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.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Nytheatrecast interview with J. Scott Reynolds
I recently recorded a new interview with J. Scott Reynolds, artistic director of Handcart Ensemble.
This is another Playwrights in Conversation nytheatrecast. My fourth. You can find a link to the item here, or directly download the MP3 here.
Scott has some very interesting things to say about how he views theatrical language, adaptations, and Samuel Beckett. His company is producing a new version of The Odyssey.
This is another Playwrights in Conversation nytheatrecast. My fourth. You can find a link to the item here, or directly download the MP3 here.
Scott has some very interesting things to say about how he views theatrical language, adaptations, and Samuel Beckett. His company is producing a new version of The Odyssey.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I'll be involved
With this. Lots of people involved, of course. So getting tickets now is likely good.
I've been...
...out of town, celebrating my mother's retirement from more than a quarter century of teaching high school English. It was a very nice trip, got to see my brother and sister (who live in Lake Tahoe and St. Paul, MN, respectively) and their charming significant others. Hoorah for my amazing Mom.
Now, I have a slight headcold. I think I'll also remain vaguely hungover for a few days.
Now, I have a slight headcold. I think I'll also remain vaguely hungover for a few days.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Effie Jean in Tahiti
Blue Coyote Theater Group has something new - in many ways - coming up shortly. It features music by Stephen Speights (who wrote the music for Glee Club and did tremendous work as an actor in it as well), is written by David Johnston, features a terrific cast, and is appropriate for children and their parents.
So get your tickets immediately.
Effie Jean In Tahiti
The Blue Coyote event you
should bring kids to!
For ages 7-77!
Book by David Johnston
Music and Lyrics by
Stephen Speights
Directed by Gary Shrader
Choreography by Jonathan Hollander
Featuring: Bruce Barton*, Laura Desmond*, Brian Fuqua*, Katy Garceau, Katie Hayes, Lynda Kennedy*, Tom Staggs*, Jane Titus*, Matthew Trumbull*, F. Dash Vata.
Princess Effie Jean has made a bargain with Proteus, the Old Man of the Sea, and now she’s stuck in Tahiti guarding his jewels. Boring! Even worse, she’s supposed to kill any strangers that land on the island, and the first one who shows up is her own brother. Can the wily brother-sister duo find a way to trick Proteus? With the help of vain Cassiopeia (Queen of the Night Sky), a school of flounder, and some good old-fashioned song and dance, YOU BET THEY CAN!
All these dire predictions
...about Obama being one-term and blah, blah, blah are horseshit inspired by a never-ending news cycle. Fact is, in December, we'll be like "Remember all that hoopla about health care reform?"
People have a memory of about twenty minutes.
For example, remember this?
Not really? Not until just now? Right.
The fact is Democrats have been trying to complete some form of health care reform for a very long time. Everyone takes a crack at it, and it always fails. Obama, even if the bill is nowhere near as comprehensive as we'd like it to be, will probably actually wind up passing comprehensive reforms of some sort. And if he does that, it will be a major accomplishment. Period.
But besides that, I'm a bit weary of the news about this. Frankly, it reminds of the Democratic primary. If you were to watch this from afar, and describe what actually is going to happen, it pretty much always does. False drama drives ratings and spikes hit counts. But you could draw a map of how this will all play out from now until November, and have an 80% of nailing it.
Health Care Reform was always going to be 1) done early 2) resisted by Republicans 3) complicated to negotiate 4) attacked by various lobbyists 5) a legislative slog 6) tough on Obama's ratings. That's why he did it now. First thing. So he had some room to fall. Also, it's clear that with the majorities the Democrats have, something will pass. And once it passes, that'll be that. Everyone will be taking CREDIT for it. Republicans will say they are proud of the bill because they kept costs under control and still got good reform. Democrats will say they fulfilled their campaign promises. We'll continue to have an imperfect system, but it'll have some practical improvements. That, as they say, is that.
The rest is window dressing.
Remember the Clinton - Obama primary that lasted forever? Obama had won the nomination something like 5 months before Clinton conceded. There were no actual surprises. He won where he was expected to win. She won where she was expected to win. He got the nomination. Everything that happened was evidence that maybe he couldn't win the Presidency. Now, he's President. Christ, when I saw him speak in 2004 at Kerry's convention I said aloud "That guy is going to be President." Everyone did. And so it came to pass.
I'm not saying there isn't such a thing as surprises. But there is a reason that's what they're called: they are rare. They are a surprise. Generally, if it looks like a duck, and it walks like a duck, and it acts like a duck, it's a duck.
Unless you're CNN, Fox or MSNBC. Then, it's a Rasmussen Poll showing 51% of Americans didn't understand the question.
People have a memory of about twenty minutes.
For example, remember this?
Not really? Not until just now? Right.
The fact is Democrats have been trying to complete some form of health care reform for a very long time. Everyone takes a crack at it, and it always fails. Obama, even if the bill is nowhere near as comprehensive as we'd like it to be, will probably actually wind up passing comprehensive reforms of some sort. And if he does that, it will be a major accomplishment. Period.
But besides that, I'm a bit weary of the news about this. Frankly, it reminds of the Democratic primary. If you were to watch this from afar, and describe what actually is going to happen, it pretty much always does. False drama drives ratings and spikes hit counts. But you could draw a map of how this will all play out from now until November, and have an 80% of nailing it.
Health Care Reform was always going to be 1) done early 2) resisted by Republicans 3) complicated to negotiate 4) attacked by various lobbyists 5) a legislative slog 6) tough on Obama's ratings. That's why he did it now. First thing. So he had some room to fall. Also, it's clear that with the majorities the Democrats have, something will pass. And once it passes, that'll be that. Everyone will be taking CREDIT for it. Republicans will say they are proud of the bill because they kept costs under control and still got good reform. Democrats will say they fulfilled their campaign promises. We'll continue to have an imperfect system, but it'll have some practical improvements. That, as they say, is that.
The rest is window dressing.
Remember the Clinton - Obama primary that lasted forever? Obama had won the nomination something like 5 months before Clinton conceded. There were no actual surprises. He won where he was expected to win. She won where she was expected to win. He got the nomination. Everything that happened was evidence that maybe he couldn't win the Presidency. Now, he's President. Christ, when I saw him speak in 2004 at Kerry's convention I said aloud "That guy is going to be President." Everyone did. And so it came to pass.
I'm not saying there isn't such a thing as surprises. But there is a reason that's what they're called: they are rare. They are a surprise. Generally, if it looks like a duck, and it walks like a duck, and it acts like a duck, it's a duck.
Unless you're CNN, Fox or MSNBC. Then, it's a Rasmussen Poll showing 51% of Americans didn't understand the question.
One Minute Play Festival
The One-Minute Play Festival is back this year, coming next month. More details as they become available.
My contribution (unless I write another) is called GOOD ADVICE.
My contribution (unless I write another) is called GOOD ADVICE.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
More David Pogue fun
This time with Tracey Gilbert (When is a Clock) and of course David DelGrosso. Check it out.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Dear those who support my blog and therefore - I would assume -me
Have you purchased a copy of When is a Clock? If not, I'd really appreciate it.
It's a good play, and its a way to directly support me. Available directly through Samuel French and also Amazon.com.
If you saw it, read it, liked it...you could post a short review on Amazon. That, too, I would appreciate.
If you're thinking "That's nice, I hope someone buys his book or reviews his book on Amazon..." I mean you.
It's a good play, and its a way to directly support me. Available directly through Samuel French and also Amazon.com.
If you saw it, read it, liked it...you could post a short review on Amazon. That, too, I would appreciate.
If you're thinking "That's nice, I hope someone buys his book or reviews his book on Amazon..." I mean you.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Why are we bothering again?
To try to compromise with the GOP if they are, in fact, just going to vote against any bill that is put forth?
The crazy meter is turned up to 11
What I found truly amazing about what the right wing has been able to do in this country over the last 10 years, is to move the goal posts entirely about what is considered debatable.
Here are the debates in which the country has debated as of late:
1. Should we commit more deeply to a war that was entered into under false pretenses?
2. Is it okay to torture people?
3. Should the people who have, in power, lied to the American public be held accountable or even prosecuted?
4. Is it reasonable to arrest a man in his own home who is doing nothing wrong, if you are a cop?
5. Is it a constitutional right to bring a gun to a protest of health care reform?
6. Is health care reform a bad thing?
These are, on their faces, absolutely absurd questions. But once you get the debate into "Are you sure it's not okay to torture people?" country, all bets are off. Instead of simply declaring that everyone who tortured, justified torture, promoted torture, and tried to worm torture into law are criminals and subject to international law; we have discussed it as if there is a question. All things have become a matter of relative principle, all things are debatable, everything becomes a question of political persuasion and, in the end, there is no functional meter by which we judge right and wrong. We've lost the ability to distinguish the quality of an argument.
The insurance industry is simply trying to stop the government from becoming competition. They want to remain profitable, and in the business of sickness. We (paralyzed by a bemused, wealthy media without a point of view) are now debating on its terms.
We are actually hearing public officials...elected representatives of the law and the people...defending the bringing of assault rifles to protest rallies.
Here are the debates in which the country has debated as of late:
1. Should we commit more deeply to a war that was entered into under false pretenses?
2. Is it okay to torture people?
3. Should the people who have, in power, lied to the American public be held accountable or even prosecuted?
4. Is it reasonable to arrest a man in his own home who is doing nothing wrong, if you are a cop?
5. Is it a constitutional right to bring a gun to a protest of health care reform?
6. Is health care reform a bad thing?
These are, on their faces, absolutely absurd questions. But once you get the debate into "Are you sure it's not okay to torture people?" country, all bets are off. Instead of simply declaring that everyone who tortured, justified torture, promoted torture, and tried to worm torture into law are criminals and subject to international law; we have discussed it as if there is a question. All things have become a matter of relative principle, all things are debatable, everything becomes a question of political persuasion and, in the end, there is no functional meter by which we judge right and wrong. We've lost the ability to distinguish the quality of an argument.
The insurance industry is simply trying to stop the government from becoming competition. They want to remain profitable, and in the business of sickness. We (paralyzed by a bemused, wealthy media without a point of view) are now debating on its terms.
We are actually hearing public officials...elected representatives of the law and the people...defending the bringing of assault rifles to protest rallies.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Do the math
The peaceful protests in New York City of the Republican National Convention in 2004 resulted in hundreds of arrests; but bringing an assault rifle to a protest near President Obama results in a sideways glance from the Phoenix police?
Protecting President George W. Bush in 2004 was a matter of national security, and protecting President Barack Obama in 2009 is, it seems, a matter of debate.
Or maybe the Second Amendment has finally become more important to law enforcement than the First Amendment.
Or, better still, they want to send a clear message: if you want the cops to respect your rights, bring a gun.
Protecting President George W. Bush in 2004 was a matter of national security, and protecting President Barack Obama in 2009 is, it seems, a matter of debate.
Or maybe the Second Amendment has finally become more important to law enforcement than the First Amendment.
Or, better still, they want to send a clear message: if you want the cops to respect your rights, bring a gun.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Capt. Matthew Freeman
According to my sitemeter, there are a large number of people finding this blog because they're looking for information about Capt. Matthew Freeman, who was killed in Afghanistan on August 7th, 2009 at the age of 29. That is not me, clearly. But I'd like to send anyone who finds this blog looking for information about him my sincere condolences. According to what I've read, he was an exceptional person from a long military family. The fact that he was married only three weeks before he passed away is absolutely tragic.
To find information about him, you could look here, here, here or here.
To find information about him, you could look here, here, here or here.
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