Legacy Planning

Legacy can sometimes seem like a nebulous concept. But when you break it down, it's really a gift for the next generation. That gift can be a literal bequest, or it can be a more abstract offering. For instance, an author leaves behind an artistic legacy, which is comprised of their work and the impact that their work had upon their community. This legacy might evolve over time, depending upon how their plays or musicals are received over time, in relation to the sociopolitical issues faced anew in each generation.

Your artistic legacy is like a conversation that can surpass the constraints of time. Chances are that you have been inspired by those who came before you. In turn, the next generations of playwrights, composers, lyricists, and librettists will look to you, to engage with the material that you created and to learn from your journey, so that your artistic light can serve to help spark and illuminate their path ahead.

It can be helpful to consider one's legacy with a spirit of generosity. What impact do you hope to have on the cultural landscape, even after you are gone? How do you hope that your experiences and advice can help to pave the way for the theatremakers who come after you? How would you want your work to lay part of a foundation for the work that writers will do, moving forward?

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