ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

What is OPATA?

I'm sorry but I do not know what OPATA is?

Thank you for writing this response. I just read the editorial by Peter Straus on-line. Are you sending this to the OVN's?

Note: The link on your author bio to Peachtree Theater Company, does not seem to be active.

Thank you, Dimitri, for your energetic and thoughtful work as an Arts Commissioner and for your dedicated interest in performing arts. You are an asset to the Commission and the community.

The Opata are an indigenous Mexican people of Piman stock. Their country is the mountainous district of north-eastern Sonora and northwestern Chihuahua.

Though usually loyal to the Mexican government, they rebelled in 1820, as part of a larger movement for a free country in Northwestern Mexico run by indigenous people, but after a gallant effort were defeated.

Maybe we should be emphasizing mathematics and science rather than acting. I realize that a lot of hollywood actors live around here and maybe they think that grooming new actors for hollywood is a great thing but honestly, our country needs scientists and engineers if we hope to compete in the world. Right now India is producing 10 times the number of qualified engineers than we are in this country. With the need for alternative forms of clean energy and more efficiant means of transportion I think our priorities should be on better education. Why not a techical reseach center where some of the bright minds of our local high schools could be finding new ways to solve energy problems. Ojai doesn't have to be controlled by only artists, some of the best "artists" are those people who invent a vaccine or discover a new way of producing electricity. Why concede that the only value the community of Ojai possesses is it's tourist value. We do have other interests going on here.

I cannot imagine why a town of 5,000 people should have a professional theater, but if the professionals can fund it, why not? Public money, on the other hand, should go to projects more useful to the public.

Ojai cannot be all things to all people and still remain a small town in one of the most beautiful and sacred valleys on earth.

I first heard the idea for a new performing arts theatre when I was on the City Council in 1997--2001.

Demitri, may I ask, have you met with the Ojai Art Center?

On what do you base your assumption that a new performing arts theatre won't affect the Ojai Art Center and other venues?

There is a limit to the amount of ticket money and free time to see performances that people living in our valley have. There is a limit to the amount of arts donation money that people have.

People are drawn first and foremost to the Ojai Valley for it's peaceful setting, sacred beauty, peace, stillness and tranquility, qualities that are becoming increasingly hard to find in the modern world.

With all due respect for your talent and good work in Ojai, I am one of many long time residents who are not all convinced that Ojai needs a new performing arts theater.

The narrow two-lane road that wanders into our valley cannot accomdate any more cars. Any plans for increasing tourism must include a viable, far-sighted alternative transportation plan to bus in the additional visitors...

Suza, you took the words right out of my mouth.

The last few plays I have seen at the Art Center have been terrific. Alas, however, not terrifically attended.

Between the Art Center, Matilija, Libbey Bowl, Theater 150 and the Zalk - any of which seem to have plenty of empty dates waiting for theater, and all of which are hardly packed to the rafters for the plays they do put on as it is - our problem in Ojai is not lack of venues.

Peter Strauss' project comes across to me as more of a vanity project than anything that screams of filling a need. I'd like to see Peter act in the Art Center plays if he feels the urge for the stage. If he doesn't want to do that, and he's not getting the "professional" theater gigs in LA and New York for whatever reason, the answer is not to supplant years of effort for a new skate park to build a shiny new theater that will empty out our current ones while keeping empty itself.

Maybe I'm missing something. I think if Peter's new group took the bull by the horns and put on a theater festival, or something like that, and it was successful, that would be the route to showing us the need for another venue. Right now, we have more than enough venue for the events people are putting on today. This new, "professional" performing arts center is putting the cart before the horse. We don't need more empty commercial space. I for one prefer empty open space.

In the OVN editorial, Peter Strauss indicates that there are "solutions" to the problem of any traffic that might be created by this proposed Ojai performing arts theater. OK, then, tell us what they are. Let's try these solutions out this weekend during the Tennis Tournament. If that's too short a notice, then let's put these solutions into play during the Ojai Music Festival. Actually, we don't have to wait for a special weekend, do we? We can apply this miracle anti-traffic solution to Ojai traffic any day of the week, especially on weekends when the town is full of tourists and it takes 15 minutes to get from the Y to Boccali's via Hwy 150. If anyone has any viable and affordable solution to the traffic problems in Ojai, do we really need to fund a 30 million dollar theater and shopping complex before we get to find out what they are? Let's hear these solutions now.

I think the previous comments have pretty much summed it up.
I'd say the absolute LAST thing we need in Ojai is a "professional" theatre. It's sort of pathetic to see people calling for a "New Vision" be so self absorbed and so out of touch with the real serious needs and issues in this town. Like ecological problems, only made worse by threatened water crises and economic fallout from mortgage crises, educational funding cuts, low income housing needs, emergency fire preparedness, traffic congestion, etc. etc. etc. I applaud Strauss's community spirit, but it would be far better spent supporting what is already here rather than adding another unnecessary theatrical monument to himself.

At the end of Strauss' editorial in the OVN, it says he was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ojai City Council!

Does anybody know what this is all about?

What was the award FOR? Strauss' "achievements" as an actor?

Is the Ojai City Council in the business of giving out Actor awards these days?

Does this indicate some kind of backdoor collusion between Strauss and his pet projects, and members of the City Council??

I am in agreement that Ojai does not "NEED" a so-called professional theatre. If a different theatrical environment is needed, than revamp that which exists. I live here to be a part of a small town that does not aspire to be the atrocious L.A. next door. I, like all those I speak with, do not want a town that aspires to be a hub for more than anything but a place with a sense of down-home community.

I appreciate, however, your response to Mr. Strauss' editorial and the notion that the skate park - which we so desperately need - would be replaced. Citizens for a new vision is a frightening name for this group. Enough stamping of the wealthy's feet on the wonderful down-home somewhat blue-collar Ojai citizens!

Yay Kate! I concur!!

To Comment #11, One of the fun things about being on the City Council is that you get to give out awards, proclamations, plaques and certificates of recognition for all sorts of things, to the good, talented, civic-minded people of our community.

If you scroll down the link below to the Agenda for April 22, you will see this item:
k) Ratification of Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Ratify the Arts Commission’s recommendation that Ruth Hemming be the recipient of the 2007 Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award; and
2. Ratify the Arts Commission recommendation that City Council award a City plaque to the Ojai Center for the Arts.

http://www.ojainews.com/2008/04/cc_agenda_042208.shtml

I'm finding all the comments thus far fascinating and enlightening. I liken it to auditioning. You think you can tell what the casting director, director, producer wants and sum up whether or not you'll get the part. But then you go on the other side of the table and it's a whole different ball of wax. What you're looking for is all the right choices to tell a story. And the devil is in the details.
That's how I feel about being on the Ojai Arts Commission.
And I do hope you applaud our choice for the Lifetime Achievement award. The Ojai Art Center is the oldest community center on the west coast. And were it not for Ruth Hemmings diligent leadership, there may not be an art center. All of our arts organizations face tough times and are barely surviving. What keeps them open is what people they draw in from out of town. It's what every merchant thrives on.

I want to address those who think that there is no need for a professional theater. Now, I understand where you're all coming from. But I would not say to a new potter or painter or jewelry maker in town, "We don't need another one of you - we have plenty!" Ojai is home to some of the finest artists in the world. And that includes professional actors. And by that I mean people who are trained to rehearse 8 hours a day for however long it takes , then perform 8 shows, 6 days a week for however long the show runs. Now, I came to California on the national tour of Angels in America. It is an 8-hour play. I toured with it around the country for a year. From 450 seats to 3,000 seats it was sold out everywhere. That big play started out in a small theater in Seattle. It went on to generate millions of dollars, win numerous awards and finish with as an HBO movie that swept the Emmy awards. It generated jobs. It was fine art. Just like the expensive works of art that you find all over town.

When we say professional theater we mean a theater that will benefit the commerce of the community and give those of us who are professional actors a place where we can make a living at our craft. Otherwise we have to leave our beautiful little hamlet. A professional theater also means an educational outreach program that serves thousands of children throughout the year and professional development workshops for classroom teachers so they have the tools to keep vital arts education in the classroom - BECAUSE IT IS EFFECTIVE IN HELPING THEM TO LEARN SKILLS LIKE READING AND MATH! It is also means programs for at risk youth where they are mentored by the industry professionals. Like the program Virginia Avenue Project (look it up)that brought me here.

I am a passionate artist. There are many of us here and unless there is professional union house here you will have to go somewhere else to see us at our best. I rarely perform here for a reason. If any of you artist can relate to being in the best environment to do your work, you know what I'm talking about.

And one other thing. I have been thinking about a performance in the Libbey Bowl of a play titled, "Enemy of the People," by Henrik Ibsen. Anybody know it? It's perfect for Ojai and for these times. We may just do it, the theater community as a whole. I think it would be very uniting.

Demitri, I might be reading between the lines here and finding words where there are none to read, but it seems to me as if some of your issues with the vision group's OPAT contingent are personal. I either hear or imagine an injured sense of righteousness, and I think that perhaps they have offended you in some way. However, I also think it's possible that if they were to make it up to you sufficiently you could be coaxed into their camp and that you would become a great supporter of the performing arts theater exactly as it has been envisioned.

Is this true? If it is, I am not condemning you in any way because I completely understand and empathize with your desire for a great venue, but I would like to know exactly what's happening, if in fact things are not simply as they seem on the surface.

One of my greatest concerns about this project as it has been presented thus far is that the supporters keep trying to build it on OUSD property, which seems altruistic at the outset but which also offers the backers one extremely important benefit; it gives them a lot of immunity from local ordinances; zoning restrictions; building codes; EIR requirements; traffic mitigation studies, and it gives them access to all of the other perqs enjoyed by any California school district when any one of those school districts decides to build and develop on school property.

Do you agree that the vision group should be given this kind of carte blanche when it comes to building their theater? Do you believe that they should be allowed to do an end-run around the concerns and input of the entire Ojai community when it comes time to break ground, regardless of how well-intentioned their project may seem from all other aspects?

It is fun and interesting to hear your views.

I myself have taught at yoga conventions and institutes around the country that attract thousands of students from around the world. I would love for Ojai to have a professional Iyengar Yoga Center. And maybe someday it will.

This is one piece of a huge discussion. Great we are having it and airing everything out.

But don't foget our number #1 concern. Traffic. What is the alternative transportation plan? There should be one in place for every single event (including ones that have been going on for decades lke the Music Festival, etc.,) that attracts out of town tourists.

Gotta run...to be continuid...

Comment #16 refers to Comment #14.

Just read Comment #15.

Thank you for raising these other important issues.

If some entrepreneur wants to fund a new theater in Ojai, I say give it a shot. But I would sure fight the use of public funds for projects of such dubious social value. It would be as ludicrous as spending our tax dollars on ill-designed traffic bulbs, decorative crosswalks, or the pre-vandalized "art" behind Bonnie Lu's.

My point in Comment #16 is that there are many other professionals who might also like to have a more professional setting that would attract large numbers of people and generate revenue.

Those of us who have been here for many decades know what has already been lost. What you are describing sounds like what you can find in larger nearby cities like Santa Barbara and Thousand Oaks.

Like others who have expressed their views here, I am worried that you are more concerned about your career and livelihood than the greater long term good for our small valley.

The way the world is going seems to me that we really ought to be putting in some serious organic gardens in the schools and other places. And looking at more ways Ojai can truly become a model sustainable community.

In Ojai, small is beautiful!

Funny you should mention those "decorative cross-walks." Just an hour ago I spoke with a man whose wife died due to being hit in a cross-walk on Ojai Avenue back when the cross-walks were invisible. The reason for a "decorative cross walk" is safety and visibility.

What we spend on pedestrian infrastructure is a pittance compared to the tax dollars spent accomodating thousands of polluting cars!

Suza wrote: "My point in Comment #16 is that there are many other professionals who might also like to have a more professional setting that would attract large numbers of people and generate revenue.

Those of us who have been here for many decades know what has already been lost. What you are describing sounds like what you can find in larger nearby cities like Santa Barbara and Thousand Oaks.

Like others who have expressed their views here, I am worried that you are more concerned about your career and livelihood than the greater long term good for our small valley."

Sums up all the thoughts I have on the subject!

I spoke with Peter Strauss after the city council meeting where the new vision people made their presentation. He said that professional companies needed a 600 seat theater to come to a town. The proposed theater has 400 seats, so Peter said they would have to run two shows a night.

Can anyone imagine another 200 or 300 cars a night entering Ojai during evening rush hour to catch the early show.

And how many nights a week would there have to be performances for the theater to meet its budget. Who is going to buy all these tickets at professional theater prices?

We have outstanding non-professional (and sometimes professional) theater in Ojai already. Let's support what we have instead of trying to have everything. We are a small town blessed with much, including wonder arts and artists.

If the Ojai Art Center received a donation of a small fraction of the proposed cost of the new performing arts center we would have enough money to make all needed repairs and improvements and have enough money left over to operate for years.

Len Klaif

What I find most amazing about this whole exchange is the absence of any reply from Peter Strauss himself.

Here he has gone before the City Council, and written his editorial for the Ojai Valley News -- and yet he is a no-show here, where there is a whole article entitled IN RESPONSE TO PETER STRAUSS, plus no less than 22 comments.

What kind of arrogance is that? What kind of new vision for Ojai is that?

This is almost as bad as people who submit Guest Editorials to the Ojai Post and then refuse to respond to those who reply to the editorial.

Some people communicate more by their silence than by what they have to say.

david: there's a strong possibility that Peter Strauss isn't even aware that this thread exists. (I don't even think he comments here, do you?)

I want answers and I'm willing to ask painful and hard-to-answer questions, but at the moment this situation calls for neither praise nor blame.

If Peter Strauss weren't the front person for this vision group it would be someone else. Take my word for it. Vilifying Peter will solve no problems and it will, in fact, simply create them. Since the man has not (publicly) attacked anyone, to attack him would simply cause some people to sympathetically take his side and perhaps also support an idea (or a collection of ideas) that appears, to many of us, to be extremely flawed. I think that this issue can better be dealt with if we criticize ideas rather than people.

Thank you, anonymous #24, but I beg to differ.

If Peter Strauss is not even aware that this thread exists, that speaks volumes in itself. How ignorant can a man be who offers himself with a New Vision for Ojai???

By his very ignorance of this thread -- IF that is the case -- he totally disqualifies himself, in my view, from offering any kind of new vision for Ojai.

To david, Comment #23,
Maybe Demitri did not send Peter his response. Or maybe he is out of town. I would not jump to conclusions.

If you haven't already, be sure to read the link below:
"Council hears new vision for Ojai," and check out the comments...

http://ojaivalleynews.blogspot.com/2008/03/council-hears-new-vision-for-ojai.html

Suza,

Strauss' editorial was published two days ago. These comments have been going on for two days. People have access to the internet even when they go out of town.

Don't make excuses for the inexcusable.

For reference, there was an initial discussion here (ok, ok, i started it...). No one representing "Citizens for a New Vision for Ojai" participated on that thread.

http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/03/open_thread_happy_easter_editi.shtml

I agree #25.

Reflect on: http://ojaivalleynews.blogspot.com/2008/03/city-council-to-hear-new-vision-group.html

With the diversity of opinions and socio-economic slants on this story, one thing we always have known as a whole is the valley is made up of an eclectic and expressive populous that translates
into rich textures of diversity which comes to be expected. This to me is
the contribution that goes
way beyond the value that
any one group tries to place on the community here. PL

Be sure to take the "Make Ojai Better" survey!

http://makeojaibetter.com/index.html

Note question #16: Does Ojai Need a Downtown Performing Arts Center?

Better make that question: Does Ojai Need a Thirty Million Dollar Downtown Performing Arts Center?

Please go to the survey and express how you feel. The survey conveniently does not disclose the cost.

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with the survey at makeojaibetter.com, but the "About Us" page is, in my opinion, somewhat incomplete compared to Steve Velkei's profile page at his place of employment. (Steve Velkei is one of the people behind the Make Ojai Better Survey, according to the information available at that website.)

Here's the link to his profile page:

http://www.sonnenschein.com/attorneys/index.aspx?aid=0005595

I would have preferred that Mr. Velkei had provided a bit more information about his own business interests, even though Googling his name brought up plenty of freely available info. When somebody pops out of the blue and starts asking questions, my first response is usually "Who's asking?", and after reading all of the information available online I felt that Mr. Velkei could have done a better job of pre-emptively answering that question.

Demitri,

Thank you so much for responding to Mr. Strauss' editorial in the OVN. I have nothing but respect for your craft and for you. That said...

I'm just kidding with the whole "that said" thing. I just wanted a set up. Demitri, you are a boon to this community and your selfless service on the Arts Commission and in teaching is an inspiration. I'll write a little about the professional theater you speak of a further down, but first I want to write about this Citizens for a New Vision of Ojai (CNVO).

Maybe it's just me, but it certainly seems that the OVN has been giving a free ride to the CNVO. There's been a favorable press release or article in the OVN about this shadowy group of which Mr. Strauss seems to be the head pretty much every week for the last two months. I can tell you as someone who has tried to get press for various causes in this town that the CNVO must have some serious pull with our local paper. Maybe the editor, Brett, is one of the "thirty members". Who knows. No one from that group seems to want to talk to us.

I've been reading the comments on this thread and I'll start with David #23, 25, 27. I agree with you, David, that there seems to be some sort of a concerted full court press going on here from these CNVO folks. As to your comment that Mr. Strauss should be engaging people here on the Ojai Post, I wholeheartedly agree. The total absence of input from anyone willing to declare that they are actually members of this group is a little weird. More on that in a moment. I have to take issue with you on the whole internet access when you are traveling thing. I've only just now returned from a trip to Joshua Tree and I decided to look on the post while I was sitting on my porch. Low and behold, I found this flurry of new articles and events. Now everyone knows the post is like a regular internet hang for me, but for the last month or so things have been kind of slow and I haven't posted much. I come back from the glorious desert, and it really was glorious, to find several new threads of interest. Now while I was out there sitting on top of a 600 ft. rock with family, friends and a fine Extra Pale Ale of my own making under the stars, I must confess that I did not also have access to the internet. It's not that I didn't have my laptop--don't be ridiculous. But I genuinely didn't have internet. Oh I could have wandered down to town and found a cafe, but come on. I had the Extra Pale Ale.

It is possible to be completely out of touch, but I don't think that is what is keeping the New Vision people silent here. I think the CNVO and Mr. Strauss' lack of participation in this online community is by design. Leaving aside their unfortunate moniker, they're campaign has been unbearably elitist and "top-down". From what I've been able to gather here and on the OVN and around town, they appear to be a group of about thirty people who mostly live on the East End, outside of Ojai proper, who suddenly want to direct Ojai's future. Apparently their cause celebre is this professional performing arts theater that has been kicked around here in Ojai for years.

Now I agree with Anon #24 that we should not vilify Peter Strauss or the CNVO and that we should instead discuss the ideas. Well, here's an idea that keeps bothering me. It is not the need for a "professional performing arts center.' I agree with many here who have expressed concerns about the added traffic and the issue of priorities when it comes to a multi-million dollar, for profit, "professional" theater in a town where the schools are about to be shut down and people are in a panic about their equity or are being foreclosed on. All of that has been talked about and frankly, I defer to Demitri when it comes to the need of yet another venue. No, for me the interesting thing about this "new vision" was mentioned in Anon #9's comment and again in Anon #15's comment about some sort of retail development that just so happens to be a part of this performing arts center. I've heard from more than one person that this new retail development, if it were built on the ailing OUSD's property on Ojai avenue, would be outside the boundaries of many city ordinances including the formula business ordinance that was passed last fall. This could mean that right in downtown there could be a Starbucks or Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf or even an Il Fornaio Restaurant. Perhaps the CNVO folks would prefer a Gordon Biersch (what beer's too good for 'em?). How about a Red Lobster. No, too low brow. Ah ha, I've got it. FOX Grill. No? Okay ok, how about a Wolfgang Puck American Grill.

Could it be that this new vision is very similar to the old vision that is interested in selling this city and its commercial spaces to the highest corporate bidder? If that were true and the CNVO folks were many of the same people who opposed the formula business ordinance, it would go a long way toward explaining their apparent reticence in engaging the people of Ojai on this post.

Like I mentioned earlier, I've been a lizard in the desert for the past few days so I've missed a lot. Like Len #22's extremely valid point that this new proposed venue would only have 400 seats and therefore would have to have two shows a night (presumably weekends) to interest the professional theater companies. Or Ojai Talent #5's comment that we should be focusing on math and science rather than theater. OT #5 was echoed by Anon #18 that this new venue was of "dubious social value". I both agree and disagree with both commenters but it's too late to go into it now. Suza, would that we could have a public school system that taught the children how to grow successful organic gardens rather than how to take standardized tests. Let's try to keep this debate going and let's try to engage the shadowy CNVO 30.

Demitri, I'm sorry if I appear to have made light of this issue. That has not been my intention. In your comment #14 you made mention of trying to put on Ibsen's, "An Enemy of the People" in the Libby Bowl. Pardon me but, Can we, can we, can we? Please! I'll help if you need it. I think that would be a great community project with far reaching impacts across all demographic lines if it were done correctly. Free of course.

Wow! Welcome back spk!!

SPK: Good analysis. Your home brew didn't dull your instincts.

Home brew and rocks are good for acuity.

Thanks to everyone for you comments on this subject. You've cut my workload in half. I will be taking these and comments from other discussions I will/am having with the leaders of arts organizations to our next Arts Commission meeting which is Thursday, May 15 at 6:30pm. If you feel you've said your peace, thanks and it will be included in discussions. If you've got more to contribute, please come to the next meeting.