AL SCHELL/Courier-Post Merissa Martignoni, 16, of Voorhees, applies makeup for a dress rehearsal of `A Midsummer Night's Dream,' now playing at the Ritz Theatre, Oaklyn. Video: Watch a clip from the Ritz Theatre's performance of `A Midsummer Night's Dream' Related stories: State has shortchanged South Jersey $2.1 million over 4 years Fee for 1 NJPAC show could fund S.J. group Four from South Jersey serve on arts council Program helped arts before funds dried up Related Links: New Jersey State Council on the Arts Appel Farm Arts and Music Center National Endowment for the Arts

By ROBERT BAXTER
Courier-Post Staff

The Ritz Theatre in Oaklyn earns critical raves everywhere. Everywhere, that is, but Trenton.

After giving the Ritz $35,000 for three consecutive years, the New Jersey State Council on the Arts rejected the Ritz' s grant proposal for the 2001 fiscal year and then turned down the group's appeal.

Before the appeal, the Ritz wrote to arts council Executive Director Barbara Russo to request a constituency meeting with the council. The council's staff never replied.

Russo declined to discuss why the Ritz was denied funding this year, except to say that the council's peer review and grants evaluation process is fair.

The Ritz's producing artistic director, Bruce Curless, says he was devastated by the rejection, which effectively removes the Ritz from the arts council's three-year funding cycle.

Unable to apply for a general operating grant until fiscal 2004, the Ritz is now applying for a special grant of $20, 000 to support the development of a new musical revue.

The council's rejection also dealt a blow to Curless' efforts to develop a relationship with foundations like the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts and The William Penn Foundation.

"The first thing a foundation asks is if your organization receives funding from the arts council," explained Curless.

The arts council rejected the Ritz's first application for funding in fiscal 1998. After an appeal, the council awarded the Ritz the $35,000-a-year grant for three years.

Curless says the $105,000 from the council helped the theater company immeasurably. "We are stronger. We have larger audiences. We are honing our craft."

Curless is perplexed by the review panel's consensus comments that explain why the council rejected the application for general operating support for fiscal 2001.

The panel complained the Ritz needs "stronger board development" and fails to raise funds. In response, Curless says the board has doubled in size and takes an active part in all fund raising.

The panel also complained the Ritz's audience is "mainly older and senior." Curless counters that seniors make up only 33 percent of the Ritz's audience.

Curless registers surprise at the panel's suggestion that the Ritz needs to broaden its audience. The Ritz boasts the largest subscription base in South Jersey - 4,500 - and drew 73,000 people to its 226 performances last year.

The Ritz performed six main-stage shows 102 times. The company also gave more than 50 performances of 11 children' s shows and presented a four-show concert series and numerous outreach performances.

JOSE F. MORENO/Courier-Post Director Bruce Curless talks to Beth Smulyan and Al Fuchs (right) during a rehearsal at the Ritz Theatre on Wednesday. The Ritz was turned down for a state arts grant this year despite performing for 73,000 people last year.

Development Director Anne Knoll is troubled that the council evaluates the Ritz Theatre by the same standards it applies to McCarter Theatre in Princeton. The Ritz is a semi-professional community theater with a staff of 11 full- and part-time employees and a budget of less than $1 million. McCarter is a professional company with 74 full- time employees and a $9.4 million budget.

"We can see the value of our organization but can't get it through (to the arts council)," she says. "We are on the brink. How can the Ritz Theatre not be perfect for a grant?"

"Could McCarter exist on the White Horse Pike?" asks Curless. "Our ticket prices ($18) make theater accessible for everyone.

"We know how to do theater. We don't know how to deal with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts."