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are emerging – and why are artists coming together
around these new ideas and ways of working?
As I look at Independence Foundation over the more than
two decades that I have worked with them, I am struck
that they have continually sought to understand what was
exciting to artists at that moment – what did they need
now? And perhaps most importantly, what’s next? Long
before innovation became a buzz word, through probing
questions and true curiosity, the Foundation asked – or
rather, demanded – that we be true to our convictions and
identify and pursue what was truly most exciting for us
and our organizations at that exact point in time, allowing
us to look to the future with courage, excitement and
confident of their support.
As we settled into our new home in Old City, we began
to look to how to further grow and develop the Arden’s
artistic programming. Our mission is to bring to the
stage great stories by great storytellers, and I had long
wanted to have a comprehensive approach to fostering
the development and production of new stories for the
stage. We were often approached by playwrights who
had exciting projects that they wanted to develop through
readings or workshops, but we lacked the infrastructure
and resources to do so. One such writer was Michael
Ogborn, who had written a wildly ambitious new musical
that told the story of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and
the media circus that ensued. Baby Case was thrilling,
audacious, hugely compelling – and far too large for us to
tackle. It also clearly needed significant workshop time
to clarify the narrative, fine tune the point of view, explore
vocal arrangements, and see how this extraordinary story
and score could truly sing. I told Michael that I loved Baby
Case and wanted to help him bring it to life, but that we
just didn’t have the capacity and resources to do so.
Jump to my next meeting with Susan Sherman, sometime
in 1999, where she once again asked, “So what’s the next
big step?” After what was probably a long pause, and
emboldened by my deep passion for Michael Ogborn’s
work, I explained that the Arden wanted to create a
new program to develop and produce new plays and
musicals for the American stage, adding, “But starting
this is expensive and risky.” Again, the questions, as
Susan drilled down to understand the why, what and
how. After a long discussion, Susan suggested that we
put in a proposal for this new program, but I wasn’t sure if
it would actually happen or not; perhaps this was where
she said that our dream was too risky, too expensive, too
ambitious. Yet a few months later, I received a call from
Susan to let me know that we had been awarded a three
year grant to launch the Independence Foundation New
Play Showcase, the Arden’s new development program
in support of the creation of extraordinary new plays and
musicals. Upon hearing this news, the first call I made
was to Michael Ogborn to tell him that we had received
a gift to help make his dream a reality. We workshopped
Baby Case over the next two years, working with a musical
team, production staff and 24 actors. We premiered
Baby Case in 2002, the Arden’s first-ever world premiere
musical, and that musical is still considered one of the
Arden’s signature productions. We later launched a
commissioning program, to provide writers support while
working on a new project. Further, with support from the
New Theatre Works Initiative, we piloted a new playwright
residency program called The Writer’s Room, working to
provide exceptional writers an artistic home. We next
expanded our work to include the New Musical Theatre
Initiative, to focus more specifically on the creation of
new musical theatre works. We are thrilled that our first
project developed under this initiative, TouchTones by
Michael Hollinger and Robert Maggio, will be produced
next season, our 30
th
anniversary season, and will be the
Arden’s 43
rd
world premiere production.
The Independence Foundation has helped foster
important relationships as well, continually making
introductions to other leaders, funders and potential
stakeholders. One of the most valuable of these
connections was with Dr. Andrea Mengel, who was an
Independence Foundation Board member looking to be
more engaged with Philadelphia’s cultural community.
Susan suggested that Andy meet with us, and the
connection was immediate – and deepened significantly
throughout the years. Andy was an important force on
our Board of Directors, serving as Vice President of the
Board and Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee
through several strategic plans. In many ways, Andy
set a standard for planning at the Arden; she, like Susan
and Judge Beck before her, asked probing questions,
challenged assumptions, provided additional perspective,
and believed fiercely in this organization. She continued to
champion our new play development programming and,
working with the Independence Foundation, supported
our facility campaigns and expansion: the Independence
Foundation Studio and the Hamilton Family Arts Center’s
Independence Foundation Lobby aretestamentsto
her efforts to help the Arden to grow and thrive. Susan
Sherman is a great matchmaker, and Andy Mengel and the
Arden were a perfect match. We are honored that Andy
served on the Arden Board of Directors for over 15 years.
As we approach the Arden’s 30
th
Anniversary season, I am
struck by how important Susan Sherman, Judge Phyllis
Beck and the Independence Foundation Board of Directors
and staff have been in securing the Arden’s future. With
their support, we played a pivotal role in the development
of the Old City community – I can’t remember the last
time that someone’s car was broken into. We have helped
to establish Philadelphia as a vital and respected hub
for the creation of new work for the American theatre,
helping so many extraordinary writers create new plays
and musicals that are produced both here and beyond.
The abiding support of the Independence Foundation
helped transform Philadelphia into a thriving and growing
regional theatre town, home to exceptional artists,
administrators and audiences. The Foundation believes
in people. They have continually recognized potential.
Again and again, they invested in passion. They have
played a leadership role in making Philadelphia a stronger
and more vital place, and this cultural community and
the many artists who call Philadelphia home owe them
a world of thanks. And we should, as a community and
as individuals, follow the example they set: encouraging
curiosity; asking tough questions; and having the courage
to follow our convictions. In doing so, we will continue to
make extraordinary things happen, and that is perhaps the
best way to honor their work.