Ten years ago, explained Robert Brustein, not for profit theatres were starting to pop up. Brustein was optimistic about these new theatres being available in communities as a way of offering culture. Theatres will not be funded though, because President Reagan cut federal funding to theatres in half. In addition, the National Endowment for the Arts was not growing fast enough to assist all theatres involved.

The co-founder of Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater talks about his goal to show that first-rate productions can be made outside of New York. He goes on to describe the importance of regional theater and funding for the arts.*Please note: some sections have been edited out from the original recording due to copyright considerations