Reporting on rumor is an awkward, unpleasant job, but it’s a necessary evil. All information is good information—even unreliable information is useful, as long as you know it’s unreliable. Such tidbits tell you what could happen, and that’s sometimes more valuable than knowing what’s actually happened. So before you reach for the phone to call your big-shit lawyers, remember this: These are the whispers of theater staffers and scenesters. Everything that follows is unattributed, unconfirmed, and probably wrong.
Rumor has it that ArtsFund is shopping for a new Commissar of Fiduciary Fecundity (or something like that) and may snap up ACT’s current managing director, Susan Trapnell. Trapnell was called back to ACT two years ago during the theater’s budget crisis. The optimistic view: Trapnell has saved the theater and can leave in good conscience, giving ACT a friendly advocate at ArtsFund. The pessimistic view: She’s fleeing a sinking ship.
Negotiations continue between Capitol Hill Arts Center and a small, homeless theater company, furthering CHAC’s march toward becoming Capitol Hill Actually-Just-a-Theater Center. There’s also talk of converting the main-floor studio into a small performance space and rebuilding in the Lower Level to separate the bar from a proposed 100-seat cabaret.
Theater Babylon, meanwhile, has been talking with ConWorks about shacking up. Whether this would be a step up for Babylon or a step down for ConWorks remains unclear.
Ten Eyck Swackhamer “left” his post as the Rep’s director of production, and is looking for another job. Swackhamer’s position was renamed and immediately filled by Nick Schwartz-Hall, who has worked with new artistic director David Esbjornson in the past.
Seattle Children’s Theatre is also in the midst of labor rumblings, as they renegotiate their stagehands’ union deal. At least one employee’s contract has not been renewed and everyone else is nervous.
Carlotta’s Late-Nite Wing-Ding celebrated its eighth birthday with a one-night bash featuring favorite guests (Bret Fetzer, Artis the Spoonman, Mike Daisey) and time-warp recollections, including a performance about a nefarious producer named “Tom Sanka” who screws the Wing-Ding out of a pile of money. Was the villain inspired by Portland-based playwright Tom Folger? Folger could not be reached for comment.
Seattle Times critic Misha Berson became the subject of opening-night buzz at ACT by expressing dissatisfaction with her seat for The Ugly American. She was across the aisle from her usual spot, but wanted to be further to the left. One version of the story has her haranguing a house staff member and demanding his walkie-talkie, while another claims she uttered the most hilariously self-debasing question in the English language: “Don’t you know who I am?” Did Berson have legitimate sight-line issues? Is she just difficult? Nobody seemed to know, but reactions at ACT ranged from irritated to amused. ■
