The Playgoer: Speaking of Obama's NEA...

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Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Speaking of Obama's NEA...

Perhaps it's a done deal, and perhaps Caroline Kennedy's still in the running (she was mentioned as shortlisted in previous articles, and she is kinda free now).

But who would you pick as your NEA chair? Have fun with that--after all, you're not president.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

How about:

Ben Affleck
Robert DiNiro
Alan Alda
Ellen Burstyn
Julianne Moore
Sidney Poitier
Martin Sheen
Tom Hanks
Melissa Etheridge
Oprah Winfrey
Ron Reagan
Tom Lehrer

They all backed Obama, and they would all be extremely literate spokespersons for the Arts.

Unknown said...

I actually have heard fairly credible rumors that a candidate for the job may be Mary Schmidt Campbell, who is Dean of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and on the New York State Council of the Arts. She also served on the board that advised Obama's campaign on issues relating to the arts.

I would put a sizable chunk of change on it, if I wasn't a poor theater person myself.

Anonymous said...

Gilberto Gil (he was such a great minister of culture in Brazil - let's steal him!)

Susan said...

Kate Levin has been amazing as New York City's DCA Commissioner under Bloomberg. She completely overhauled the way arts groups receive funding in this city - for the better. (Less lobbying, more fairness in grant awarding.) She's also a strong, forceful presence - I can see her playing with the big boys. I'm sure she's on no one's radar on the national level, but with a few more years and some state experience under her belt, she'd be excellent.

Anonymous said...

While I like Dr. Campbell a lot, her it's-not-my-problem stance on her university's destruction of the Provincetown Playhouse is a disqualifier for national office. We need someone who's gonna take a stand for our historic arts legacy, not look the other way.

Unknown said...

RLewis: I agree with you about the Provincetown Playhouse. I'm a theater student at NYU and there are a few other things in the time that she's been in charge that makes me think that she's not the best choice he could do.

I was just commenting on the fact that the rumors are going around our campus, piled with the usual circumstantial evidence.

Steve On Broadway (SOB) said...

How about Martha Lavey, current Artistic Director at Steppenwolf? She's done wonders for that organization.