Theatre Is Essential!

They're from Staten Island, now they live in Wyoming and run a theatre company! Julia Conte and her dad, TotP Artistic Director William Conte, talk about the inspirations animating the theory and practice of TotP in a wide ranging, somewhat freewheeling discussion occasionally punctuated by the yap of a very spoiled dog. Ay, you don't wanna miss it!

Actor William T. Wallace joins Conte for a discussion of how community theatre in Casper consists of a theatrical community of individuals who have dedicated themselves to the art; who have found ways to make a life in theatre, if not a living in it. Will shares his experience of "being raised" at Stage III, and reminisces about his parents' contributions to the theatrical community in Casper. Finally, Will and Conte speculate on the possibilities for a conservatory program in Casper run by the leading performing arts companies, and what it would be like if the theatrical community intentionally pooled its talent, energy, and resources.

Here we interrogate the value/importance of a college degree in the creative arts. We discuss the market interests of college performing arts programs, and how those interests may not be in the best interests of the students. We disclose the truth about The Narrative regarding higher education generally, and how it pertains to performing arts training. We explore the counterargument in terms of the apparent need for credentials, and how an important function of higher ed institutions is to police the quality of the individuals seeking to enter a profession, as well as the quality of the individuals wishing to  train others in that profession. Finally we make the case for a return to apprenticeships as a means for training and educating young theatre artists.

A look at the recent decline in college enrollment. Why are more and more people deciding to pursue their education by other means? Why has the value of an undergraduate degree declined, in terms of return on investment of time and resources? Why are so many students there to do the minimum to get "that piece of paper"? Why do they value the degree over the education it supposedly represents? And how does all this impact arts education? 

Here are links to the statistics and information cited in Dr. Conte's talk, in the order in which they are mentioned:

https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/nscblog/high-school-class-of-2020-college-enrollments-decline-22-compared-to-2019-class/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/college-university-fall-higher-education-men-women-enrollment-admissions-back-to-school-11630948233?st=8il0uebem3xdam8&mod=ffoct22

https://www.dailywire.com/news/college-enrollment-continues-to-decline

https://townhall.com/columnists/walterewilliams/2017/08/09/is-college-education-worth-it-n2365439

https://thefederalist.com/2022/02/02/young-americans-leave-those-creepy-college-covid-camps-and-start-your-careers-now/

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/upside-downward-trend-college-enrollment

https://www.educationsuisse.ch/en/education-switzerland/swiss-educational-system/apprenticeship

https://nypost.com/2022/11/19/the-college-debt-solution-let-kids-go-to-work-instead-of-school/

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/about/statistics/2020

In this episode we explore the premise of the podcast--that theatre is an essential part of our lives--and touch on some of the subjects we will be delving into in the upcoming weeks: theatre education, the entertainment industrial complex, the importance of community theatre, and much more. Recorded  15 November 2022 at the TotP Studio Theatre in Casper, Wyoming.

We are excited to launch our new podcast, Theatre is Essential!, hosted by Dr. William Conte, Artistic Director of the Theatre of the Poor in Casper, Wyoming. This 60 trailer introduces listeners to the themes and ideas we'll be exploring on a weekly basis. Thanks for listening!