The American National Theatre

The menagerie (not the Glass one, by the by), of theatrical beasts is many and varied. From the slumbering dragons of a dead-end, commercialized Broadway, with their witches, phantoms, and other critters, another unseemly beast is once again rearing its head. The ANT (American National Theatre), the dreaded ANT has once again returned to us. Indeed, it seems that it will take a theatrical Excalibur or Joyeuse to destroy this beast for good. If only we had a Parcival to wield it.

The current plan of the ANT, as founded by actor/producer Sean Cullen, is to pick and choose from among the finest of Regional Theatre productions every years, and then import those productions, with artistic teams intact, to a venue in New York. Indeed, this program has been applauded by folks such as Harold Prince, who wrote, "I think it's a wonderful idea, and that it's high time there was a formal program established that invited the best theaters we have in our country to its artistic capitol..." As such, the American National Theatre will essentially bring the best of what can be found throughout America to a New York audience.

While this may seem unequivocally a good thing to some, an understanding of the concepts of national theatres and their roles are required for a full understanding of precisely what is at stake here. Essentially, the concept of a national theatre is that of a theatrical group which sets the benchmark for quality and practice for an entire nation of people. Companies such as the Royal Shakespeare Company and Comedie Francais are excellent examples of such institutions. One thing that the current ANT lacks that usually marks a national theatre is the fact that the ANT will not be a production company, and will not originate works of its own, but instead merely provide a venue for the Regionals to bring their work to New York. Other national theatres, conversely, originate their own works and strive to bring them to the nation which they ostensibly serve.

Further, a little bit of history might be useful in consideration of the ANT. The ANT is an idea that has been circulated and pursued by the American theatrical community roughly since World War II. Back in the forties, under Rosamond Gilder or according to Porterfield and Breen, the plan was almost the polar opposite of the current one. A single production company would originate works and then tour them throughout the United States, bringing nationally recognized theatre to the corners of this nation. However, this plan never managed to materialize. However, commentators such as Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times, furthered calls for an ANT that would provide just such dissemination. However, this plan, as was noted before, never really grew legs, and as late as the 1980's, Robert Brustein made the comment that an ANT was uneccessary, as we had a perfectly serviceable national theatre in the form of the American Regional theatre system.

Which is something that The Savannah Dramaturgy heartily agrees with. If a theatre is to claim to be the national theatre, it should cater to the dramatic needs of that nation. While the United States has certain hurdles to overcome, massive size, commercial culture, and lack of common identity myths and just some of many. This difference in the texture of our nation, compared to the more homogenous European nations from whence we sprang, has been noted as far back the the Constitutional debates and is long remarked upon in Alexis de Tocqueville's masterwork, Democracy in America. There is no one American nation, but instead a multiplicity. However, the Regional system effectively overcomes these by bringing theatre to their localities. Celise Kalke, dramaturg at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, calls this concept, the theatre of place. By living life in their communities, a regional can more effectively tap into the heart and pulse of their place.

Indeed, in the words of Brustein, the ANT is simply a dry hole. Mr. Cullen, with the best of intentions no doubt, is spearheading a program of cultural imperialism. Us bumpkins from the far-flung provinces shall be given the right to worship at the epicenter, if the high priests are comfortable with it. Indeed, the ANT is just another excuse for New Yorkers to never leave their island. Sorry Mr. Prince, I have a national theatre down the street. It is called Cardinal Rep. If I want something bigger, the Alliance is a few hours drive. It is high time for something, all right... but I don't feel the need to come pay obeisance.