…Joy’s got me ranting too.
What is up with the City of Fresno and their ‘just for show’ support of the Arts community here? There’s times when the City is great and they deem a week in March “Rogue Week” and they give out awards and are generous with money they need to spend on something other than themselves for the Arts…
but it’s all for show! Ugh!
Ok, so here’s what I’m truly talking about. The WSF is in their 4th season, that means the huge set THE ACTORS BUILD has been put up 3 times. We were all ready to get wet and work with power tools this last Saturday morning (I was even armed with camera to show you progress) but NNNNNoooooooooo! The City has decided to inform us (at 5 pm Friday afternoon of MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!) that we need to have a building permit for our non-fixed, no plumbing non-electrical set we were planning on starting on. So yeah, our little troupe of actors showed up around 8 am Saturday morning and stood in the rain and took care of some prep work and we were assured that this situation would be handled by THIS Saturday so we can actually move forward and have a playing space.
Ideally…..
THEN… The City decided to double book the space we were relocated to because the City NEEDED another concert venue and they were making too much noise in the Concerts In The Park so Buh-Bye ampitheatre and have informed us that our OPENING WEEKEND Saturday is cancelled. Now, to set the record straight, we have NO problem setting aside our show for a charity event to benefit children’s illnesses, that is not the issue here. The issue is the fact that the Events Calander Coordinator (if there even is such a person) forgot to plug in OUR dates when we submitted them MONTHS ago and so there wasn’t anything on the calander about us until it was already too late. This unfortunate misscheduling will cost us a show, but I truly hope the charity event goes well.
Truly.
The Rotary Club controls the ampitheatre (which has been our home for the last 3 years) and this last year they landed a spaceship on top of it, cemented everything, put poles to block sight lines… yeah, it’s not a viable space for our theatre production anymore, the events center, albiet challenging, will suit us so much more. Well, it’s interesting because we (the cast of Twelfth Night) were approached and requested to perform a scene from our show a week before opening in the ampitheatre for a Rotary event. Hmmm, a touch odd?? Of course we are going to grace then with a performance of a scene with yours truly in it, but still… it’s just another event that makes one go “Huh” and shake their head.
Before any of you jump on me, TRUST ME, I know it could be worse… but I’d actually like the City of Fresno (that has an actor as it’s mayor) to respect the Arts in this town and realize that the Arts that continue to fight to be seen and heard are what makes this town a gem! So please, City of Fresno, don’t make it harder on us, invite us in and let us play in the beautiful space you have provided us!
Oy Vey. ::slaps forehead::
The bad thing about finally getting noticed is that you finally get noticed. Ugh.
Just another example of how the arts community in Fresno manages to survive in a local culture that alternately disregards, disrespects, and sometimes deliberately hinders the success of a project.
Sounds to me like this is a case of over-zealous bureaucracy, (I’m led to wonder if “code enforcement” just doesn’t have enough to do normally, so now must find a way to “look busy” by busting neighborhood block sales and non-profit theater productions. BOO-YAH! go GET those code-violatin’ criminals… who… are… contributing to the city culture… um… yeah.), poor calendar-keeping and scheduling by city representatives, and… well… if concerts in the park really WERE too noisy… maybe a stick-in-the-mud neighborhood that can’t appreciate other people having fun.
Honestly, I was tempted to quip about Fresno being a city run by grumpy senior citizens, but that would be age-ism. I know there are some pretty vivacious seniors around town, so it’s not due to age. Then I considered a remark about conservative, white bread eaters… but that wouldn’t be right either, because one of our own bloggers here is pretty white-bread-conservative-ish and she’s all OVER the arts and innovation.
So what is it? What IS it about Fresno that just makes you grit your teeth and go…”Damn, this could be such a cool city. I mean… it IS a cool place, but it’s so… not.” Fresno has the talent. It has the goods. It has great resources, and wonderful places to go. It just seems that at every turn there’s something really taking off, something REALLY good getting under way, and the rug gets pulled from under it… whether from rules and regulations, or somebody deciding they don’t want “THAT” in their neighborhood, or it’s too loud, or it’s too different…
Really. After 4 years, they decide you have to have permits to build a set? Are they going to require every theatre company to have permits to build a set on the various stages around town?
Fresno.
It’s a quirky place. You gotta admit… it’s a quirky, WEIRD place.
Yes! Tell ‘em girl! Code schmode.
Congrats on the Beehive mention today.