As children of the TV era, our perception of Santa and Christmas was shaped by the media, with the yearly ritual viewing of cartoons such as "Charlie Brown" , "The Grinch", and others. Through these cartoons, we learned that Christmas was supposedly more than just about receiving gifts; however, the moral impact of these lessons was tempered by the fact that they were brought to us by Hasbro and Mattel. Despite what the Grinch said, Christmas clearly DID come from a store. In “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, we were presented with the mythology of Santa, portrayed as a grumpy corporate CEO more concerned with the bottom line than the well-being of his elves or reindeer. He never seemed very kindly and was not particularly benevolent; in fact, he was downright discriminatory. I was always secretly sad when I thought about the Island of Misfit Toys, and wondered why Santa would give presents to some children around the world but not to others. It seemed very selective to me, and not at all fair, even though Santa generally brought me most of the items on my "wish list".
In these economically challenged times, we realize that it's impossible for all our Christmas wishes to be fulfilled. For small theaters such as Chronos Theatre Group, Santa has left us nothing under the tree this year. Fortunately, unlike larger theaters, we don’t need very many toys to play with. And through long experience playing with just empty boxes we have had the opportunity to use our imaginations to a greater extent than larger theaters with their high operating costs. So, since we're used to making do with very little we don't expect much from Santa, and we're fine with that.
Christmas morning was always a Who-like frenzy of ripping colorful paper and opening box after box of toys (and the occasional dress from an aunt). And the noise, noise, noise, NOISE! But by the end of the day, no matter how many toys we received we had played with them all -- and with nothing left but our imaginations we played with the boxes.
Like Charlie Brown, many people feel let down during the holidays. We wonder what is missing, and we wish we could find out what it is that we really wish for. We don’t even know what we’re celebrating any more. Somehow now the aluminum Christmas trees sound hollow, the sparkling colored lights appear garish, and the carols are beginning to get on our nerves. What was it that Linus said…before they cut to a commercial?
The best presents, we're taught, come from the heart. However, our society tends to equate money with value, so theaters with large budgets are somehow seen as intrinsically more worthy than smaller organizations. Yet like the most meaningful gifts, true art is not valued strictly in financial terms. Fancy packaging and advertising don't make Christmas cookies from Williams-Sonoma better than fresh homemade ones in a tin from the 99 cent store. Sometimes money can be a restriction and even a burden, especially when financial or corporate interests determine the artistic direction of a theater or individual artist. Thus, our situation as a small theatre with a very low budget allows us a sort of artistic freedom in which we can take creative risks, producing work which is not necessarily determined by the financial bottom line.
We realize that every theater in town has requested donations this year, and money definitely would come in handy. But even if you don't have any cash to donate, you can still help support Chronos -- and other small theaters in San Diego -- in a number of ways. Our wish list reflects our pressing needs as a theater, and offers creative ways in which you as an individual or small business can help us in 2012. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, all donations are tax-deductible, so we are trying to encourage not just financial but in-kind donations of services, space, and other goods.
Here are some of our wishes for the New Year:
1. Storage space for costumes and props. Right now, we are paying $105 a month, and it will soon go up to $113. We would love to find a conveniently located storage space, either donated or at a low cost. We could also share a space with another theater group. In addition, we have a great selection of period and ethnic costumes available to rent.
2. Rehearsal space. This is an ongoing issue, because it is difficult to find free or very low-cost spaces to rent on weeknights or weekends for rehearsals. The needs can range from a couple of nights for a staged reading to several weeks for a full production. Ideal spaces would be centrally located, with parking, and would have a large floor space. Offices or warehouses are perfect after hours.
3. Printing and repro services. We would be willing to promote your business on our website and other media. We generally need programs, posters, and flyers for readings and full productions. We also have other ongoing printing needs, such as scripts.
4. Performance space. We're always looking for theaters or alternative spaces, including opportunities for site-specific works. We're also interested in ways we can help other organizations and businesses flourish through an association with the arts.
5. Attend a show. If you don't have the posted ticket price, email us and we can find a way for you to see the show at a reduced rate or for free. We always want to have a good house with a receptive, interested audience.
6. Volunteer. There are many ways in which we can use willing people in tech, marketing, house management, and other areas. You can see shows for free, and you can learn more about the operations of small non-profit theater.
We hope that Santa – or you – can help us fulfill one or more of these wishes this year. If you can, please email us at info@chronostheatre.com, and we’ll respond promptly. Or, if you’d prefer, we will gladly accept donations of money.
Chronos Theatre Group's mission is to explore classical and historical works from a variety of cultures and time periods. Our extended group of actors, musicians, dancers, artists, and tech people crosses over into other small theaters around San Diego, and as such we share a common goal: to find opportunities to perform and to produce theater which other people can appreciate. After years of training and devotion to their craft, professional performers expect and deserve to be paid a decent wage. For Chronos, our priority this year is to pay our actors and tech people prevailing wages and increase performance opportunities. Through our multi-cultural ensemble and choices of material, we also hope to attract people who wouldn’t ordinarily go to the theater, thus creating new and diverse audiences who can appreciate and share in the ancient art of theater.
Most of all, our true wish is that through the arts we can become aware of our higher nature and transform the world into a more evolved and peaceful place for everyone. Here’s to increasing education and teaching kids about the intrinsic value of the arts, and providing greater funding to arts organizations so that artists and performers can share their talents and make a living at their calling. Let's all join together as performers, artists, and audiences to make this New Year a resounding success artistically and spiritually -- and yes, even financially.
"Welcome, Christmas, while we stand,
Heart to heart and hand in hand."
Wishing all of you a joyous and creative 2012!
Celeste Innocenti
Artistic Director
www.chronostheatre.com
