Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Taylor.
Hi Noah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I graduated from college with a BA in both graphic design and theatre. The decision to double-major did not come easy, but required deep soul-searching, and I realized that no matter how hard it would be, I would regret if I closed the door on one path or the other at such an early age. So, I studied both, and when I graduated, I accepted a job as a project manager for commercial photo retouching lab (read: stage manager for Photoshop artists). My dream was to one day open a theatre company, but in the meantime, I simply wanted to dip my toes into directing and keep my eyes open for full-time arts administration work in a theatrical setting. A few months went by, and then years passed too. Opportunities were coming, but I have never been good at being patient; I wondered if I needed to get out of Anderson to find more opportunity, or if I needed to take a drastic leap and try to make it as an independent creator, or if I needed to enroll in a graduate program to find the opportunity I was so hungry for. I had some really tough moments of wondering and questioning what direction I should go in during this time; I’m so thankful that I ultimately decided to nourish the opportunities and potential right where I stood. Staying here in Anderson, I started a non-profit dedicated to producing an annual 24 Hour Musical to benefit charity. I learned so much about arts administration and producing, and fell in love with the way producing and directing together could fulfill my needs as an artist and an entrepreneurial spirit. That non-profit eventually grew to produce Anderson’s first Shakespeare in the Park, which has continued annually since. Then, that same group went on to win the Accelerate Anderson Downtown Challenge, an economic development program that offered seed money to startups. Our pitch? A community theatre. The work of 24 Hour Musical and Shakespeare in the Park was integrated into a bigger picture, with a year round mainstage season and a home venue in downtown Anderson: Market Theatre was born!
Since the early days of Market Theatre, the focus has been on quality theatre, affordable ticket prices, and welcoming everyone to attend or participate. That truly means everyone! No matter what genre you prefer, how old you are, your experience level, your race, your views, your identity, your education, or your financial means, we aim to have something for you. In recent years, that has evolved beyond just affordability and programming, but has become a core value, a mantra we live by: “The arts are for everyone!”
We live that every day with, of course, our low ticket prices (only $10-$15 depending on the show), but also through free outdoor performances (in partnership with the City of Anderson), community and school tours, and scholarships available for up to half of all camp/class participants (thanks to the South Carolina Arts Commission).
Our free outdoor performances include not only Shakespeare in the Park, but more recently, musicals in the park as well! We pioneered park musicals with Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, which meant we were well-equipped to stage Mamma Mia! in the park in 2021, when we were still unable to produce indoor theatre. In 2022, we brought Shrek the Musical to the park.
In all of this, not only are we able to offer art to our community, but we know that we are helping to make our community stronger through the arts. We are improving the overall quality of life and contributing to our community’s physical and mental wellbeing; we are helping to create well-rounded, empathetic, and confident students. Our arts programs are generating economic impact of over $200,000 each year for downtown and local businesses. We are so excited to be a part of the growth and momentum of Anderson, and thrilled that we get to do this through the arts!
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Of course, there have been challenges along the way. As I mentioned, there was a lot of soul-searching before starting 24 Hour Musical, and eventually, Market Theatre. When we did start Market Theatre, we had the struggle of finding a space that we could afford and that would be suitable for a theatre. Thankfully, we landed at the Anderson Arts Center, a now 50-year-old non-profit organization located in a restored 100-year-old warehouse. Their unused space became our theatre; non-traditional as it is, the exposed brick, concrete floors, and wooden accents make it warm and intimate. We perform mostly in the round or in a thrust stage configuration, so there’s really no bad seat in the house! It’s incredible to be part of an arts center where we share space with visual artists, musicians, potters, and other community leaders!
When COVID hit in 2020, we were forced to close our doors; that decision was made while we were in final tech rehearsals for Matilda the Musical, a show featuring 30 kids and adults. It was painful to step out of that rehearsal, meet with our board, and return with such awful and unexpected news. The kids had no idea that just while we had been there rehearsing, local schools had also announced their closure. Facing that cast is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
I’m really proud of the ways we adapted during COVID; we entered the world of podcasting and used that medium to create interactive walking tours, including “Ghosts of Anderson” and the “Storefront Storybook” (which has run for two holiday seasons so far). It was fun to explore unique mediums of storytelling, and an honor to partner with the City of Anderson on many of these projects (also including a show at a historical cemetery to raise awareness and support for the preservation of the beautiful site). Of course, the fact that we already had experience with outdoor theatre also helped bring musicals to the park when our marquee was otherwise dark!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Market Theatre?
Market Theatre connects and inspires our community by creating quality art, educational opportunities, and a vibrant community arts hub. The arts are for everyone!
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
As an artist, I am really sharpened by the podcast “Smartless” hosted by Sean Hayes, Jason Bateman, and Will Arnett. In each episode, they have a different celebrity guest, and I always find inspiration in the wisdom and humanity that is shared (I particularly recommend the Ron Howard episode!). I also really love to listen to “The Daily” podcast by the New York Times. It does a great job of deep-diving on a headline topic for about 20-30 minutes, generally interviewing someone with firsthand experience and on-the-ground perspective. It makes the headlines personal, to me, and I so enjoy that intimate take on the news. The podcast “Broadway Backstory” is one I can’t get enough of, but sadly, new episodes are no longer being made; I encourage anyone interested in theatre to soak up the episodes that are out there (especially the one about “Come From Away”)! And lastly, I can’t get enough true crime (especially on a long car ride); my favorite true crime/serialized story is “S-Town”. I only wish I could erase my memory and experience it again!
As far as books, I recommend to all artists the book “Steal Like An Artist” by Austin Kleon, and its follow-up, “Show Your Work”. These are easy reads but so impactful! As a thinker, I spend entirely too much time telling people about the book “Whose Afraid of Postmodernism?” by James K.A. Smith. For anyone interested in visual art and the intersection of graphic design/marketing and theatre (like myself), I say: you MUST check out “On Broadway: From Rent to Revolution” by SpotCo CEO Drew Hodges.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.markettheatre.org
- Instagram: @themarketanderson
- Facebook: Facebook.com/themarketanderson
Image Credits
Headshot: Escobar Photography
Venue Photo: Anderson
Arts Center, credit unknown
Aerial Photo: Shrek the Musical in Carolina Wren Park; photo by Will Malone Photography
Park Musical Photo: Into the Woods in Carolina wren Park; photo by Angel Ruff Photography
3x Indoor Musical Photos: Matilda the Musical at Market Theatre; photo by Wallace Krebs Photography
Storefront Storybook Photo (with Christmas lights in background): photo by Casey Bates
Summer camp photo of two girls: photo by Kelly T Images
Award photo: photo by Katherine Escobar
