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Conclusions
As the case research have been accomplished, we requested the businesses to evaluate their expertise of Moonshot. All 5 discovered the general course of, documentation, and abstract report of observations and suggestions extremely priceless, they usually felt that the deep dive train was notably significant. Tara Mallen, inventive director of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, informed us, “The process of looking back at our full history and discussing the successes and failures openly was absolutely invaluable.” Newer leaders gained richer understanding of the historical past that had formed the corporate tradition they’d inherited. Leadership groups discovered one another’s inner calculus and arrived at shared language. Managing administrators understood inventive leaders’ approaches and concerns extra deeply and noticed alternatives for his or her new strategic filters to tell fundraising, advertising, and neighborhood engagement efforts as properly.
The case research firms recognized suggestions they deliberate to implement, however the pandemic’s disruption of the play choice and manufacturing cycle prohibited evaluation of implementation and outcomes. As a end result, we imagine that Moonshot’s speculation–that nonprofit theatres can enhance their repertoire choice processes and practices and that this can end in improved outcomes–was supported however not confirmed by the venture. Confirmation would require analysis over a number of years to find out if firms make and maintain enhancements to their practices and if profitable manufacturing outcomes enhance.
Even with these limits, Moonshot supplied a uncommon probability for the case research firms to verify and realign round what’s central to their work as theatremakers. The course of strengthened their sense of id, gave them a firmer grip on the more and more difficult context through which they produce, created instruments for play choice grounded of their values, clarified their aspirations, and advised methods to evaluate and measure the outcomes of their choices. Miranda González, producing inventive director of CityTheater Company, wrote,
“Being a historically underfunded organization and gaining access to a grant that supported us moving through this process was satisfying. We were finally allowed to take the time to deepen and clearly communicate our purpose and aesthetic. Creating language together, as an organization, with outside facilitation gave us a perspective that was invaluable.”
Theatre artists and leaders are artistic, persistent, and adaptive. Those are the qualities that may carry theatre into a brand new epoch.
Moonshot launched sensible options to what’s usually a chaotic course of. Case research firms emerged with navigational instruments and a map of their practices that may be up to date as they study and evolve. While Moonshot’s focus was on bettering repertoire decision-making, the advantages of doing the foundational work go properly past repertoire choices. The case research firms’ work in Moonshot helped inform their strategic planning and management as properly.
Since the case research concluded, the businesses have informed us that Moonshot’s suggestions and the instruments we developed collectively have grow to be springboards for operational enchancment. Lisa Dillman, Rivendell’s literary director, just lately shared,
“We had a great ensemble retreat and are making terrific headway with our season planning while keeping all the great ideas mined from the Moonshot process in the forefront.”
Megan Carney, inventive director of About Face Theatre, who had participated in our pre-pandemic roundtable and reviewed a draft of the complete Moonshot report, wrote,
“I had a powerful experience of being professionally seen and validated. The report reveals extended thoughtful labor that is often invisible. I would like board members, funders, freelance artists, and any and all stakeholders to read this, not to prove anything but to reveal, to create more transparency. You captured the nuances of holding and attending to so much data and changing circumstances in the midst of constant decision-making.”
While the challenges to theatres have multiplied, we conclude with an affirmation: theatre artists and leaders are artistic, persistent, and adaptive. Those are the qualities that may carry theatre into a brand new epoch.
Moonshot has made a small contribution to 5 Chicago firms’ efforts. We hope the Moonshot method shall be useful to many others as properly.
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