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ABT Executive Director Louis Spisto resigns


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This entire story has been feuled by misinformation, heresay, innnuedo and gossip.

Take the comments about ticket sales. Revenue at the box office is up because the Company did sell many more actual seats. That's a fact. In fact, the actual number of seats sold is up 24%

Fundraising is up this year and was up last year. In fact, ABT's fundraising has been the best it's been these past two years.

ABT's financial condition is sound as the audited results will support.

In any event, isn't it time to moveon, move forward and work in positive ways to make ABT an even greater company instead of continuing to snipe, gossip and spread specious allegations about this and that?

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DancerX -- I think the difference between you and the other posters you mentioned is that they have not come on to make serious allegations against someone. But if you know something that should come out, why not contact the New York Times arts section or Dance Magazine, Dance View/Ballet Alert, Ballet Review etc... ? You might get more satisfaction than just coming on the board and complaining that things are being swept under the rug. You needn't put your job in jeopardy if you make it clear to the writer that you want to be used as deep background -- off the record.

Peggy -- Thanks for clearing the attendance question for me. I'm sure that includes the half-price tickets offered on the web site. Perhaps, you can further clarify the reports that various productions were cancelled, such as the new Sleeping Beauty. And wasn't ABT a partner in producing Kudelka's Firebird, along with Houston Ballet?

[ 08-20-2001: Message edited by: Dale ]

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Guest DancerX

Dale- Good idea, and in fact several of us have already done that. But without giving permission for our names to be used, none of it makes the papers.

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Well, that's understandable. I wouldn't go with a story based solely on unnamed sources, but I would take in the information and try to get confirmations that would go on the record. That could have been the case in the previous NY Times article -- the article appeared one-sided because the reporter could only get one side (the board members, who control the money) to go on record.

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I am interested in the fact that so many admin people left. That is not so typical in the arts. When you get a good job with a major you company you usually hold on to it. There is always some attrition but over %50 in two years is not general attrition. Can that be blamed on Kevin MacKenzie? Probably not. Artistic directors don't seem to influence the atmosphere of the admin offices as musc as say the Executive dirctor does. It sounds to me talking to people who have worked there that the working environment was extremely hostile. I'm impressed they made all those gains in an atmosphere that was probably not very supportive.

Of course most of this is speculation based on personal accounts and my personal experience working for major performing arts organizations.

From afar, I feel for all those admin people, 'cause I'm one of them.

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