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I am confused by Dieter Buse’s article entitled “State of the Arts: On the stage and on the screen” (published Jan. 8) that recently appeared in Sudbury.com.
On the one hand, it is encouraging to see a few words about the growth and development of theatre and theatre education in Sudbury. The city clearly has a vibrant and discerning audience for both English and French offerings. Ticket buyers are a great measure of success in any community.
On the other hand, the somewhat casual and, to be honest, uninformed dismissal of YES Theatre’s successes is mystifying.
As a lifelong career professional who has been lucky enough to work with the impressive team at YES Theatre several times in recent years (returning this year), I believe I have a worthwhile perspective on what this blossoming company is all about.
I have witnessed the trajectories of many Canadian theatre companies over the (so far) 50-year span of my career. I started in Toronto in the 1970s, now live in St. John’s, N.L., and have worked extensively across Canada and the United States in between, including eight seasons at the Stratford Festival. I recognize that YES Theatre is unique, impressive, and, in fact, a new national leader.
By using the phrase, ‘From a critical perspective…’, Dieter Buse opens up the question of the quality of the work, both in programming and production. He goes on to say, “… one might note that at present the mix of plays, musicals and shows tends more towards entertainment and emotional content with superb singing, rather than the classic theatre of thought-provoking ideas.”
What does that even mean? Is he saying that emotional content is a bad thing? That thought-provoking ideas cannot be conveyed through great singing? Is he deliberately ignoring the significant non-musical work also produced by this company?
In 2023, I directed “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” for YES Theatre. I assure you this very challenging non-musical piece is jam-packed with thought-provoking ideas on autism and its extended societal challenges.
Last year, I directed “Every Brilliant Thing” which offers a stunning take on mental health and suicide.
Are these not thought-provoking ideas? I did not take the themes of either of these shows lightly, and, in fact, undertook months of meticulous prep work to be able to more fully understand the responsibility I was carrying.
Has Dieter Buse actually been to a YES Theatre show? What are his qualifications for offering critical (his word) feedback?
First and foremost, it is extremely important to recognize and understand what it takes to be a successful theatre company in the world today. You need to build an audience base. You need to attract ticket-buyers. What are people willing to put their money on?
From there you build a reputation that audiences can trust, which will allow you to expand with more and more challenging material over time. This is business model 101.
Secondly, the world is changing rapidly. The term “professional” is being challenged nation-wide at the moment. Why? Because it is almost impossible to make a career-living with the single-focus of acting (or directing, or writing, etc.) anywhere in this country anymore.
Just because someone isn’t a full-time actor doesn’t mean they aren’t deeply talented. YES Theatre is proving that in spades. Alessandro Costantini is leading the country with his new model of mixing so-called professionals with local talent.
He deserves to be celebrated for engaging the local Sudbury community so extensively!
And Canada is taking notice. Big names are suddenly interested in working with YES Theatre. For example, Canadian theatre royalty, Oliver Dennis, was just onstage in “Oliver!”, and the great Peter Hinton will be directing in 2025. Word is getting out. I suggest Dieter Buse expands his sources a bit.
There is no question that some theatrical forces of nature originated in Sudbury, as Mr. Buse points out at the end of the article. I wonder if he bothered to ask either Richard Rose or Antoni Cimolino for their thoughts on what YES Theatre is doing these days?
Jeannette Lambermont-Morey
Director/Dramaturg/Educator
St. John’s, N.L.