From all-around hand at Theatre Tesseract in the ’80s, David Cecsarini became associate director when Tesseract merged with Next Generation Theatre in 1990 and later became artistic director of Next Act Theatre. He moved the company from Centennial Hall, to the Stiemke Studio, to a warehouse on St. Paul Avenue and North Water Street and, finally, to the well-designed theater at 255 S. Water St. Along the way, Cecsarini built a successful professional Milwaukee theater by offering work that is distinctive and of high quality. Here are excerpts from a recent conversation.
On programming the season:
“In a nutshell, I read until I find things I like. I collect ideas through the year. People send me scripts. I’m open to recommendations. I see what other theaters have done that sounds interesting. I do all the reading myself. When I think I have a really interesting play, I’ll circulate it to get other takes on how an audience might react, what the challenges might be or if it seems to fit who we are.
“People say pretty consistently that they always have something to talk about after our shows. The material has latched onto them, raised questions, encouraged a realization of different perspectives or issues. We’re a bit issue oriented but always in a way that’s engaging. It’s got to have some substance and relevance to our lives or the lives of people around us. I love it when stories are told in unusual ways. I think ambiguity is fun. When it’s all answered for you, what’s there to talk about?
“We go show by show. How is it going to work? Who’s going to come? Who’s going to interfere—particularly reviewers? You know how it is. You believe in a piece so deeply, you understand and appreciate its values; you realize it’s not perfect but you’re behind it for its values. Then a reviewer who’s got a loud voice comes and demolishes it. A lot of audiences still base their judgment on that or it delays their reaction until they hear from other people. But once the run is over, it’s gone.”
On the art form:
“Theatergoers are supposedly, what, 10% of the population? And that’s probably including the once-a-year Christmas Carol stuff. It’s not high on Americans’ cultural list. Yet we all have a funny way of still believing in it strongly.
“My teenager is doing a First Stage show this spring, and I’ve always said what a great place for kids to hang out! In the theater! I find that’s true for all of us, all my colleagues all across the city. We all do different material but we’re pushing the same thing: how enriching and engaging, how positive and energizing theater is. That’s why doing the work we do is almost enough of a payoff for how difficult it can be. It keeps us coming back.
“That’s a reward I’m coming to appreciate more as I consider what I’m going to do now. I mean, I’m 62. What do I want to do with the next however many years? And what’s going on out there? Is an audience going to be there? Who knows? We know this: They can’t outsource our jobs. Or I don’t know, maybe they’ll come up with driverless theater; everybody can stay home.
“But then you wouldn’t have the sweat, the spit in the first row, the communal setting with a story being told. That’s ancient; it’s caveman stuff. ‘What happened today?’ ‘We killed the tiger!’ And the actor puts on the tiger skin and takes you there with the simplest means. I think we still want that.”
