Lou Spisto

Lou Spisto came to San Diego when the Old Globe Theatre was at a crossroads——and took the right turn. A nationally respected arts administrator with degrees from Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin, Spisto has a background including tenure with the Detroit and Pittsburgh symphonies and the American Ballet Theatre in New York. As executive director of the Pacific Symphony in Orange County, he eliminated a deficit while tripling the annual budget. But he’s not all business. Spisto also spent years acting, directing and producing plays and musicals, both as a student and in professional summer theater. He lives in Pacific Beach.

TOM BLAIR: During your three and a half years as executive director, the Old Globe has posted an impressive list of accomplishments: staging five world-premiere plays; sending three plays to Broadway, including the hit musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; reviving the popular Shakespeare repertory season; and considerably expanding the audience base. What do you consider your most important contribution?

LOU SPISTO: Helping with the tremendous growth in ticket buyers. We’re now operating at about a 50 to 55 percent subscription rate, and we’re in the mid- 80 percent range in total ticket sales. Subscribers have grown from around 11,000- 12,000 to more than 23,000. With the great range of theater we produce, it’s critical to have a base of subscribers who want to see a variety of theater, are part of the institution and give us some latitude in what we present. Also, the return of the Shakespeare Repertory Company, to present a festival that’s growing in reputation to among the top three or four in the country. There are very few theaters in this county, or anywhere, that produce the variety of work that the Globe does. It’s typical for a theater to specialize in classical works, or in new musicals, or in revival musicals, or new plays. The Globe does them all.

TB: What haven’t you done that you’d hoped to accomplish?

LS: The Globe must build an endowment of respectable size; ours is only $3 million. For an organization that’s been in existence for 70 years—with an annual budget of more than $17 million —$3 million is very small. The new rule of thumb is three times budget, and some companies are talking about four or more. We’ve announced a campaign to raise about $75 million, and about a third of that will go to the endowment. It’s essential we accelerate that program so in 10 years, we’ve got an endowment that’s at least $25 million—preferably $50 million.

TB: San Diego’s blessed with a vibrant and growing theater community—including the two majors, the Globe and La Jolla Playhouse. But that also means competition for a finite audience and the dollars needed to sustain quality theater. Can there be too much competition?

LS: I don’t like to think in terms of competition. I think we need to grow the market for good theater—for all theater. San Diego has a very loyal and active theater-going public. But I would not say it understands its role in philanthropy completely. People love to support theater by attending, and many of them do give, but many more can. And they must be induced to give. It’s about education.

TB: A large portion of the money raised during your $75 million capital campaign will go to physical improvements to the Globe campus—including major new theater space. With its current three stages, is the Globe really so outdated?

LS: The main theater is terrific. But the stage in question is the Cassius Carter, which has been virtually untouched since its opening in 1967. We don’t want to change the feel, the intimacy. Our actors and audiences love the arena stage. But we need a stage where everyone is safe . . . there are issues with fire codes; there are many issues. Plus, the new building will encompass an education center, a sizable activity space that can be multipurpose, and added classroom space. There’ll be a new lobby, a new café and a stack of new dressing rooms and technical support spaces that are badly needed.

TB: You probably don’t view it as a competition, but many San Diegans might consider the Globe and Playhouse cross-town rivals. Do you keep a mental tally of the number of plays you each send to Broadway, or the Tony Awards they’ve won?

LS: I think we’re all aware of the honors our theaters are receiving. We’ve sent 17 shows to Broadway or national tours, and I’m not sure about the Playhouse. But we don’t see it as a competition, in that regard. On the other hand, we do, absolutely, see a need to build a theater audience.

TB: Do you and Playhouse artistic director Des McAnuff have a friendly relationship? Do you compare notes?

LS: Absolutely. We compare notes about marketing, fund-raising. I feel this way with all of my colleagues in the performing and visual arts: I’m thrilled when I hear of a big gift to another company, because that only moves the bar up another notch for us. Recently, Donald and Darlene Shiley made a $20 million commitment to the Globe. Conrad Prebys made a commitment of $10 million; Harvey and Sheryl White increased theirs to $6 million; and Donald and Karen Cohn gave a gift of $5 million. All of these gifts are milestones.

TB: Is the Shiley gift a record for a San Diego arts institution?

LS: With the exception of [Irwin and Joan] Jacobs’ gift to the San Diego Symphony. The Shiley, I believe, is the second-largest local gift and one of a handful of gifts of that size made to theaters across the country. It’s a huge gift, even by the standard of New York theater.

TB: Jack O’Brien and Craig Noel are theater legends in San Diego and beyond. It would be hard for anyone to match either Jack’s or Craig’s longevity. But Noel is 91 now, and O’Brien has been more and more occupied with Broadway, limiting both of their contributions to the Globe. Jack recently signed on with the Globe for another two years. Do you expect he’ll be with you for the long haul?

LS: It’s unusual for any kind of business to be headed by two individuals for such a long time. The leadership by Jack and Craig is known throughout the country—almost 100 years between them. To have a theater turn 70 having had only two artistic directors is unheard of. Jack could easily have stepped aside years ago. He is very much in demand. He’s not with us full time, but he remains devoted to the Globe on a day-to-day basis. We don’t put together a season without Jack’s involvement, and we don’t make major artistic decisions without Jack.

TB: But you recently brought in Jerry Patch, creating a new title of resident artistic director.

LS: Jerry is the first individual involved in selecting new plays. He has a tremendous track record in selecting and developing new works and supporting the development of playwrights and artists—bringing to the Globe that which we may not have seen before. He’s known throughout the industry as one of the great dramaturges of this or any day. The combination of Jerry and Jack helps us develop a broader palette to work from.

TB: When I interviewed Jack a couple of years ago, he said he looked forward to the day “when there’s as much excitement on the cultural aspect of our civilized living here as there is in sports franchises.” With all of the music and theatrical successes of the past few years, do you think that time might be drawing near?

LS: For one thing, I’m delighted our new mayor, Jerry Sanders, has seen fit to support the Commission for Arts and Culture budget. And that the city council realizes the value in the performing arts. Not only is it great for San Diegans and it improves the quality of life, but it’s smart business. Having a supportive environment for culture creates a community that’s attractive to industry, to people coming from other cities who want to raise families. It complements the life sciences, higher education —all those industries so vital to our future. I read a recent study that said young people today would rather have a job in a city that is attractive than have their ideal job in a city that is not attractive. And the quality of life is increased dramatically with a strong cultural component. Are we at a point where arts are on the civic agenda as much as sports? I think the city leadership is behind the arts. But I don’t know that the arts are as effective politically as sports.

TB: Where do you turn for entertainment when you’ve had your fill of theater?

LS: I love classical music and opera. I love the San Diego Symphony; I’m a subscriber. I love what’s happening with La Jolla Music Society and the San Diego Opera. But I also love the movies, because I don’t know a thing about how they’re made; it’s complete suspension of disbelief for me.

TB: You’ve built a solid reputation as an arts executive—with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Pacific Symphony, the American Ballet Theatre. Is the Old Globe your last stop, or would you consider leaving paradise for another challenge?

LS: I’m thrilled with the Globe and the challenges here. And I’ve stopped trying to read tea leaves. But you never know what will happen down the road. I do know I’m thoroughly engaged with the challenges, and grateful to the leadership of the Globe and to the community for its support of this organization.

TB: That answer sounds like you might go into politics. In addition to having bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and arts administration, you also have some experience in acting, directing and producing student plays and musicals. And even some professional summer theater. Do you plan to make your comeback in acting or directing any time soon? Perhaps on a Globe stage?

LS: If I had the guts, I would have become an actor and then a director. If you ask me do I have any frustrations? Not about being an actor, necessarily, but I think directing is very interesting. I always said if I won the big lottery tomorrow, I’d stop fund-raising —which is a part of my job I enjoy, but not for another 25 years—and return to performing or directing . . .

TB: You know there are not a lot of big lottery winners.

LS: Exactly.

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