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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.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Outrageous Fortune finally sinks in

UPDATE!

Hey everyone -

I'd like to announce, with great sadness, that I am effectively ending my dream of being a playwright. I've done my best to live in denial, but after reading Outrageous Fortune, the facts are overwhelming. We're irrelevant, poor, and the institutions that were built in order to give the American Theater vibrancy and life have failed. Really, what is it about plays that is so necessary? No one gives a shit anymore. I quit, and you should quit, too.

What? We need more plays about politics? We need another play by a writer about what it means to write? We need more plays about how to have a love life? Someone else needs to reinterpret the Greeks?

Come on, people. There's nothing left. Why try? Why even goddamn try? All I know is that whatever impulse that once pushed me into writing plays was destroyed by the idea that it is very hard to make money at it.

After this one more play, I'm done.
Plays are useless in the age of film and television.
Right or wrong, it's my life and my choice.
I really do thank everyone who supported me and believed in me.
Love to all of you.

Forget what you wanted to be.
Only focus on what is possible.
Only see the world as it is.
Live free of expectation and ambition.
Sorry if that disappoints you all. But it really is the only choice.

9 comments:

Sabina E. said...

BULLSHIT !!!!!

You cannot make a living as a playwright alone-- that's a given. But you can still be a playwright while holding a day job.

Write what you want, dude. Entertain people, educate them. Preach SOCIAL JUSTICE if you're angry about the world. Make 'em laugh if you wanna spread laughter and joy.

Me. I'm gonna be a playwright 'til the day I die

Freeman said...

You might be right.

David Johnston said...

I think Freeman's April foolin', especially if he wants us to believe he's come to this decision after reading one study.

David D. said...

Oh Thank God. I've been waiting for you to give up for YEARS now. Can you, Matt and I finally start one of those online role-playing game groups?

Philucifer said...

About freakin' time.

We all know that theatre's just a stepping stone to Hollywood anyway. And none of us are talented or pretty enough to get THERE.

Give it up now, while there's still time to get an MBA and go into banking.

Sabina E. said...

pssshhhhhh April Fool's Day?

I HAVE BEEN DECEIVED !!

Sean said...

Wait! If you guys start role-playing, I'll give up theater too! I ONLY DO THEATER SO I CAN MEET OTHER ROLE PLAYING ENTHUSIASTS!!!

Joshua James said...

Welcome to the party, pal!

joshcon80 said...

I may or may not belong to an awesome group of artists and cool peeps who meet weekly in Manhattan to play d&d.

We might even have a members only blog where we journal as our characters.

It's one of my darkest secrets.