A Letter to Donald J. Trump or God: Whoever Turns the Kennedy Center into a Casino First

Junior PR Account Manager Annabelle Mastin-Lee headed over to New York City last week as part of her work with Xhloe and Natasha on their Off-Broadway debut of Fringe First winning A Letter To Lyndon B.Johnson Or God: Whoever Reads This First. 

While over in the Big Apple, she met with some NYC locals in the industry to find out more about their feelings on the current American state of arts and, more hopefully, what they're looking forward to in the arts scene.

It’s a bittersweet feeling leaving New York City after a jam-packed four days of meeting with performers, producers, playwrights and press to talk about the highs and lows of the industry, as well as the ambitious projects they have in the pipeline. Whether they were an old friend of Mobius or brand-new, the open and honest conversations over coffee, french toast and stiff drinks brought about mixed emotions of excitement, anger, hope, fear. While I was in New York last week stomping the streets of the city that never sleeps, Trump had taken over The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and purged the board, claiming that the “woke” programming, which included a variety of drag performances, had to go. While I had such a fantastic time walking around this vibrant city and chatting to some of fringe theatre’s most talented individuals, I think it’s important to share not just the magic of what the US theatre industry can bring, but also the obstacles that currently stand in its way.

Will we see these barriers impacting theatre in the UK? A recent article in Arts Professional examined what UK Creative industries might face under Trump’s rule, highlighting protectionist policies and budget cuts that might harm collaboration with US and UK artists as well as increasing costs on exporting creative goods and services.

Here are some of the key takeaways from chatting to the NYC creatives:

I ventured to Carnegie Diner in Times Square on Tuesday to have lunch with Margaret Hall, a writer for Playbill, musical theatre historian and founder of the Autistic Theatremakers Alliance (ATA). After two years of chatting over email during the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh Fringe, we were finally able to meet face to face. She explained:

"Things are undeniably bleak right now. Money and power have been consolidated in such a way that it is precariously difficult to get a show on, and even more difficult to produce a show that isn't designed to speak to the widest audience possible. However, as a historian, I do have hope that the theatre industry will respond as it did to institutional oppression in the 1930's and 1960's, which is to say, I hope that we learn to do-away with expensive, flashy, spectacle driven presentations, and instead pour our hearts into pushing back by redefining the boundaries of what can be considered commercial theatre. The 1930's had The Cradle Will Rock, the 1960's had Hair, and I'm putting my faith in the 2020's having Dead Outlaw. I'd rather see a singularly scrappy show from the perspective of one hyper-specific artist than continue to cover generically conservative art-by-committee. It's time to get weird again!"

I headed to Daily Provisions in Union Square on Monday morning to meet with founder of A/Park Productions and Stage Manager Allison Parker, who we worked with on Unseen and Do This One Thing For Me at Edinburgh Fringe 2024. The news about Trump firing various members of the board had just broke and she shared:

“It is a very scary time in the United States right now. Attempts are being made to strip rights and silence voices. In this dark time though, I feel so grateful to be a part of the incredible and diverse theatre community here in NYC. We are fighters, we are resilient and we will continue to share our art and voices with the world no matter the adversity we may face.”

I unexpectedly found myself on the second floor of lingerie shop Intimissimi at their cafe on Tuesday morning to meet up with writer and performer Lauren O’Brien for coffee to chat about exciting plans for her award-winning Lolo’s Boyfriend Show (Audience Choice Award, NYC Fringe Festival 2024). When asked about how she was finding the industry at the moment and what she was hoping for, she said:

"I'm constantly blown away by the talent and ingenuity of artists in the New York City Theatre Scene, even as the financial challenges grow. I'd love to see the connections between "Creators of Art" and "Supporters of Art" strengthen even more! The relationship between creators and supporters can be so beautiful and mutually beneficial... I'm interested in finding new and creative ways to strengthen these relationships."

On a snowy Sunday afternoon I met with playwright, producer, director and comedian Mike Lemme at Tartinery in Greenwich Village, where plans for espresso turned into Merlot. I asked about what he was most looking forward to in the NYC arts scene and what he has coming up:

“I’m greatly looking forward to A24 finally reopening the legendary Cherry Lane Theatre and Seaview opening Studio Seaview (formerly the Tony Kiser Theater). In preparation, I’ve been busy adapting our hit Edinburgh Fringe and NYC one-woman show ‘Before The Drugs Kick In’ starring Maria DeCotis into a multigenerational limited television series that could also expand into a number of other forms of original content including more television shows, feature films, scripted podcasts, and a Broadway run of the original play. I’m writing the limited series while trying to get the play back up and running off-Broadway at the same time.

I hope with the backing of powerful franchises like A24 and Seaview, these Off-Broadway theatres will truly provide a home for powerful and entertaining shows regardless of if there is a famous or wealthy person attached to the production.

There’s an IP pipeline being built in NYC by the likes of A24, Seaview, and Audible. Creatives in the city are more than ready for these opportunities and we know how to fill the seats and build a lasting relationship with an audience. All we need is for our emails to be replied to or at least forwarded to an assistant.”

On my trip to New York, I walked 81,500 steps, I saw my first Off-Broadway show and first Super Bowl, I ate my way through Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express and Raising Canes, got ripped off in a Midtown Irish Bar ($30 for a Gin and Tonic hello!?) and most importantly, learnt a lot about the NYC theatre scene and the fascinating people who play a crucial part in it. I hope that these artists continue to be given the freedom to push boundaries and explore art forms and difficult subject matters. I suppose I hope they continue to be “woke”, despite Donald Trump’s best efforts.

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