Henry Avery, 84, executive director of the Albuquerque Little Theatre retired July 1 and former managing director Rob Armstrong Martin has been hired as Avery’s replacement. As executive director, Martin plans to diversify what the theater has to offer, showcasing smaller acts, bands and even stand up comics. Martin, who saw his first play at Albuquerque Little Theatre when he was 4, believes that doubling down on education is the only way to keep live theater alive, and that the earlier young people are introduced to live theater, the better. He plans to accomplish that goal by offering classes and hosting events targeted toward a younger audience.
“Every kid deserves theater,” Martin says, “But not every kid gets theater and we wanna change that.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Could you describe the try out process for an executive position like this?
A lot of it is understanding the theater’s long history. It’s been in existence 95 years — 90 in the current building. It’s the only theater company in town that produces a season of theater and owns its own building. We’re in different businesses: Producing, rental, presenting, education, you name it. We have a big education program for kids theater classes as well as some adult things like dance.
One of our challenges is to make the case to ticket buyers that life is better live. I can tell you there is medical evidence that live social interaction is much better for people’s brain health — especially as they get older — than digital consumption is.
Could you say a little bit more about the medical evidence?
The blue light that comes from watching devices for your entertainment does have an effect on the brain which is overly exciting or excitable, so maybe it’s not optimal learning — long-term retention — because you’re not in a relaxed state of flow when you’re watching digital entertainment.
Also when we’re watching theater or any live entertainment in a room full of people, we respond to the cues of other people’s enjoyment. When somebody laughs at a joke, we’re more likely to find permission to laugh. This further strengthens synaptic activity because we’re actively participating in our own entertainment, not just sort of letting it wash over us.
Have you seen evidence of a resurgence of interest in live performance?
The smaller theaters are getting more full, but it takes a lot more marketing effort on behalf of those theaters, many of which are entirely volunteer-run. We are also finding that marketing challenge.
Broadway is back, better than ever and commanding very large box offices…. People are treating things like Broadway to be destination events or destination experiences. Getting a selfie in front of the theater poster, going out to dinner, all of those things that make it an extended experience have gone up and have reinforced that.
When you look at Popejoy — which is mostly big glitzy touring versions of Broadway — those almost always sell out.
Gosh, it’s exciting, isn’t it? I see it with live music as well.
One of the things I’m excited about is [diversifying] what we offer because we have such a great location off Central and free parking. I’ve told the staff we need to be finding ways to showcase local entertainers that are not necessarily theater because we have this beautiful 90-year-old building that was a gift to us from a past generation. Smaller acts, bands, stand up comics even. Anybody is welcome.
Are there other kinds of entertainment that you might showcase?
We pitched an Indigenous storytellers festival to a recent grant competition and that’s exciting because that brings us intersectionality with Native American audiences who aren’t super well represented in our traditional audiences. We’re planning a festival for February where regional companies compete in a one-act play competition. Every member of every family should see opportunities for themselves in our audience or on our stage.
Is there anything that would be off limits?
We probably wouldn’t do anything X-rated. We do things that are considered R-rated with advisory listings. We don’t like to surprise the audience. Our main stage season of plays is always a mix. There’s always a children and family friendly holiday show. There’s always a murder mystery thriller, which is usually more for adults. There’s always comedy.
If there’s a play that shows some kind of violence, it’s all choreographed, safe, rehearsed stunts. Even with physical intimacy, we have intimacy coordinators. So everything’s being done by consent if there’s a love scene.
We want to be part of whatever cultural debates people are having and not put hard limits on freedom of speech because we have subscribers that are from all sides of the political spectrum. We do sometimes have people leave a show if they say this is not my cup of tea, but rarely do they want to cause trouble about it and march and protest. I hope we will show people that art is a middle road. Art is where it’s safe to have these hard discussions and grapple with issues that may be not so easy to talk about in your living room.
How has growing up in Albuquerque shaped your personal artistic identity?
I came to a lot of my playwriting from an identity of knowing that sort of cultural crossroads that we all experience here, the angle of the Spanish, the Native American. I find that just super fascinating and I don’t know that you have writers from other towns think about that in quite the same way. When I wanted to be an actor, I had already been acting my little heart out for years here and at the same time working a day job, so I knew that I was gonna have to hustle and side hustle simultaneously. I think that’s a very Albuquerque thing — fake it until you make it, but you gotta pay the bills while you’re making it. I just love the work ethic that comes with the theater people here that I know.