City Lights is, always has been, and will remain committed not only to our own artistic endeavors but to defining and furthering the role of theatre – and of all non-profit arts – in the community, on the local scale and beyond.  Only by participating in impact assessment studies can we honestly say that we have our finger on the pulse of what drives all the arts – our patrons.  This is not just “lip service” to what many consider a “necessary evil”; it is a basic tenet in which I believe strongly, and which rests at the heart of much of my work as the Executive Artistic Director of City Lights Theater Company.  Audiences are more than paying customers; they represent the world at large that we all wish to impact through our work.

Lisa Mallette, Executive Artistic Director
City Lights Theater Company
San Jose, California