Introduction to Unified Purpose Podcast
Daniella (D): Hi everybody. Welcome to Unified Purpose. You guys know what we do here? We share inspiring tales of compassion, resilience, and community spirit. I’m your host Daniella, and I’m Pen’s partnership coordinator. And today we have a really great episode. We have John McEwen from the New Jersey Theater Alliance.
John McEwen (JM): Hi John. How are you?
JM: Good. And you?
D: I’m doing great. I’m so excited to have you on the podcast. But before we get into everything, I want you to introduce yourself, um, and tell us a little bit about you and what you do.
JM: Sure. Well, I’m John McEwen, so we established that. So I’m the executive director of the New Jersey Theater Alliance, which is a service organization that works with 42 theaters, 42 professional producing theaters here in New Jersey. We also do some work with our friends over at the Bucks County Playhouse right across the river there on the border. And so we have a great team here. We promote and strengthen and support all of our theaters. We want to make sure that people are aware of the great quality theater that we have here in New Jersey, ’cause you know, we’re sandwiched between Philly and New York City. And we just want to make sure that people know that there’s a thriving theater and arts community right here in New Jersey. So we provide so many programs and services to strengthen them as a group, but also we do a lot of work with them, individually.
D: That’s so incredible. Now I have so many questions for you about this, but before we start, I do have a game prepared for you. Alright. Um, just a this or that. So I’m gonna ask you some questions and I just wanna know which ones you prefer, okay? And we’ll get right into the podcast. Okay? So first one is coffee or tea.
JM: Coffee.
D: Second one, early bird or night owl.
JM: Early bird.
D: Next one. Beach or mountains.
JM: Definitely the beach.
D: Fiction or nonfiction.
JM: Nonfiction.
D: Phone calls or text messages.
JM: Phone calls.
D: City life or the countryside.
JM: City life.
D: Music or podcasts.
JM: Music.
Discussing John’s Journey to New Jersey Theater Alliance
D: Interesting. Yeah, that would make sense. I mean, you are, you know, part of a theater alliance. It would be horrible if you didn’t like music. Um, but John, that was so interesting. And now actually, let’s talk a little bit about what you do. You told us a little bit about what the New Jersey Theater Alliance does, and how you guys serve the community. But I wanna know what drew you personally to work with them, be in this sort of space, and ultimately to sort of be a part of the organization.
JM: Sure. Well, I’ve always been interested in the theater since I was a little kid. My parents took me to the theater when I was five or six. And I just fell in love with it. I did a lot of community theater when I was growing up as a kid. Our high school, unfortunately, did not have a drama department, so I had to seek out theater in community theater organizations around my town. So that was just great. And I did think at some point, oh, it’d be nice to be an actor. So I took acting classes, I did a lot of dinner theaters, some summer stock work. But I learned early on that that was probably not the path for me as much as I loved it. I got an internship in the Berkshires and did some work there over the summer with a summer stock company. But I was on the business side of things, so I did all the little managerial things to support the actors, to support the production team, and thought, wow, there’s this whole other side, this whole other career that I could explore. So that’s how I got interested in the business side of theater.
I went back to school. I got my bachelor’s at Montclair State University here in New Jersey. I was a theater and communications major. I thought it would be important to have a double major just in case the theater path didn’t work out. But it’s so funny that I use all of those things I learned in my undergrad. I still work with a lot of that today. Then I decided to go back and get my master’s at NYU in Arts Management. Back then, there wasn’t a degree in arts management, but now many universities offer it. I worked at the Ensemble Studio Theater in New York and then at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey as the development director for many years. I also dabbled over at public television before coming here to the Theater Alliance. I was involved with the Theater Alliance while at Paper Mill, because Paper Mill Playhouse is a member. So I was very familiar with the organization when I interviewed and accepted the job as director.
The Theater Community and Its Challenges
D: That’s so interesting. I love hearing stories like yours of people making their way in the arts. I think with things like music and acting, we often think you didn’t make it unless you’re a famous Hollywood actor or a singer, right? But I think there are so many ways to be successful and pursue this passion without necessarily being the Hollywood star. You seem to be really happy with it, and I think it shows that there are ways to make an impact without being on the big screen.
JM: Well, there’s so many ways to be involved in the arts. You can always continue your creative outlet, whether it’s acting or making music or dance, but you can still make a huge contribution on the other side. All the theaters we work with are small businesses. They need skills, opportunities to network, technical assistance to strengthen them as businesses, and services that can save them money so they can do what they do best: produce great theater. They need to be promoted, and we help get the word out. There’s also a lot of great work our theaters do in the community, with young people and in healthcare. Studies show that being involved in theater can have a positive impact on one’s health and well-being. Our theaters are all nonprofits, and they want to keep ticket prices affordable while producing innovative community programs. The Alliance’s role is to help support them.
D: That’s great. And I think it’s so true that there’s more to the arts than just the performance aspect. And the community involvement is just as powerful. So, on a day-to-day basis, what are some of the biggest opportunities or challenges that New Jersey is facing in the live theater space?
JM: The fact that we’re sandwiched between New York and Philadelphia can be a blessing and a curse. We have to constantly remind people of the great professional theater we have here in New Jersey. Professional meaning everyone is paid, from the actors to the tech people, and all are members of Actors’ Equity. After the pandemic, it was a huge challenge. Theater was one of the first industries to shut down and one of the last to reopen. But I’m proud to say we didn’t lose a single theater. We provided support, resources, and financial assistance. Now that theaters are back, there’s still a challenge. People aren’t planning as far in advance, and subscription sales are not where they were before. A lot of people got used to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, and it’s harder to get them to leave the house for live theater. But live theater is an experience like no other. It’s a different energy than anything you get from streaming.
D: I totally agree. It’s that communal experience of being in the same space as others, reacting together in real-time.
JM: Exactly. And we’ve seen this shift in people’s habits. But there’s still nothing like the live performance experience. Funding remains a challenge, especially with corporate funding shifting away from the arts. However, our State Arts Council and Governor Murphy have been very supportive, so we continue to push forward.
The Role of the Younger Generation in Theater
D: I think the younger generation is definitely more inclined to engage with the arts now. When I was growing up, theater or arts were considered not as “cool” compared to sports, but now people seem more open to it.
JM: Yes, it’s exciting to see so much interest in the arts from younger people. Many of our theaters have incredible programs for young people, and we also have a Career Accelerator Program that pairs young, emerging artists of color with theaters to develop their skills and build networks. Many of these fellows have gone on to get jobs in the arts after completing the program. It’s great to see this new generation of leaders coming into the arts field.
D: That’s amazing. It really seems like there’s a shift in the culture around the arts, and people are embracing it much more than before. It’s great to see the arts become more inclusive.
JM: Absolutely. And we’re also focused on making sure that theater is accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. Our Cultural Access Network Project has been active for over 30 years, and it’s been great to see New Jersey leading in this area. Everyone should have access to the arts, whether as an audience member or an artist.
Conclusion and How to Get Involved
D: That’s really inspiring. John, thank you so much for sharing all of this with us. Before we wrap up, where can people find more information about the New Jersey Theater Alliance?
JM: You can visit our website at NJTheaterAlliance.org. We spell theater with an RE. Take a look at all the great work our theaters are doing. If you’re interested in getting involved or learning more about the theater community, don’t hesitate to reach out.
D: Thank you so much, John. And for everyone listening, be sure to check out the links in the description. Thanks again, John, and thank you all for tuning in. See you on the next episode.
JM: Thank you.
D: Thanks, everyone!
