Dear Michelle,

I know. I would look disappointed too. After your beautiful speech in Pittsburgh about the importance of the arts, for the administration to clamp down on all those poor international artists trying to tour the country (for pennies! or, rather, groschen!), certainly does feel like a smack in the face. One of the reasons we didn’t get the Olympics? Our stringent, expensive visa process that sends the message: Foreigners, stay put. And now, despite the pleadings of a slew of artist organizations, the long-standing policy that allows a single venue to apply for a touring company’s multiple locations has been wiped out. It doesn’t sound that bad, right? Wrong. Each theater the company goes to must now fill out piles of paperwork and incur costs, just enough in these troubled times to make those theaters say “pass.” And that’s what we can’t afford. Art is ambassadorship, and this is the administration that was supposed to be putting out the international welcome mat. It’s not too late! Make a call.

Love,

TONY