Theatre Design & Technology - Summer 2013 - 30

Sustainability in Practice: obstacles
and Successes
Although the theatre practitioners we interviewed represented a
wide artistic, social, and economic spread, they all faced similar
obstacles and successes. Three major areas at every institution
became apparent during our investigation: awareness and communication, finding money and time to overcome the learning
curve-an idea McDonough and Braungart emphasize-and
making sustainability a core value held by all stakeholders.
Most advocates for sustainability have recognized the need
to increase awareness of the major ecological impact of theatrical production. At each company and in each region the move
toward sustainability began with a small core of people who persistently advocated their positions until others began to work with
them. Wider communication by the growing core then targeted
other practitioners as well as funders and audiences. The Theatres Trust in the United Kingdom hosted numerous Sustainability
Summits at PLASA, and Childsplay worked with the Arizona State
University Global Institute of Sustainability to host summits and
workshops with other Phoenix practitioners. The Partnership
for Academic Leadership in Sustainability integrates social and
ecological sustainability at thirty-three schools of art and design
in the United States. Julie's Bicycle works with British music and
theatre producers as they become more sustainable. The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) seeks to educate, motivate, and inspire
the American commercial theatre community and its patrons to
choose environmentally friendlier practices.
The BGA's Green Captain program identifies one or more
volunteers from the production team to advocate positive sustainability efforts on Broadway productions. A version of this
program is now expanding to colleges and universities through-

Julie's Bicycle
www.juliesbicycle.com
Julie's Bicycle is a not for profit organisation making
sustainability intrinsic to the business, art and ethics of
the creative industries. Their mission is to encourage
the arts and creative industries to act on the causes
of climate change, environmental degradation and
resource inequalities. They want to take environmental
solutions to scale thereby demonstrating the creative
community's capacity for society-wide leadership.

theatre design

& technology

s u m m e r 2013

out the country. In New York City, the BGA has worked with
theatre owners to upgrade their facilities and equipment to
reduce natural resource consumption. It also has sponsored
a number of recycling drives in Times Square for Broadway audience members to bring their reusable goods such as textiles.
These small steps illustrate a widespread effort to communicate
a consistent message with a particular community of patrons.
Conversations with those engaging in more sustainable
practices and with onlookers alike suggest that a large number of theatre makers accept the notion that more sustainable
theatre is a good idea. But even theatres leading in sustainable production, such as the Arcola Theatre in London, face
challenges. Feimatta Conteh noted that basic principles of a
sustainability initiative should be consistently reinforced with
staff. Even where there is an institutional commitment, human
nature takes over, and individuals do not necessarily alter established practices.
In the United Kingdom, funding for sustainability seems
to be more ingrained than it is in the United States. Sustainability is a "key consideration" for funding from the Arts Council's
Capital Programme, and in February 2012, Arts Council England announced that all major program funding agreements
will include environmental sustainability guidance and requirements. (Arts Council 2012)
Front of house operations provide the highest returns on
investment in highly efficient lighting and HVAC technologies.
Production stage lighting runs a few hours per performance,
whereas the lights in hallways, rehearsal halls, shops, studios,
and auditorium and lobby areas are almost always switched
on. LED or fluorescent fixtures in these spaces can reduce
energy consumption and labor to replace lamps. In addition
to new technologies, effective HVAC management produces
immediate savings.
The two commercial production studios we
visited have looked to their facilities to gain savings. Hudson Scenic Studios was considering cost-saving and
energy-saving lighting fixtures throughout their expansive facility, and Showman Fabricators has already made the move to
high efficiency shop fixtures through an agreement with their
energy supplier. However, efforts to use greener materials or
methods are dependent upon the wishes of the client. Either
studio is happy to work with sustainable materials so long as
the designer and producer specify them and understand the
associated costs. Showman includes a brief statement on every
quote submitted to potential clients stating that there are environmentally responsible solutions available upon request.
Donyale Werle, who won the Tony Award for best scenery
design in 2012 for Peter and the Starcatcher, is entirely devoted to sustainable design. The Starcatcher set was made with
many reusable materials. But the choice to reuse found materials adds significant labor to the production process, labor that
must come from the shop, Werle, and/or her assistants.
In many instances, producing organizations lack funds or
institutional commitment to spend on sustainability initiatives.

http://www.juliesbicycle.com

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