Written by DCist contributor Vince Wadhwani of BuyIndie.net.
Despite the misperceptions of outsiders, we all know that D.C. has a ton to offer in the form of entertainment. Seems like almost every week there’s a new bar or restaurant opening up, ranging in scale, much like canned peaches, from regular to extra fancy. If you want to enjoy a play, however, the city’s options can sometimes feel greatly limited by your pocket book. Granted you’re often able to get a few classics for free, but where can you go see something a little more modern without dipping into the savings account?
Enter Catalyst Theater, a talented group operating an intimate 49-seat venue near the Eastern Market Metro. With a new $10 ticket initiative, Catalyst is trying hard to make theater more accessible to residents. But to Artistic Director Scott Fortier, the pricing is about more than just putting people in seats. “It gives us freedom with our art,” Fortier told DCist. “We don’t feel like we have do a musical or a comedy to fill the house and fund the budget for the year. It allows us to be our dark, edgy selves.”
And dark and edgy they are. With successful past shows such as 1984 and Metamorphosis under their belt, this is a group not afraid to take risks or challenge the audience, even in a city where people are constantly thinking and might be looking for a break. “We’re in the center of all the politics here,” Fortier explained. “A lot of people don’t want to go out to a political piece. They’re surrounded by politics all day at work and the last thing they may want to do is go out and hear about it again.”
The reality of the theater scene in D.C. is one where most actors can’t afford to ply their trade full-time, so it’s no surprise that every one of the seven active Catalyst members has a full-time day job. For a small company like Catalyst, the dedication involved in pulling off a show not only means rehearsals at night and on weekends, but also prepping their own sets and sometimes adapting the pieces themselves. “We have about 80 or 90 theaters in Washington and it takes a lot to raise money and put shows on. It’s not something you pursue unless you’re insane or have an incredible drive to do what you want to do.”
With tickets at $10, they are certainly not in it for the money. Each production costs around $30,000, meaning that, unlike the Defense Budget, it’s the generosity of a few that fuels each play. “If we’re at 100% capacity we still lose about $20,000 on a show. 100% capacity is pretty unheard of, so… .”
Catalyst Theater is in residence at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop: 545 7th Street, SE about 2 blocks from the Eastern Market Metro. Tickets for their current show, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, are available here. Vince’s full interview with Scott Fortier can be read on BuyIndie.net.
