Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristianne Kurner.
Kristianne, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve known since I was very young that I wanted to run a theatre. I was the kid in the neighborhood inviting you to the show that I wrote, directed, and was starring in that would take place that evening in my backyard. I grew up doing theater, mostly as an actor, and ended up with a BA in Theatre from the College of William & Mary and an MFA in Acting from the Actors Studio Drama School at the New School University.
Seventeen years ago, with my then-husband, I founded New Village Arts in Carlsbad Village. My parents and grandparents have lived in the Village area for over sixty years, and it was where we always visited for holidays. I felt that it was a community that could sustain a professional theatre and I am so glad I was correct!
New Village Arts has grown from a small start-up theater performing out of a converted chicken coop (literally) to a large non-profit arts company with year-round performing and visual arts opportunities. I have worked on over 100 theater productions with NVA, as a producer, actor, director and/or designer.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Non-profit roads are rarely smooth. As with most companies, we have certainly had some struggles along the way, but we are now in the strongest place we’ve ever been with a large patron base, generous donors, and the support of the City of Carlsbad.
Looking back, I see three main times of struggle. The first is getting the company started. It took a ton of work from an amazing group of volunteers, family members and friends to get the theater off the ground. We were fortunate in our early years to meet the women who run Jazzercise, who gave us a home for about five years. Being at Jazzercise allowed us to build our patron base and reputation with critics and the city. They also gave us amazing mentorship and advice.
The second major struggle came when we were moving from Jazzercise to our current home in Carlsbad Village. At the same time as the company was going through a huge shift, my husband and I went through a separation and divorce. Since NVA was a small, family oriented company, the divorce was felt by everyone who worked with us. It was very challenging to pick up the pieces and run the company on my own. Again, I look towards the angels who helped get us through that time – the Villagers who truly had my back.
The third struggle was due to poor management and oversight. I had an idea for what I thought was an exciting artistic idea and I devoted myself to that idea. Unfortunately, we had some poor management in place at the time, and I wasn’t able to do the necessary oversight. It was when we came closest to having to shut down the company, but again, a few people came in at just the right time, and helped us put the theater back together, piece by piece. In just one year, we overcame a large deficit and ended in the black. I am incredibly proud of that turnaround.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about New Village Arts – what should we know?
New Village Arts creates adventurous artistic experiences to awaken the human spirit. We provide a collaborative and inspiring home for performing and visual artists, a forum for laughter, discussion, and deeper thinking within our community, and a training ground for future generations of art-makers and art-lovers.
Currently in the middle of our 17th Season, New Village Arts has become the cultural hub of Carlsbad. We have a year-round professional theatre company producing musicals, classics, and new plays. There is a music series with the finest local singer-songwriters and cabaret acts. We have the Foundry Artist Studios, which is studio space for 16 visual artists, and thriving education and outreach programs.
Theatre will always be my first love, and I am proud that we are considered among the best theaters in San Diego, often receiving “Critics Choice” designations from the San Diego Union Tribune and others. Our intimate space of just 100 seats allows patrons to be up close with some of the finest actors in San Diego. I love that we are truly a meeting place where all of the arts come together. And our education and outreach programs include documentary theatre in the local high schools, improvisation classes for both special needs teenagers and seniors with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and Teatro Pueblo Nuevo: an outreach program to our bi-lingual and bi-cultural community. It truly is a village that has been created.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Persistence! You have to be ready to work very hard and keep going, even when things are tough. I have a strong passion for the work that we do, and that keeps me focused on the goal of bringing diverse artistic experiences to our community. Since I believe so strongly in that goal, I have the persistence to keep working towards it. So I guess I should really say passion and persistence.
Pricing:
- Season Tickets run from $100 – $270
- Single Tickets run from $30 – $50
Contact Info:
- Address: 2787 State Street
- Website: www.newvillagearts.org
- Phone: 7607298703
- Email: info@newvillagearts.org
- Instagram: @NewVillageArts
- Facebook: New Village Arts
- Twitter: @NewVillageArts
- Yelp: New Village Arts Theatre
Image Credit:
Daren Scott
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