Ferrer Leaves AMOA
Four years to the month after joining the staff of the Austin Museum of Art, Elizabeth Ferrer is taking her leave of the organization. According to an e-mail circulated to members of the press last Friday, July 13, Ferrer “formally advised Bill McLellan, CEO of the Austin Museum of Art, that I will resign from my position as Executive Director of the Museum,” effective July 31. The departing director says that a recent trip to California helped her put some of her “personal and professional goals into better focus” and so “the time is right for me to pursue new opportunities.” Of course, museum-watchers are wondering how much of the timing is tied into recent changes at AMOA, including the departures of board president-elect Tom Green and CEO Bill O’Brien, new CEO McLellan’s restructuring of the organization, in which six museum staffers were laid off, and the decision by museum patrons Mort and Angela Topfer to withdraw, at least temporarily, part or all of their combined $6 million donation to the new downtown museum building. As Amy Smith reported in the Politics section of last week’s Chronicle (“The Art of Saving AMOA,” July 13), the museum is struggling with some serious challenges, not the least of which is trying to secure funding for a new $65 million facility in the face of an economic downturn. McLellan and Ferrer are both putting on a brave face, reassuring everyone that things are not as bad as they seem. Perhaps they have to. But the whole episode has the uncomfortable feel of déjà vu: There’s the construction of a downtown museum halted by an economic bust, as happened to AMOA in the mid-Eighties; the internal turmoil resulting in the resignation of an executive director, as happened with Daniel Stetson in 1996; the seemingly premature departure of the CEO, as happened with Sid Mallory a mere 13 months after his much-ballyhooed hiring. Haven’t we been through this before? And weren’t brave faces put on then, too, with reassurances given? Considering the turn of events at AMOA, it’s hard not to be skeptical of the diplomatic optimism expressed by museum leaders and not to steel oneself for more trouble down the road. One wonders if it might not be more to AMOA’s advantage this time to be a bit more candid about its internal problems and level with the public about the steps it’s taking to address them. Otherwise, the city may come to believe that the museum is unable to learn from its past, that history is doomed to repeat itself, and they’ll cease to care whether AMOA’s great dream of a downtown museum is ever realized. See this issue’s “Naked City” for an update by Smith.
‘Jouét’ Deux
Jouét has hit the runway again. Last week, Allen Robertson‘s new musical opened at the Actors Theatre of Louisville with Robertson at the keyboards, Meredith McCall reprising her performance as the global pop star, Michael Raiford designing costumes, and Zachary Scott Theatre Center Artistic Director Dave Steakley directing. In the Friday, July 13 edition of The Courier-Journal, Louisville critic Judith Egerton wrote: “As Jouét, a celebrity with an indeterminate accent and a wry sense of humor, Meredith McCall sings with a strong, pleasing voice and inhabits the role as snugly as her sky-blue costume. … Jouét’s revelation about the tabloid scandal … isn’t what held my attention. It’s the strange, sad, and oddly funny past of Jouét and her search for a home that makes the play resonate. … Despite its contrived and sometimes silly plot, the show as performed by McCall has a throbbing heart.”
This article appears in July 20 • 2001.