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out &zabout Georgia Shakespeare hopes ‘metamorphoses’ broadens appeal BY JOE EARLE joeearle@reporternewspapers. net Officials at Georgia Shakespeare are working to remake their venerable the ater company. Less than two years ago, Georgia Shakespeare had to put out a call for emergency help. The company said it needed to raise $500,000 in just a few months or it would close. Donors ral lied and Georgia Shakespeare was able to keep going. But the crisis forced the Brookhaven- based theater group to take a hard look at itself. “We needed a change,” artistic direc tor and Georgia Shakespeare co-founder Richard Garner said recently. This year, as Georgia Shakespeare opens its summer/fall season on the campus of Oglethorpe University June 21 with a revival of the play “Metamor phoses,” company officials are rethink ing their business, and hope to bolster the company’s finances by broadening its operations. “Going into this year, not just theater groups, but any nonprofit arts group I know has been saying, ‘We’ve got to re invent the model, ” Garner said. Georgia Shakespeare has entered into partnerships with theater groups at col leges in Gainesville and Ken- nesaw, and plans to add perfor mances with those to expand its season. “We definitely have taken a look at our business model and looked at it from all different angles,” said Jennifer Bauer-Ly- ons, director of company ini tiatives. “We have this great re lationship with Oglethorpe, but we ... have to think, ‘How can we get outside the walls of [Oglethorpe’s] Conant Perform ing Arts Center?”’ She describes the 2013 sea son as part of a major transition for the theater company that was founded more than a quar ter century ago. “I think from the campaign in 2011, through 2012, those years have been transitional, transformation al, for us all,” Bauer-Lyons said. “We’re right in the middle of it.” One immediate change is obvious. Georgia Shakespeare is presenting fewer plays this year. In the past, the company staged as many as six or seven shows in a season, PHOTOS BY JOE EARLE Park Krausen, kneeling, and Travis Smith, on floor, rehearse a scene from ‘Metamorphoses’ at Georgia Shakespeare. Bauer-Lyons said. But it opened 2013 in Nothing,” and plans to present only May with a “Shake in the Park” produc- three more plays — a revival of the pop- tion of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About ular “Metamorphoses” in June and July; :: Certified Intructors :: Quality Lessons and Classes for Beginners, Masters and Triathletes :: Heated saline pools are open year round :: Year round swim team preparation for ages 5-15 :: Available to Members and Non-members CONCOURSE#^ ATHLETIC CLUB 8 Concourse Parkway I Sandy Springs, GA Immediately off South GA400 Exit 4C For more information, contact Tracy Meazell at tmeazell@wellbridge.com or 770.698.2090 today. We re hiring another great salesperson... Want to join us? Reporter Newspapers is looking for high energy people with a passion for selling, proven experience and measurable success in any type of outside sales. We offer excellent compensation (salary + commission) and benefits. For information, contact publisher Steve Levene at 404-917-2200, ext. Ill or email stevelevene(a)reporternewspapers.net. Brookhaven Buckhead Dunwoody Sandy Springs Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net 14 | JUNE 14 —JUNE27, 2013 | www.ReporterNewspapers.net
