You know this was coming...
Kris Vire in Chicago has asked if the Soho Rep's production of "Blasted" can be honestly called the US Premiere.
The NY Times has reported it as such. As has the Soho Rep's website.
I'm inclined to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Could this be its first "professional, equity, full-scale, open-ended" US production? Could this be a version of the play previously unperformed? Did Soho Rep not nail down a proper Google search?
We'll see. Won't we.
Anyone have any thoughts to contribute?
UPDATE: Kris Vire's done some more digging and found that there have been amendments all around. The New York Premiere of Blasted is what Soho Rep is now, accurately, promoting. As with all things, seems like this was just crossed wires and miscommunication. Move along. Nothing to see here.
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.
7 comments:
It appears that Soho Rep has since removed "US Premiere" from their site.
No, wait, I stand corrected. One page does not mention the play is a US premiere, one page does.
This is interesting...
Well, in addition to A Red Orchid's production last year, I think it's been done before that in Dallas and California, so not sure how it's be a US premiere.
here's the first in the US, about halfway down the page.
http://www.iainfisher.com/kane/eng/kane-news-2004.html
but you're right, Matt, to be able to say "US Premiere" in a strictly union legal way, the show has to "live up to" certain standards. However, if memory serves, part of this standard involves whether it's reviewed or not. Now, there aren't any evident reviews on line, but there are a couple of small features (http://tinyurl.com/6kyq67). I can also say that in 2004, there were still some print reviews that weren't going on line, so I'd guess they may be there somewhere. Coincidentally, a friend of mine is v. close with the director, so i'll drop her a line and see what he says. Other than that, honestly, if he's reading this, which he most likely is, your fellow blogger Ken Urban would be the man to ask, given his history with both Rude Guerrilla (the LA production) and Sarah Kane's estate.
US premier is a contractural thing. it has nothing to do with whether or not there are prior productions. This is the first production that is legally allowed to be called the US premier.
So wait. Chicago Premiere, California Premiere go before US Premiere?
Is that right? You can be the "US premiere" simply because you get a contractural agreement? Now that's funny. And you have to get legal permission to call yourself the US premiere?
Great, I'll have to remember from now on that the words "US Premiere" in an ad are completely meaningless.
Tell you what, Matt, I want to do a remount of "When Is a Clock". We'll do it at 78th St Theatre Lab. Oh, and can I get a rider? We'll need to call this production the "World Premiere". It'll be good for publicity. Whaddya say?
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