Dallas Theater Center Executive Director Kevin Moriarity said the proposed
merger of DTC and ATT PAC is all about sustainabilit
RICH LOPEZ | A&E Writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
Last week, the AT&T Performing Arts Center and Dallas Theater Center announced plans that would explore the merger of the two organizations in an effort to strengthen the future of the performing arts in Dallas. The initiative would preserve each entity’s own artistic identity and mission, but it would also streamline certain practices — such as administrative dutiues and ticketing — to cut expenses.
Ultimately, DTC would fall under ATTPAC as its producing arm.
In the middle of all this is current DTC Executive Director Kevin Moriarty. Formerly the theater’s artistic director, Moriarty took over the reins as ED in January 2023. He and ATTPAC CEO Warren Tranquada have been in talks for some time regarding this new business model for the two organizations. Once the merger is approved, as it is expected to be, Moriarty will help transition DTC into its new iteration.
Days after the announcement, Moriarty spoke with Dallas Voice about the future of DTC as well as his own future.
Dallas Voice: Quite a week for Dallas Theater Center. Was there a moment where you and Warren Tranquada realized this was the best path forward for both of you? Kevin Moriarty: There were two. It was the moment I stepped in to become executive director and CEO of DTC with the intent of exploring what would be a creative new way to envision how the theater center could expand its impact. Very early on, one of the things that seemed fruitful to explore was the idea of a merger strategy with ATTPAC.
We started conversations in earnest about what we could do together, and there was a key moment, in late fall, when Warren and I shared the realization that we would be stronger together, and we could do more theater for more people, expand education opportunities and build a sustainable financial model.
The idea of this was there from the beginning of your ED tenure, so you knew this would phase you out of DTC? Yes, it was clear to me. I loved being artistic director, but the reason I stepped into the executive director position was to try to envision and help DTC find a really bold, creative new model for the future. Simply doing things the way they had been done since the earliest days of the regional theater will no longer be sustainable in the 21st century. The world has changed and we need our structures to change along with the art itself.
People might hear the word “merger” and begin to have their own ideas. What do you say to DTC supporters? Very little will change. Jaime Castaneda will still be the Enloe Rose artistic director; the Brierley Resident Acting Company will still be at the center of our artistry, and DTC will still produce a full season of shows at the Kalita and Wyly.
I think what will change is that, as a combined company, we will have the whole DTC season, plus, we will have the ATTPAC Broadway season, and we’ll be able to attract new audiences who might want to mix and match a subscription that combines different shows from each of our seasons.
You could say it’s the same as if you’re a Disney Plus subscriber. You may be a lifelong Marvel fan and only watch Marvel, but the algorithm may point you to Return of the Jedi, and you click on it for a whole new universe to experience.
Was it important for you to ensure and preserve Dallas Theater Center’s own mission and not lose its identity amid a larger organization? Yes. Having a broader base of philanthropic support, audience members and increased visibility provides more resources for the artists and more opportunity for creativity.
Were there other models considered? Absolutely. For Dallas Theater Center, we’ve spent several years really exploring what are the opportunities and challenges in the arts world, and which approach would make the most sense here in Dallas.
How much of this decision was driven by economics versus long-term strategy? Our fundamental mission — our reason to exist — is to create the most dynamic, exciting, unique art possible for the most people possible. So the question is, in this economy, in this time period as we move toward the future, what’s the way to build the largest audiences and the most support for the art? And that has changed over time, so our business model has to shift in order to continue to reach those fundamental goals.
Can you talk about building this new model or did you see it thrive elsewhere? Warren and I looked around the country at other models where producing and presenting existed, and we spoke to leaders of those organizations to understand how they worked. In our combined model, we can point to somewhere else in the country, where for many years, this part of the model is working successfully. But there’s nowhere in the country that is doing the combination we’re envisioning. So it will be a uniquely Dallas model.
This merger is expected to streamline a lot of operations. We’re totally separate businesses with totally separate structures, but in the combined organization, there will be one box office, one website, one structure. So it’ll be very easy for a consumer to buy anything that is in our box office. And by combining, you also allow the marketing department, for instance, their incentives and so forth.
Can regular DTC donors still give just to DTC? Absolutely — and our endowment will continue to exist as an independent 501(c)(3). People and companies can still give legacy gifts to the endowments which flow into the theater to produce shows.
We can’t ignore the fact that once the merger is approved, and DTC is fully transitioned, you will no longer be with DTC. In those early conversations, it became clear to me that if we move forward with this idea, that it would mean that there wouldn’t be an opportunity for me to stay at Dallas Theater Center. And, I had to consider what was most important to me. Was it to stay in my current role, or was it to create an opportunity for DTC to thrive for generations to come? And that ultimately was a pretty easy decision to make, because I love this theater, and I love this city. And I’ve been so blessed to have the many, many years of creative opportunities that I’ve had here.
What do you want your legacy to be with DTC? Oh my goodness. That’s a great question, but it is not one I could answer right now.