Landesman on Peroia: "It is Nice when People are Sympathetic to the Ignorant"

As previously reported, former Angels in America producer and President of Jujamcyn Theatres, and newly appointed Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman, kicked off a six month national tour on November 6 to cities and towns throughout America to learn and highlight the ways that art can create jobs, stimulate the economy and revitalize communities. This educational experiment is only one part of larger, philosophical plans to makeover the organization, he revealed to the Wall Street Journal in a recent interview. Among the surprising changes are the endorsement of graffiti and hip-hop artists of all varieties, in addition to supporting those that espouse more perverse topics historically frowned upon by the institution.  

In other words, Rocco Landesman is being clear: with regard to the arts in the United States, it is a new, "think outside of the box" age, and once in which everyone is going to be challenged to change preconceived notions.  Even him.  

Landesman's tour kicked-off in Peoria, IL on Friday, a launchpad that was specifically selected following criticism Landesman suffered after he remarked to the New York Times: "I don't know if there's a theater in Peoria...but I would bet that it's not as good as Steppenwolf or the Goodman," two prestigious Chicago companies.  This comment promoted arts leaders from Peoria - Carol Coletta, Suzette Boulais, and Kathy Chitwood - to invite the Arts Czar to their hometown to prove him wrong and, in the hope of doing so, educate the country that Peoria is, in fact, a theater town that can hold its own.

According to a report on Bloomberg.com this morning, wrong Landesman admits himself to be. After eating crow, touring multiple facilities, and taking in a production of Rent, he admitted, "It's nice when people are sympathetic and empathetic to the ignorant."

To read the full account of Landesman's visit to Peoria on Bloomberg.com, click here.

Landesman's national tour includes round-table discussions about the impact of the arts in each of the stops. The chairman will continue to St. Louis, Missouri, the week of November 23, 2009; to Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee, the week of November 30, 2009; and to other states, including California, Idaho, Kentucky and Washington over the next several months.

To expand the dialogue, the NEA is hosting a blog at www.arts.gov where Americans can post examples and stories of how art works in their own communities. Chairman Landesman will also post dispatches from the "Art Works" tour on the Web site.

As a producer, Landesman has been involved with the award-winning plays Doubt, Proof, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Angels in America, The Grapes of Wrath and The Piano Lesson; the Tony-winning musicals Jersey Boys, The Producers and Big River; the Tony-winning revivals of Guys and Dolls, Sweeney Todd, Nine and Kiss Me, Kate; and the Tony-winning revival of Death of a Salesman.

Congress created the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent government run entity, in 1965. To this day is it committed to funding and endorsing private arts organizations around the country. For more about the NEA, "Art Works," and its additional programs, visit arts.gov.