Theater cut deep

Sarah Mednick / Roundup

Due to a tighter school budget, the Pierce College Theater Department has been forced to make some cuts.

According to the last Pierce College Council meeting, the new budget for Pierce is $64,828,425, a $4,791,142 decrease from last year’s budget. There will also be a $3-million hold.

Gene Putnam, theater chairman, said the department will have to be more frugal in order to maintain funding for the department.

“It’s devastating,” Putnam said. “When we lose a class, it’s a big deal because we are a small department.”

Last year, the dance department offered more than 21 courses. Due to the recent budget passed for this semester, only 16 courses survived.

So far, no theater or music classes have been cut. As for cutting staff, Putnam responded that no further cuts would be made until the administration has made a full decision.

According to Putnam, the department also employs adjunct instructors, or professors who work on a temporary basis. They only work part time and teach one class a week, saving the department money.

The department's two adjunct professors are Frank Catalano and Anita Adcock. Catalano teaches acting for the camera and Adcock teaches beginning acting.

"We can look through funds wherever we can,” Putnam said. “We work within the budget and give the students a good experience.”

According to Putnam, the department does receive extra funding from outside the college. They receive donations every year from patrons and have received grant money.

The department also gains funding for its productions and events through box office ticket sales.

The latest department production is the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller. According to Michael Gend, assistant theater tech professor, while this is the second time the play is being put on, no set pieces have been recycled from the last production.

“We have very talented actors, teachers and staff,” Putnam said. “We have to work with the school as a team to get through this.”