Seeing A Steady Rain recently reminds one of the panoply of stunning shows both on Broadway and Off that have originated in Chicago in the past few years. This got me thinking. It certainly cannot be mere coincidence that's bringing all these shows to NYC direct from the windy city.
Are we to conclude that the playwrights in Chicago are simply more talented than those in, say, Boston?
I don't think so.
Instead, I think the answer may lie in the culture of the city. Chicago really is a great theatre town. It supports its local theatres and theatre-artists. I remember the last time I found myself stranded in Chicago due to a flight cancellation at O'Hare. This must have been at least 5 years ago but it happened to be on a snowy Tuesday night.
Let me tell you I had no trouble finding an assortment of excellent theatrical choices, many of which were sold out. The only other city in which I've ever experienced anything similar is Amsterdam.
When I lived in Boston in the 1990s, the situation for local writers was abysmal. The non-profit theatres for the most part wouldn't even consider producing work by locals. I have heard that this has changed to some degree and yet, even when the Huntington for example produces a new play by Melinda Lopez, a very talented local, I am told her work is kept at arm's length from the main-stage.
Not so in Chicago. So we have to ask ourselves -- those of us in other cities -- why is this? Are Chicagoans simply naturally predisposed to new work by locals?
Again, doubtful. There is a culture of respect for new work that extends all the way from the pens of local theatre critics to the board rooms of the local non-profit gems such as Steppenwolf to the government agencies that fund them. Passion for new work has taken hold of that great city.
Other cities ought to take note and figure out what they might replicate in their neck of the woods. There's talent in all parts of the country. It just needs to be nurtured and respected and cherished. Don't you agree?
