Institutional

Plans for 08-11

> Figures on the Teatro di Roma
There is no need to fear or hope,

but only to look for new weapons.

Gilles Deleuze

From a Theatre of Rome to Theatres for Rome

When Vilar founded the Théâtre National Populaire in Paris and Strehler and Grassi later set up the Piccolo Teatro in Milan, their plan was clear: to make great plays and art films more accessible to ordinary people as part of a cultural democratisation movement.

Since then, there have been many developments bringing this type of cultural "heritage" to a wider audience. Firstly, the boundaries of what was, for centuries, viewed as culture were shattered. Secondly, the very idea of a "popular" audience became outmoded.

Artists were the first to question the issue of cultural heritage, often finding large gaps between their work and an increasingly disinterested public. The spread of the mass media also led to a large proportion of the public (seen here as consumers) to consume mainly television, recorded music and so-called popular shows rather than frequenting concert halls, theatres and so on.

Art and culture must therefore be redefined and new strategies created (something that is of particular interest to me) to win back a public that is now more heterogeneous and spoilt for choice than it was in the past.

Artists and theatre operators must redefine their concept of culture. The most recent research into the culture of individuals shows that there is no longer a clear distinction between elite production and media/mass production, mainly because these no longer correspond to social class divisions or socio-professional distinctions. The different forms of cultural production now affect all of us in our cultural practices which are more hybrid than ever before. In short, people may enjoy a play directed by Luca Ronconi or a work by Raphael as well as the Star Wars saga or the culinary acrobatics of Ratatouille.

We must redefine sociological categories based on real life and real practices rather than abstract ideas. The old divides have been broken down and distinctions based on institutional criteria are no longer relevant.

Today, the most important and innovative divisions are those concerning the centrality of the region. Such divisions are invented as a context in which to place projects that combine various components and in which several subjects and different complimentary vocations can interact, centred around a unifying design.

Public theatres must also be a source of energy and solidarity for their region.

They must function as both listener and speaker with the generosity and determination to manage the difficult balance between promoting local resources and openness to exchanging of ideas at national and international level.

Their task is to function more efficiently and effectively as a theatre and, most importantly, to build an innovative relationship between the theatre and the city, working as a network and on projects.

A network, after all, is a solid set of relationships between operators that function in complete autonomy but benefit from cooperation and the exchange of resources. Working as a network enables operators to put their differences, similarities and complimentary aspects to good use and to reward the economic, social and artistic value of all those involved. The Teatro di Roma's flexible and dynamic network will provide links between productions, organisations, people, companies and artists.

Going back to our situation, I believe a new concept of Rome's theatrical practices needs to be explored with an exchange of ideas with other operators, managers and artists. Not, of course, to seek new rules or foundations but to work together to develop theatrical production and planning techniques that allow for contemporary individuality and diversifying artistic practices.

This does not mean opening our doors to globalisation and confusion but rather updating a sector that can no longer base itself on pre-war models, rigid management techniques and obsolete publicity practices. We must think in terms of projects, with great local rootedness to generate more jobs, particularly for young people, and have a greater effect on the audience.

Project work ensures balanced, efficient and effective management and increases the range of services offered by the theatre, exploring new artistic relationships and developing initiatives in conjunction with other organisations and regions. This method ensures respect for tradition and theatrical craftsmanship and, at the same time, openness to new innovation, exchange of ideas, integration, and cultural plurality and interaction.

A more flexible approach to relationships between artists and the organisation. I believe this relationship merits a great deal of attention because the moral bond between artists and theatre organisations has clearly deteriorated in recent years, particularly among the younger generations. Theatre organisations have a duty to critically follow, share and perhaps even assist artists' careers.

All this is occurs in theatres that address modern-day issues and use more open artistic languages.

Theatres that succeed as places for reflection are those that focus on issues that touch the raw nerves of modern society and use a language that excites and involves the audience.

Choosing to do this requires awareness of the importance of the national tradition, which must be perceived as a basis for understanding the present. Part of our future, as Hannah Arendt used to say, lies in our past.

Include a rookie with the best players every year.
Old baseball saying

Points discussed above are best understood when viewed in the context of this director's professional history. I have never been an artist myself but have worked with artists for many years and perceive my work as the ability to form relationships, match up needs, create a network of resources, encourage diversity and young people (both artists and audiences) and promote the social objectives of a public organisation.

In view of all this, I propose to make the Teatro di Roma a meeting point for a wide range of artistic experiences, projects and identities. I aim to do this in a unique way while attempting to create a dialogue between these various areas and exploring different forms of collaboration and joint initiatives, without ever forgetting the social emphasis of theatre work.

Study at length. Fully understand. Do in a moment.
Bruno Munari

The road to succeeding in this ambitious project begins with artistic collaboration. We will be using collaboration in relation to artists and projects to create a valuable resource that the Teatro di Roma can then tap into in different combinations and at other venues. I hope to set up some projects entrusted to artists, using the architectural and spatial flexibility of the Teatro India, for example. I have the younger generations of dancers, directors and playwrights particularly in mind for this,

specifically Michele Placido, Paola Cortellesi and Valerio Mastandrea, with whose help I aim to reinforce the current project on the Tor Bella Monaca and Quarticciolo "off theatres". It would also be highly beneficial for the Teatro di Roma to ascertain whether Gigi Proietti, the city's best-loved actor, would be interested in collaborating on specific individual projects - particularly at the Teatro Argentina - in line with the strategy mentioned above.

Each venue must be identifiable and have a cultural spirit of its own but also be open to experimentation and sharing of ideas.

Indeed, while the Teatro Argentina represents tradition, this will not prevent it from serving as a "testing ground" for young people who want to experience a traditional venue, bearing in mind the currency of its artistic languages and themes.

Similarly, while the Teatro India is distinguished by its openness to interaction, experimentation and innovation with a quick turnover of material, this does not mean it is closed to more structured projects.

And while the "off theatres" are, by definition, closely linked to the region, this does not mean they cannot exchange experiences or host international artists or performances.

On the basis of these plans, I will exchange ideas with other, established artistic directors, and the productions and collaborations that I will be proposing to the Board share the same approach.

Commitment to social and educational issues has solid foundations in the Teatro di Roma, thanks to the Piero Gabrielli workshop, and we will be developing this course of action and ensuring continuity and support for the Torbellamonaca x San Luca project, productions for young people and the activities for educating and raising awareness among younger audiences.

The increase in the number of venues requires detailed rationalisation of the human and economic resources used, and involvement in outreach activities establishes the Teatro di Roma as an efficient and effective service provider that lends its technical and organisational experience to local organisations, putting its professional expertise to the best possible use.

The regulatory and economic situation and current polycentric structure of the theatre, together with the choice of management, also seem to favour experimentation with new production methods which, thanks to greater local rootedness and project work, will permit savings on fees.

Publicity and public services in general are another area worthy of attention. This is an area I plan to focus on in particular, using my long experience to identify tools and systems that are more coherent with the altered function and audience of today and to raise the profile of the theatre's work.

The Teatro di Roma can boast a strong tradition of international hospitality which must be continued, with regard to the "off theatres" as well. I am also committed to promoting the presence of this theatre's best productions abroad.

The Teatro di Roma could be a kind of testing ground for what is clearly a complex medium-term journey that requires further investigation - in artistic terms and with regard to resources - and discussion with the relevant organisations, artists and unions. A journey on which Rome may be accompanied by Turin, Naples and other cities.

"I like to think of the well-run corporation as a masterpiece: a place that comes out of and gives life, strength, and a sense of recognition to the people who work there or receive benefits from it."
J. O. Whitney and T. Packer
Power Plays: Shakespeare's Lessons in Leadership and Management

For beneficial and effective discussion, the interlocutors must be chosen carefully. For this reason, the various venues of the Teatro di Roma constitute the interface of a network of knowledge; true "agoras" where the different theatrical sectors communicate with one another and share knowledge and experience. In this way, the different venues of the Teatro di Roma can be seen as the links of network with multiple sections and layers.

In institutional terms, the very nature of the Teatro di Roma association imposes certain priorities. Indeed, local organisations and founding members will be continually consulted in order to create a metropolitan, district and regional decentralisation strategy of growing in importance. While the plans for the municipal area may be already laid, those for the out-of-town area still require more detailed definition, taking into account what is already in place and playing a positive role in the distribution of performances. The Teatro di Roma's defining characteristic will undoubtedly be the propagation of productions and the promotion of the region's artistic resources.

The theatre's relationship with Rome's universities is yet to be perfected. Indeed, while relations between the Tor Bella Monaca theatre and Tor Vergata University are now established and productive, those with other public and private universities still require fine tuning to get them involved and participating in research and specific studies on educating the audience and reviving the study centre.

Schools, both primary and secondary, are another priority me. They are without doubt an investment for future generations and essential for a public theatre organisation such as the Teatro di Roma so that it can restore an old tradition which has had excellent results in the past in terms of both theory and practice.

The city's great cultural institutions are potential allies with whom to share promotional strategies and also ideas on programming with investment in new artistic languages.

Our relationship with Rome's theatre system is based on sharing in the work carried out by Rome City Council's Cultural Policy Department, which has chosen to support us both in our projects and in promotion of the activities themselves. The Teatro di Roma intends to start an unconditional dialogue to identify all possible opportunities for collaboration on projects for the benefit of the theatre and the city. Such relationships may, in some cases, be marked by healthy "coopetition", i.e. competitive cooperation between different cultural organisations. In other cases, long-term agreements may be made for "project alignment" in accordance with their different respective missions.

The city's young, independent companies are another serious commitment and a project to be managed with great care in order to adequately meet the expectations of these young organisations and, at the same time, contribute to picking out the most skilled and talented ones and offering them opportunities for growth and development through a coherent artistic process.

In order to implement advanced and even original strategies and development plans, a forward-looking organisation must be able to rely on in-house personnel capable of expressing its full potential and acquiring new tools and working techniques in order to develop the necessary skills to enable it to provide effective and competitive services.

A flexible and functional organisation capable of meeting the demand for a dynamic theatre and achieving new targets for greater productivity.

This requires sharing and willingness at all levels: employees and technicians as well as management. A climate must be created that favours change through a dialogue that effectively communicates the actions associated with such change. The key words are information, consultation, sharing and taking responsibility.

I truly believe that an organisation's effectiveness depends heavily on its internal culture and the quality of its relationships at personal and union level. A positive climate has a positive influence on working methods and performance quality.

In summary, the venues of the Teatro di Roma will make relationships their top priority, both inside and outside the theatre itself and the area in question. Relationships will be fundamental to the conceptual, creative and institutional infrastructure with all the parties identified above constituting links in the network.

The most important and ambitious relationship, however, will be with the different kinds of audiences, and particularly with the younger generations with a view to shaping an informed audience from a young age. This relationship must be built as a new and more intense paradigm of participation and, above all, it must overcome all outdated constraints on theatre use.