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OSF battles the war tide, makes plea to supporters By Sean Wolfe Ashland Daily Tidings Citing the ripple effects of the events of September 11 and the current war with Iraq, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival made a plea for supporters of the theater to unleash their generosity. At the festival's annual meeting, OSF President Dan Thorndike unveiled the financials, and the new 2004 season, on a somber note. "Obviously these are times of great uncertainty - politically, socially and economically," Thorndike said. "Arts organizations have not escaped these uncertainties, in fact arts organizations are the most vulnerable. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has not been an exception." Thorndike went on to say that despite the political and economic climate, the Festival's vulnerability has been limited because of the generosity of its membership. But advance ticket sales were down 2 percent this season, and he urged the 50-plus members assembled for the meeting to spread the word that advance tickets were ready and waiting for subscribers to snap up. "People aren't planning in advance - people are just waiting. So get on the phone, get on the Internet, release your pigeons. We want to spread the word as far as we can," Thorndike said. According to financial documents released at the meeting, for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2002, the Festival did show significant improvement over the previous year. Revenue from operations rose to over $14.7 million, up 7 percent. But that rise in revenue was counterbalanced by a rise in expenses. Operating expenses rose to over $19.1 million from roughly $17.7 million in the previous year. The Festival's deficit also rose from $4.1 million in the 2001 fiscal year to $4.3 million over the period. Nonetheless, OSF did experience record attendance, with 399,609 attendees, over 368,776 in 2001. That amounted to 88 percent of the Festival's total capacity, which was down from 91 percent in 2001 - owing to the introduction of the New Theatre. The most popular play of 2002 was Noises Off, which drew 72,637 visitors. Handler, staged in the New Theatre was the least well-attended, despite its critical acclaim, drawing an audience of just 12,248. Unveiling the new 2004 season, OSF Artistic Director Libby Appel said the lineup was chosen to "bring balance and variety" to the Festival's offerings. Shakespearean contributions for 2004 include the Bard's earliest, shortest comedy, "The Comedy of Errors." In addition, Appel announced that the Festival would offer all three parts of Henry VI, the first part to appear in the New Theatre, and subsequent chapters to appear outdoors on the Elizabethan stage. Other fare includes an adaptation of Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex," to be redubbed "Oedipus Complex." In addition, "A Raisin in The Sun" will be juxtaposed with another play addressing race relations, titled "Top Dog, Underdog." Appel said she considers the pair of plays to be "explosive" because both examine "race, human behavior, and the inevitability of history." Also announced at the annual meeting were two changes to the Festival's bylaws. Board terms will now expand from three to four years, and the board will increase from 30 to 32 members. Executive Director Paul Nicholson explained the changes will allow for four new members to the board each year, thus allowing both increased continuity of management as well as increased rotation in the board's membership. LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -