Theater Zuidplein in Rotterdam, located in the southern part of the city, is both a presenting and a producing theatre, explains Ruud Breteler.
It houses two venues, a 600 seat main house and a 150-seat studio, and presents over 300 different shows each season. In 1998 the theatre was appointed by the City Council as Rotterdam?s main venue for cultural diversity, a move that was long overdue, given that, within a few years, more than half of Rotterdam?s population will be of a non-Dutch origin. In accordance with this shift in attention, Theater Zuidplein has since focused mainly on the principal ethnic populations in the city: people from Turkish, Moroccan, Surinam, Antillean and Cape Verdian cultural backgrounds. 30% of the programming is now directed towards these populations. As a producing stage, the theatre supports both new and more established artists and produces annual festivals.
Challenges
At first, neither the staff present nor the new management, appointed to develop the venue, had sufficient knowledge of the cultural backgrounds of the largest population groups to enable them to compile a suitable theatre programme. Furthermore, there were (and still are) insufficient theatre companies and impresarios to allow for sufficiently broad programming. This prompted the theatre to start making its own productions and co-productions. And, of course, there was the question of how to draw the new target groups to the theatre, when the previous 30 years had seen very few efforts, in the Netherlands as a whole or specifically in Rotterdam, to organise cultural entertainment for these groups.
Demand-led programming
The response to these challenges has led to a complete transformation of the theatre from a classic supply-centred theatre to a demand-centred theatre. The programme is not based on the programmer?s personal selection from the annual offer of companies and impresarios, but on public demand. In other words the audience?s interest determines the programme offered. To this end, two programme committees were set up in the spring of 1999, one for young people and one for adults, aiming for proportionate representation in terms of age, gender, social and cultural background. The purpose of these committees is to offer an active contribution to the compilation of the programme and to offer advice on issues such as quality control and public appeal.
Committee processes
Programme committee members, all of whom are volunteers, have access to the theatre to study the productions on offer, to examine the programmes of other theatres or to sign up for invitations to their premières, which are allotted on a ?first come first served? basis. The committees meet, independently of each other, at least once a month and more frequently when the programme is being compiled. The theatre is represented by the Managing Director and/or a staff member from the marketing department, but the committees are free to make their own selection, and only if asked will the management offer their comments. The meetings are primarily devoted to discussing the productions on offer for the upcoming season. Both committees examine the entire range on offer (so the youngsters do not just examine what?s on offer for their age group). Their discussions are conducted not only in the light of the usual criteria ? content, actors, intended audience, expectations as to quality, etc. ? but also how the production fits the theatre?s present profile, and it is not unusual for such discussions to result in deep and meaningful conversation about target groups, ethnicity and quality. There is interest in what is on offer from impresarios and theatre companies, but also in what is not. Naturally there are financial implications to consider. When a production is not available in Europe, or if contracting it would pose too much of a financial risk, the question is raised whether the theatre?s own production facilities could create a suitable production or co-production.
Critical feedback
The meetings also provide a platform for those who have seen performances elsewhere to report back on their reactions to them. Committee members are unpaid but they are given free entry to theatre shows hosted in Theater Zuidplein as well as in other theatres. Should attending a show at another theatre require paid entry, Theater Zuidplein will cover the costs. The prospect and privilege of visiting as many shows as possible is eagerly seized upon, and this naturally deepens committee members? awareness and appreciation of theatre.
The final say
As soon as the committees have each compiled their short-list, along with suggestions on productions from abroad or for in-house productions or co-productions, a meeting is held to jointly make the final choice. It is the Managing Director?s task to make arrangements and do deals with impresarios and companies, but he in no way interferes with the committees? decisions. However, being formally accountable to the fund-providing municipal Council, he does retain final responsibility, both financially and artistically.
Community relations
Working with the committees is a labour-intensive process, by far more demanding than having one single programmer at the wheel. It invariably means an intensive process of interaction and support, requiring contact with individual committee members outside of the meetings, and placing a guiding hand on the group dynamics. But the transformation into a demand-centred theatre, has been an exceptionally successful experiment. The quality of the programme is easily comparable to the selection made by a programmer formerly appointed by the theatre; and those members ? admittedly not all ? who maintain an active relationship with their communities have proven to be a vital link which stimulates local interest.
The process of replacing members, as their tenures come to an end after four years on the committees, will take account of the importance of active community relations.
Only time will tell whether this model will remain ? as far as we know ? unique, or if others will choose to adopt it as well. The long-term viability of this approach has also yet to prove itself. Who knows, perhaps in a couple of years, working with programme committees may no longer be necessary because within, as well as beyond Theater Zuidplein, both cultural diversity and theatre programming for and by ethnic minority audiences will have become a matter of course.
Ruud Breteler is Managing Director of Theater Zuidplein w: http://www.theaterzuidplein.nl e: ruud@theaterzuidplein.rotterdam.nl