Story 1: Poor Richard’s Players – The Playhouse LV
Questions for Ben Loewy, Artistic Director for Poor Richard’s Players and the Playhouse LV
In addition to his role as Artistic Director, Ben is overseeing the capital campaign efforts to reopen the Playhouse LV. He can give insight into the current status, plan and schedule of the efforts. Furthermore, Ben can give background on the theater and company. Lastly, he has worked in local theater for 20 years and can provide details on the importance of the artform.
What are your ties to local theatre? How did you get started in it? What does local theatre mean to the community as a whole?
What does Poor Richard’s Players and the Playhouse LV mean to you?
What is the current status of the temporary closure of the Playhouse LV and what is needed to reopen? Is there a deadline?
Where or who are you looking to as primary contributors to the current capital campaign and how do you plan to reach them or expand the circle you are looking in?
Can you explain the disconnect between the “handshake agreement” with city officials when you opened in 2019 and the building code demands you are faced with today? Were the same people involved? Can you give me their names or the names of who you are currently dealing with in the city office?
Why go through the trouble of trying to save the current building serving as your theater instead of simply relocating?
What happens if you cannot raise enough money to reopen? Do you have a backup plan?
What impact have you personally witnessed the Playhouse LV have on the city of Las Vegas? What sets it apart from other local theaters or from the big multi-million-dollar productions on the Strip?
How does the capital campaign differ from your traditional fundraising? How will it affect your normal yearly fundraising? If you are able to fix the building code violations and reopen, will you have enough money to finance productions this year?
How are you and your staff making ends meet personally while the theatre is closed?
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Questions for Chris Brown, Local Actor and Principal cast member of Poor Richard’s Players
Chris Brown has been involved in both the local theater scene and has taken part in bigger productions along the Strip. He can give insight into the actor's point of view as it relates to local theater and how the company is dealing with the closure. He can provide anecdotes on the importance of local theater and how it brings the community together.
How long have you been involved in Poor Richard’s Players and/or the Playhouse?
What’s a memorable experience you’ve had at the Playhouse that you would love for readers to know?
What’s different about the experience of local theatre versus major productions? How is that important to the community?
How has the closure of the Playhouse affected you personally?
If the Playhouse cannot reopen, what does it mean for you professionally?
What part, if any, are you playing in the capital campaign to reopen?
Why should locals care about the current hardships of the Playhouse?
Are other local theatres experiencing hardships trying to sustain reopening efforts since the pandemic?
Are you or other members of the company performing elsewhere for the time being? If yes, where and what are you working on? If no, are you worried about how the time off is affecting your skillset? Can you elaborate?
If you were in charge of the capital campaign, what would you do differently or what would your plans be for saving the theater?
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Story 2: Vanessa Booth – UNLV’s Scarlet & Gray
Questions for Vanessa Booth, Editor-in-chief at the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
Vanessa is in charge of the school paper. She is the best source to provide information regarding the financial situation of the paper. Furthermore, she is leading the efforts to increase funding with a bold strategy of imposing a fee on students for the first time for the paper.
How did you become the editor-in-chief at the Scarlet & Gray? What is the history of your involvement with the paper?
Why is an independent student newspaper important?
How would you describe the paper’s current financial situation? Is the current financial situation sustainable?
What makes you uniquely suited to solving the fluctuating financial situation of the paper? Are you planning for future years when you are no longer at the university or focusing on the present first and foremost?
What was the Review Journal’s reasoning for discontinuing free use of their printing press? How much warning were you given? Are they doing anything to try to find a better solution then charging the paper a fee? In 2017 the RJ was quick to come to the aid of the paper, what has changed in either the attitude of the RJ or the relationship b/t the RJ and paper?
Can you explain your idea for a proposed fee added to student’s tuition? How much revenue will that generate per year? Has there been a precedent for charging students for the paper in the past either at UNLV or other universities? Where did you get the idea? Where does the status of executing the fee stand?
Besides the new fee, donations and advertisements, are there any other revenue generating methods you are exploring or hope to explore? What are they and what are the challenges associated with them?
Has there been any consideration in looking to the University for financial aid? Would that risk the freedom and journalistic integrity of the paper?
How does the relationship between the paper and the University work? What happens to the paper, offices, space and status within the campus if the paper cannot find a way to fund itself?
With the era of print journalism seemingly coming to an end, why continue to push for a printed hard copy of the paper instead of moving solely to a digital format? Would a digital shift hurt your audience?
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Questions for Alex Wright, Executive Managing Editor – Sports Editor for the Scarlet & Gray Free Press
Alex has a long history with the S&G. He was a previous editor-in-chief and is a great resource to provide context to the financial situation of the paper. Furthermore, he has a direct line to the Review Journal and may be able to provide context to the RJ's decision to discontinue complimentary use of their printing press.
What is your level of involvement in the day-to-day running of the paper? How does that differ from being editor-in-chief?
Why did you decide to stay at the S&G after your tenure as editor-in-chief came to an end? Do you plan to have any connection to the paper once you graduate? If yes, in what capacity?
What outside resources, institutions or advisors have been the most beneficial and/or helpful to the paper? How so?
How has the financial well-being of the paper changed over the time period of your involvement? What’s different about this year than past years?
Does interning at the Review Journal present any conflicts of interest in mediating or being involved in the current conflict involving the RJ no longer offering complimentary use of their printing press?
Were you consulted or have you had any contact with the RJ concerning the decision either before or after it was made?
What are your views on the student fee that is awaiting final approval from President Whitfield? Do you believe the amount to be too little, too much or just right? Would you do anything different with the fee proposal if you were still editor-in-chief?
How has support for school administration changed throughout your tenure with the paper? Is this year different from past years? Is there tension between the school and the paper?
Has there been any talk of attempting to expand the circulation of the paper beyond UNLV? Why or why not? If the paper serviced the greater Las Vegas area, would there be more opportunities for funding from other resources?
Where do you see the future of the S&G going?
Is there anything else you would like to add?
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