RE: RAT Money, value and art

["Christopher Danowski" <oritutu@hotmail.com>]

Hm, okay, just want to throw a few pennies into this pot, since I've been 
lurking, & enjoying the lurking.
I think it would be nice to get paid, pay people to do this stuff, but it is 
a question of taking bread from a plate that's poisoned, most of the time.  
We probably all have very close friends who say "Milk the system for 
whatever the hell you can get out of it," & these are usually the same 
people who get eaten up (you meet them a few years down the road, they're 
driving new vw's--which of course I want as well just because of the 
designer blue color I'm serious--or get their hair done at 200 bucks a pop, 
& they just don't seem to have the gleam behind the eyes anymore, & they're 
so busy...).
Using corporate money to deconstruct a corporation sounds very noble, but 
I'd like some examples (I can only think of a few, & they aren't US 
theatres--one is a group called LTCI, formerly based in Tobasco, now in 
Mexico City, Yucatan, & Morelos; they had a governor who was extremely hip & 
gave them a boatload of money to turn a town into a big rehearsal 
space/citizens all included in the space, but even this group has come
under fire for selling out by some/not by me tho, & the governor didn't get 
re-elected, & Joe Papp died, & they have some state-sponsored schools to 
supplement their income).
Anyway, until someone figures out how to eat the fat off the corporate 
platter without dying, I'll propose a return to the Patronage system, where 
you find One Rich Fucker (ORF)& get them to fund whatever you do--that way 
you only have to respond to the ORF & don't have to worry about corporations 
realigning themselves toward a new milennium which doesn't include your 
theater any longer.
Of course, I'm not sure the ORF system means steering clear of capitalism, 
either, & maybe it's poison again, but at least it's another hand away from 
the platter.  & of course, I haven't really been able to find the ORF who 
will pay for me, so I have a temp job, where I can write to the RAT-list for 
free, & milk the uh system for uh whatever it's worth heh heh heh.  aw shit.
As for new Cesar Chavez's, I'd put up the philosophy/life example of 
Subcomandante Marcos as a possible contender, even tho he packs heat, which 
does go against my pacifist ideologies, but...it's very difficult & 
complicated, but he is someone who came from the middle class, a theater 
background...
These are very good questions, and I'm extremely grateful to have enough to 
eat & a computer to sit by & think about them with enough protein to make 
thoughts flow.
When does political theater cross the line to where it's no longer acting in 
the world, but becomes an excuse to pacify the theater participants into 
thinking they're taking action & are acting on their conscience?  I guess I 
mean to say, when does it become self-delusional?  I'm probably less cynical 
a more generous than most about what constitutes a political act, but I 
think the line is fuzzy.
BTW since Winona LaDuke is more likely to see one of my plays than Gore or 
Bush, she's got my vote (I'm not sure that Ralph would want to come to my 
basement, since it's a little unsafe with the railing as it is).
Chris (I'd probably take a $5,000 grant) Danowski
Theater In My Basement
Minneapolis


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