If Artistic Director William Carden has his way, the future for Ensemble Studio Theatre may be bright again. In what can only be taken as a gutsy move that swims against the tide which flows toward smaller and smaller casts, Carden is quoted as follows in E.S.T.'s most recent email to members:
One of our goals this season is to reinforce the 'Ensemble' part of our name by presenting larger cast plays. Close Ties will allow our member actors, with their shared history, the rare opportunity to play three generations of the same family in this wonderful play.
Playwrights, directors and actors everywhere should receive this as welcome news in an environment of shrinking revenue in which more and more companies are turning to inferior scripts simply due to their smaller cast sizes. Kudos to William Carden for taking a bold stance on this issue and for having the guts to take E.S.T. on a different course. Hopefully the gamble will pay off as audiences respond to the unique quality offered by a true repertory company, something akin to an endangered species these days.
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