Theatre Bay Area Releases Study on Impact of Live Theatre, 3/12

Theatre Bay Area and the research firm WolfBrown announce the completion of the book Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art. The book contains the final report of "Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre," and interviews with more than 20 prominent artistic directors in the United States, and essays by industry thought-leaders Diane Ragsdale, Arlene Goldbard, Rebecca Novick, and more. A book tour will launch March 12 in Chicago, and will visit eight cities in the United States including Minneapolis, Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art is now available for purchase at www.theatrebayarea.org/intrinsicimpact. Also available on the site are the executive summary of the work and interview excerpts, available free of charge.

Counting New Beans: Intrinsic Impact and the Value of Art contains the results of a two-year nationwide research study called "Measuring the Intrinsic Impact of Live Theatre" that looked at 18 theatre companies and 58 productions in six cities across the United States in an effort to increase the field's understanding of what seeing a piece of theatre actually does to audiences emotionally, intellectually, and empathetically.

Over 20,000 survey responses were collected and analyzed. The results of the findings, along with 24 interviews with theatre leaders and patrons from across the United States, including Susan Atkinson, Keith Baker, Anne Bogart, Dudley Cocke, David Dower, Oskar Eustis, Steven Glaudini, Taylor Greenthal, Rachel Grossman, Todd Haimes, David Kilpatrick, Jessica Kubzansky, Martha Lavey, Barry Levine, Rob Melrose, Bonnie Metzgar, Michael Michetti, Terrence Nolen, Diane Paulus, Jill Rafson, Bill Rauch, Jack Reuler, Michael Rohd, Howard Shalwitz, Tony Taccone, Sarah Taines, Sydni Taines and Sixto Wagan are included in the book, along with a foreword by Ben Cameron, Program Director for the Arts at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and introduction by Brad Erickson, Executive Director of Theatre Bay Area.

"We are so pleased to release this major report to the field, and to help spark a nationwide conversation about the true value of art," says Project Manager Clayton Lord, "We are grateful to the many foundations, arts service organizations, theatre staff, and industry leaders who helped make this landmark work possible."