In the midst of change, social and political disarray, and division, art is something that has the power to bring people of all walks of life together.
For some, communal artistry can lie in painting or animation; for me, the heart of it lives in the theatre.
When I was around 6 years old, I remember going to Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. for the first time to see its yearly production of A Christmas Carol. As a young girl, always inspired by the theatre, I found joy in watching a production every year that placed me in a whirlwind of emotions from excitement to fear to sparkling curiosity.
The mystery and excitement of Ford’s Theatre are evident the first time you enter the building. Below the theatre, there lies a museum where you can explore and learn more about the history of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
One of the most notable things about the theatre is that it was the place of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. With Lincoln having been the 16th president of the United States, and at that, one who played a large role in leading the U.S. through the Civil War, his legacy being imprinted on the theatre adds a sense of living history that sticks with the audience.
As an artist, I have learned that it is important not only to be multifaceted, but also to understand every arena of the craft you are passionate about. That includes the artistry of business. With every production, there is always a team that helps bring it to life in ways that we may not always think to take into consideration, and that team is an integral part of the artistic community.
Meeting Paul Tetreault, the director of Ford's Theatre, was an important step in expanding my understanding. Working in the senior CEO position, Tetreault handles everything from long-term strategy, fundraising, and board management to the overall direction of programming, including the theatre itself and the education programming that Ford’s provides.
Although this role may strike many as not quite in the realm of traditional creativity, working as the director of a theatre, and at that, one of such historical relevance, requires more artistry than meets the eye, especially when it comes to forming community and educating audiences.
Having earned degrees in Theatre, Tetreault has spent much of his life involved in the arena of dramatic arts. He describes the start of his theatre business journey as having begun 40 years ago, right after grad school. As the finance director and business manager of an Off-Broadway theatre (later on becoming the general manager), Tetreault had a newfound passion for combining his passion for theatre with his gift for business.
In a society where artistic pursuits aren’t always encouraged, it can be hard to keep that creative spark throughout all of your endeavors; however, community is an incredibly important part of finding that spark in everything you do. Similar to the journey of an actor, Tetreault had his fair share of mentors and colleagues who helped him along the way, from Edward Albee (a pulitzer prize winning playwright) in Houston to various artists in the home of Ford’s Theatre: Washington, D.C. Consistently advancing his thinking by being open to the ideas and mentorship of others, Tetreault has found a way to instill an artistic side into everything that he does. “I tend to find creativity and artistry in everything I do. I don't get to interact with artists in the rehearsal hall as much as I would like to. But I also realize that there are certain things that I do that are my own artistry that no one else could do. So, it's kind of just looking at what I do as a different kind of artistry, a different kind of creativity,” He says.
In order to appreciate a community with people from every walk of life, it is important to reflect not only on our present, but also on our past. Being a historic site, Ford’s Theatre does not shy away from addressing history.
“We tend to do – not exclusively — more historical plays than not,” Tetreault says. Some notable historic productions include The American Five, a play surrounding Martin Luther King Jr., and Come from Away, a play about 9/11.
“I think that by simply doing that, we work on the relevancy of how those stories fit into today's world. It becomes harder and/or more challenging when you're working on something that's like Little Shop of Horrors or Putnam County Spelling Bee to find out where the essence of how this connects to today,” he adds.
Despite the challenge of finding current social relevance in more contemporary plays with abstract stories, the ability to recognize the significance of any story today often lies with the audience. “I think that the theater is so obvious in being able to connect to people. It's so immediate, and if you're seeing something that is fresh or new or current, I think it really connects you with the space and the people and what you're doing. And you can make that connection to the greater whole of the country or where we're at at the moment.” Tetreault says.
“I want people to learn something. And that learning something might not necessarily be a fact or a data point, but it might be to learn something about themselves, or learn something about the world we're in, or they learn something about human nature.” - (Paul Tetreault, 2026)
Art has the power to not only bring us together but also educate us at the same time. With places such as Ford's Theatre bridging the gap between communities to enjoy art, we can be inspired to use our creativity for change. We can inspire our communities from Washington, D.C., to Houston, to California. No matter where you are, creativity can promote community and change. What inspires you to make a change?
