Great post by James Comtois today about the practical side of Off Off Broadway producing. He links, within, to Don Hall, to whom the post was responding.
I think we need far more posts such as these on the theatrical blogosphere. For example, George Hunka decided to stage In Public and pay everyone involved. On principle. I'd like to hear him talk about that decision. I think it's a noble one, and one that should be debated and discussed.
The fact of writing and producing and directing is that they are activities that require decisions and know-how and resources. If there is any real challenge facing Theatre with a capital "T" in 2007, it's not whether or not we can define terms like erotic and tragic (with all due respect). It's whether or not we have a good method of reaching our audience, expanding it, and staying alive as media and entertainment and storytelling becomes more compartmentalized, private, digitized and segmented.
How can we, with so little government support, so little money for advertising and so little space in which to perform, maximize our resources so that our high-minded ideas are seen, by an audience, on a stage, often?
About Me
- Freeman
- Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.
2 comments:
Much needed perspective!
I completely agree. Some of the best theatre I've ever seen was success because created by limitations (space, budget, props, etc). It's the stories that matter.
Post a Comment