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I must respond to Wizard Marks' issues regarding
Jana Metge and her tenure at CNIA.
Frankly, if I had been Jana, I would have left. It
would have probably been better mentally for her, but I don't know how it would
have changed things at CNIA. She devoted 90% of her life to CNIA and the Central
community, and the neighborhood is better for her having been
there.
Jana helped our community theatre get NRP and other
funding to bring a theatre into the space at 4th & Lake. She was present at
every meeting, and bent over backward to help with it. It certainly was not her
fault that Parliament could not meet his bills; and I think that was because of
a long list of problems that were, in many respects, out of HIS control, as
well.
Anyway, the theatre opened on schedule in 1998 with
a major production, "The Snow Queen", that played to a record audience of
600 people in only 7 performances, which means the
theatre was filled to capacity for every show!
My theatre was the only commercial tenant,. and I
fulfilled my obligation to the community in producing 28 live stage productions
in only two years, including neighborhood concerts by new and emerging artists,
as well as many major stage productions including: "The Taming of the Shrew", "A
Summer Cabaret", "The Snow Queen", "What's the Matter with Sara Jane?", plus two
summers of the Performing Youth Ensemble, classes and productions by and for
kids, "The Angel of Olvera Street", a special production in Spanish and English,
and made the space available for sub rental for 8 theatrical groups and
independent artists.
Jana and the former board of CNIA supported my
theatre remaining when the building was sold, and that that should be a
stipulation for the new landlord. The tenant they supported was the Asian
restauranteur from Anoka, who planned to keep the theatre, but city council, as
you know, overrode MCDA's choice in a buyer and sold the building to Sabri, who
promptly raised my rent by four times its original amount, tore down my signage,
destroyed my lobby, and made the common hallways impassable; thus, I lost over
$2,000 in income the last two months I was there.
I am currently making small payments to MCDA to
repay the rent I could not afford to pay because of the building sale being "in
limbo" for so long, and because of the situation of the tenants
upstairs.
Federal funding allowed for low income housing in
the upstairs apartments; Sabri put his offices up there.
In short, CNIA originally assisted a community
theatre moving in there, assisted with funding; I met my stated goals when I
moved in there in providing quality, accessible entertainment for the community,
and the new CNIA Board was nowhere to be seen or heard when my theatre was
forced out. This was a personal financial loss to me, to the theatre group, and,
last but certainly not least, a great loss to Central neighborhood and Lake
Street. A vital, exciting theatre company has been replaced with a check cashing
service!
I should add that the organization where Jana Metge
currently works, and Jana, was very supportive in assisting my theatre company
with a grant to produce my original adaptation of "The Nightingale" at Salem
Lutheran Church and the Whitney Fine Arts Center at Mpls. Community College in
November and December of this year. We played to capacity crowds at Salem, and
closed the show on December 12th at the college with an audience comprised of
groups from Mary's Place, Harriet Tubman, and other civic organizations who work
with low income children who otherwise would never get to attend a live
theatrical production.
So, we are still carrying on, and Jana is still
devoted to making Minneapolis a better place. You just can't keep a good woman
down.
Most sincerely,
Judy Cooper Lyle
Artistic Director
The Urban Spectrum Theatre Co.
and owner of
Phyllis Productions LTD
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