 50% in real terms.

“The government obviously has to make a lot of decisions where it finds public funds and there are absolutely vital parts of our society that need investment, life and death, dignity and care.

“But interestingly, I think the arts are a really important part of this picture. If they’re resourced appropriately, they can add a lot of value.”

Dawson said theaters are not political organizations, but there is an expectation that they reflect their values ​​through their appearances.

“It’s about universal stories that are relevant, important and have themes that can make you think differently, make you question something you’ve always thought, and we want as many people as possible to come through the door and see that.”

Despite the challenges, Dawson is optimistic about the industry. “The arts and theater in general are incredibly resilient. They are creative for a living and respond very well to challenging circumstances and sometimes come up with really interesting new ideas. There is room for creative risks which prepares Bristol Old Vic for the future.”