The Survival of the Joe Louis Theater : theater management

Abstract

To examine the types of theater management that have contributed to the survival of the Joe Louis Theater in the last decade and other factors that have enabled the theater to thrive in difficult time. Hun lakhon lek, a Thai variant of doll-puppetry, emerged about a century ago. Joe Louis Theater stages regular performances of hun lakhon lek in an urban area and through domestic and international recognition it has established a strong foothold. The puppet theater in the past and to a certain extent in the present gave performances at occasions such as funerals. Unlike these ritual ties between the theater and the audience, the Joe Louis Theater has established a commercial relation with people. The research undertaken reveals that the Joe Louis Theater uses modern theater management methods. A small family troupe has come to operate like a company. A formal hierarchical structure is found in this organization. This organization consists of a board oftrustees, and arts manager and staff that emphasizes the commercial aspect. A strategy, molded by this organization, is practiced in the four P's: place, promotions, price and productions. It has urban, popular and commercial characteristics. Located them in Suan Lum Night Bazaar, which is a shopping and entertainment complex, Joe Louis Theater survives as a part of it. While modern management methods are used in the Joe Louis Theater, there still exists traditional way of management, based on family members. Particularly, among puppeteers, the master-apprentice relationship plays a significant role. The findings of this research suggest that the management methods used by the Joe Louis Theater are a mixture of modern and traditional methods. However, this mixture is changing. Modern theater management methods used by the Joe Louis Theater have created new cultural and commercial relations with people, and thereby ensured its survival in a rapidly changing world. Its presentation style and well-trained puppeteers have also enabled it to survive and thrive in difficult times, thus enabling the art form of hun lakhon lek, their artistic creations and their love for the art to survive.