EXTRA CRITICUM

I would never say this to your face but know this: If someone's produced your work they notice how your do or don't promote.

A past winner of the Hear Me Out Monologue Competition recently sent me an invite to an upcoming production of their work and I immediately went to the theater's website to check it out because once I'm struck by an artist's talent, I'm interested for the long haul.

I was delighted to find that in the brief bio paragraph for the writer, the Hear Me Out prize history was included prominently.

But this is not always the case. And of course, I would like to think that I'm a big enough person that such things wouldn't matter to me but I'd be lying if I said that when the opposite happens--if, for example, I find myself seated in the audience waiting for a new play to begin by an author I've worked with and my theater date informs me that we're nowhere to be found in the bio--it does bother me. 

I still stay for the play. But I can't help but feel a little stung.

So... take it from me. Everyone cares whether you remember to acknowledge collaborations from your past and it matters that you use the most complete language.

How deep does our sexism run?

There's a university (I shall not name it here). It is among a handful which over the years honored my Mom with an Honorary Doctorate given in conjunction with her commencement address.

My father never had any connection to this university apart from his connection to his wife.

Every year around this time, I receive letters asking for financial support addressed to my late father.

 

Is it any wonder they never receive a check?

Everyone's a Critic

At the multiplex in Roanoke.

Waiting for the feature presentation to begin, an action-packed trailer pops up for a movie called KIDNAP. We see Halle Berry as a mother-warrior fighting what looks to be an army of humanity (criminals, bystanders, doubters, cops, liars, thieves, truckers, lovers...) getting in the way of this mother's fevered pursuit of her adorable innocent bespectacled little boy who has suddenly inexplicably been stolen from her at an amusement park.

As the title KIDNAP splashes its intention across the screen, I hear this from a guy in the row behind me:

Oh dear. That is so NOT the right role for her to come back in.

Now, if this were Chelsea and he were a gay man, I wouldn't be surprised. But I'm in Roanoke and he appears to be on a date with a woman.

When did the entire country turn into Rex Reed?

Discuss.

WRIGHT OUT FRONT: A Playwright Happening

This really cool thing put together by Micheline Auger. Check it out:

WHAT IT IS:

An installation of emerging and emerged playwrights writing new plays in the store front of the Drama Book Shop.  In each two hour time slot, a different playwright will work on their play while the screen shot is projected behind them visible to the street. The public can engage and support the playwright via the Write Out Front Facebook page, Twitter and Website and follow the development of the play and writer after the installation ends.

How many films in competition at this year's Cannes were directed by women?

Guess.

Give up?

My Last Play Closes

The final curtain (figurative, of course) has come down on Ed Schmidt's brilliant My Last Play.

See previous posts on the show by Duane Kelly and Roland Tec.

Big National Drop in Theatre Subscriptions

As reported on the Chicago Tribune's Theater Loop blog:

According to Theatre Facts 2010, the annual research snapshot released by the TCG lobbying and support organization, subscription income is dropping at American theaters at an alarming rate.

full story here.

E.S.T. Auctioning off entire contents of its upstate retreat

As a sad symptom of the financial health of our overall economy, not to mention the state of the arts in this country, Ensemble Studio Theatre is selling its upstate property, as well as all its contents. The property had long served as an upstate summer retreat for artists affiliated with the theatre. But times are tough. And I suppose holding on to the property has become more of a fiscal burden than a benefit. Here's the info, if anyone's planning a trip up north during foliage season.

Piling on Julie Taymor. Enough Already!

There's an edge that creeps into people's voices lately whenever they start trading tidbits about the train wreck that is Julie Taymor's Spiderman. The quality that creeps into the voice is something approaching glee. I suppose, it might be expected that a certain degree of schadenfreude might set in when such vast amounts of money are spent on one production. But, personally, I'm starting to find it a bit off-putting. And I can't help thinking: this is symptomatic of a larger cultural sickness. We have some sort of endless need to prop up artists as demi-gods and then topple them down with gusto at the first signs of cracks in their facade.

Today's Julie Taymor trash fest is reminiscent of similar public outcries that another female theatrical genius director suffered throughout her tumultuous (and spectacular) career. Her name was Sarah Caldwell. And she was the visionary Founding Artistic Director of Opera Company of Boston. Check out this little item from John Rockwell of the New York Times, dated January 20, 1982:

Charlie Sheen is making me quit writing.

Charlie Sheen is now broadcasting his own show.

The King's Speech Production Design Most Unorthodox

Big thanks to E.C. pal Aaron Mack Schloff for pointing us to this juicy tidbit. Remeber that fabulously distressed studio from The King's Speech, the one in which Geoffrey Rush did his best work? Well... apparently some other men have also done some of their best work there in roles of a different sort. Who knew that that distressed wall (which, you've gotta admit is pretty amazing) also served as a backdrop for naked gay British blokes in a porno shoot?!!

Here's the full story on Queerty.com.

Sale of Huffington Post a betrayal?

This just in from the folks at Adbusters. An open letter to bloggers everywhere regarding the recent sale of The Huffington Post to AOL:

I second that emotion: Rocco's right.

Speaking at the much-anticipated new play development conference at Arena Stage last week, Rocco Landesman put it bluntly: “You can either increase demand or decrease supply,” he said. “Demand is not going to increase, so it is time to think about decreasing supply.” [see Times story]

Fact is, for a long time, I've felt precisely the same way.

Steppenwolf Commission Helps Sell Tickets

I recently learned about a commission by Steppenwolf Theatre, from Ken Davenport’s blog The Producer’s Perspective. No, not a new play (I’m still waiting for their call about that), but big-league market research that studies “Millenials” – the market segment between ages 15 and 31.

Street Theatre: Granny Peace Brigade Stops Traffic

Here's a pic taken yesterday everning around 5:30PM when members of the Granny Peace Brigade stood across Broadway at 44th Street and, in less than 10 min. accomplished what Mayor Bloomberg has been trying to do for months -- they stopped traffic!

Some protesters also lay down on Broadway, which gives new meaning to the term "sacrifice." Hope they had their shots. Seriously though, is it true that the over-65 set have coopted bravery? Are twenty-somethings ready to take this lying down? (pun intended). Step up, kids! There's a war on. And we should be sick to death of it by now.