How to Run the Show
It takes time, talent and the occasional sleight of hand to keep Kirkland’s star shining
Artist Ousmane Dia once said, “I am sure that only art will bring together all the peoples of the world.” So what does it take to bring art to the people? THRIVE sat down with freshly minted Kirkland Fine Arts Center Director Jan Traughber to find out.
T: First a little background. You may be the new director, but you’re certainly not new to Kirkland or the arts.
JT: That’s right; I’ve been here 11 years as Box Office Manager and most recently as Patron Relations Manager.
T: And then you moved into the director role.
JT: Yes. It started when Barry Pearson, the director at the time, asked me to go with him to the Midwest Arts Conference. He said he wanted more than one person to know the ropes. This is my third year to go. It’s your first opportunity to see what acts are available and talk to artists or their representatives.
T: Assuming it’s not a big room full of performers, it’s a trade show?
JT: It’s a conventional trade show setup, and you can set appointments in the evenings and go to showcases at different venues to see actual acts perform. You can see film clips and bios, but to see them in action is great.
T: Is that the only way to find talent?
JT: Oh there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t get e-mails or contracts from acts. There’s a bigger international show in January in New York, APAP [Association of Performing Arts Presenters]. And you get to know agents and agencies like William Morris and build a relationship. One act even came to Kirkland to visit me, which blew me away. Like everyone, the economy has been hard on artists.
T: So that changes the way arts presenters work?
JT: To me the biggest challenge in the presenting end is that people’s entertainment dollars are the first thing that gets cut. And there are so many more entertainment options than there were 30 years ago. My challenge is to find acts people aren’t going to see elsewhere. My passion is live entertainment.
T: How do you do that? What makes Kirkland different?
JT: We’ve had to get creative. Our seasons are smaller than they used to be for the Kirkland Series. We used to have 18 shows; now we have six or seven. We have more family-friendly performances and reach a much larger group of people.
T: And what does that mean you’re looking for in an act?
JT: We’re keeping our minds and eyes open. After all, what’s fine arts? This year we have an illusionist [Mike Super]. NBC had a hit TV show, Phenomenon, and he was the winner of it. Our goal is that our programming will reach as many people as possible. I want to be able to continue to offer fine arts entertainment to the community, to all people, especially those who don’t have the opportunity to go to New York or Chicago to see a Broadway show. And our answer is also to look on campus.
T: That’s a good point—you’re right at Millikin.
JT: We’ve got Millikin University Theatre & Dance, one of the best around. Our Fall Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, is a collaboration of the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra and the school. Their performances and sets and cast are on caliber with traveling Broadway shows. We get talent on campus, and it’s exciting to see who’s the next big star.
T: At the same time, you’re planning around those stars’ and the school’s performances, right?
JT: It takes a lot of coordinating. Our schedule is based on a scheduled 5-year calendar from Dance, Theatre, Music. There are hundreds of events each year to schedule around, plus lectures and special events. Kirkland Series scheduling comes last. The challenge is finding availability.
T: And finding talent that draws!
JT: Absolutely. We’ve gotten more innovative and creative with our programming. In particular I’m excited about the Beatles tribute this year [Twist & Shout: The Beatles Tribute]. We’ve never done a tribute band before, and we’re trying to make things appealing to a larger segment of the population. Another act I’m really excited about is Eileen Ivers, a Celtic fiddler. She’s won seven times the world fiddle competition in Ireland. They call her the Jimi Hendrix of the violin.
T: It’s like being up close and personal with a celebrity!
JT: Actually we’ve created something just for that. Our Behind the Curtain events are an opportunity for people to buy tickets and go to the event on stage. People sit on stage with the act in the round. We serve a five-course meal with wine and dessert, and it’s all themed. Last year we did Cirque Voila! with a circus theme and served items like cotton candy martinis and peanut encrusted chicken. This year we’re planning two more. We haven’t finalized dates or events yet but we think Cirque Voila! will be coming back.
T: In other words Kirkland isn’t just any venue?
JT: You hear it all the time, but there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. A couple new to the community from Washington, DC raves about the acoustics, the atmosphere, the ushers, the front-of-house staff. And they’re used to going to the Kennedy Center! What a compliment!
Tickets for Kirkland events are on sale now at www.millikin.edu/kirkland or 424-6318. Buy multi-event packages now for early access to events like the wildly popular annual Vespers.
