Thanks so much for your comment. It opens up several possible issues. Talking about marketing in late-19th-century Moscow at any level is far different than talking about marketing today -- particular in American terms (particularly since I'm writing this even as the spectacle of the Super Bowl is playing out).
That being said, it's undeniable that Stanislavsky weren't interested in creating 'boutique' theatre in the main house. They (Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko) wanted the plays done by the MAT to be seen by *many* people. Indeed, there was discussion that it should be named the Moscow *POPULAR* Art Theatre. Likewise Vakhtangov thought that theatre should communicate to people. There was also a practical reason for wanting successful shows in the early (read pre-Revolutionary) days. Where was the money to come from? One of Nemirovich-Danchenko's on-going irritations with Stanislavsky was that Konstantine Sergeiivich wouldn't put the weight of the Alexiev family fortune into the venture. Shows had to be popular to keep the theatre open.
Maybe I can express an idea in another way. Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko (for example) were motivated by wanting to make art. They also were optimistic to think that truly great art would find not only a small audience -- but a large audience. A popular audience. And they had enough confidence to think they could do it all -- make art that was truly popular. Thanks for the opportunity to engage the idea.
Nathan Thomas
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