I mean...really? Really?
The Pulitzer is a stepping stone to writing superhero movies. At last.
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.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Punished for growth
Before the market became particularly volatile, theaters were already in challenging economic model. Accepting poverty isn't a problem. In fact, small theaters in New York City exist in a state of constant poverty, through a combination of the restrictive Showcase Code and union tiers, a lack of adequate arts funding at the federal level, high rental prices, and the difficulty of finding and exciting new audiences.
It's the more successful institutions that get the funding love and get the strings attached. Generous new grants seems to rain down primarily on companies like the Public; companies that are adding power to an already powerful brand. Nonetheless, they all depend on the liquidity and goodwill of private institutions. The more a non-profit theater grows, the more it relies on a smaller and smaller list of larger and larger funding sources. Ticket sales are a small part of the math, especially as you become a larger company.
The market has gone south. The economy has been "maybe in a recession" for a year. In New York, the state provides more arts funding than the NEA does. New York State just declared that it was in a financial hole. Off-Off / "Indie" companies may feel the heat and their company member's respective day jobs; but it's the larger institutions that are being punished for growth. We all want small theaters to become flush with cash; but the cash is tied to the invested endowments of families and foundations. When the market tanks, the first to go are organizations that are mid-sized, growing, and successful.
Essentially, you can't move, in our current economic model, from a successful small theater with a solid audience and few paychecks to a larger, more stable institution where the actors get $400 a week without a steady infusion of cash from private funders. In this way, instead of theaters becoming successful on the merits of their work, or the priorities of the society, their survival is about not only courting private funds, but the health of those institutions - something theaters have no control over.
This is the free market for theater producers and actors alike: want to get paid? Pray for the health and safety of Phillip Morris.
It's the more successful institutions that get the funding love and get the strings attached. Generous new grants seems to rain down primarily on companies like the Public; companies that are adding power to an already powerful brand. Nonetheless, they all depend on the liquidity and goodwill of private institutions. The more a non-profit theater grows, the more it relies on a smaller and smaller list of larger and larger funding sources. Ticket sales are a small part of the math, especially as you become a larger company.
The market has gone south. The economy has been "maybe in a recession" for a year. In New York, the state provides more arts funding than the NEA does. New York State just declared that it was in a financial hole. Off-Off / "Indie" companies may feel the heat and their company member's respective day jobs; but it's the larger institutions that are being punished for growth. We all want small theaters to become flush with cash; but the cash is tied to the invested endowments of families and foundations. When the market tanks, the first to go are organizations that are mid-sized, growing, and successful.
Essentially, you can't move, in our current economic model, from a successful small theater with a solid audience and few paychecks to a larger, more stable institution where the actors get $400 a week without a steady infusion of cash from private funders. In this way, instead of theaters becoming successful on the merits of their work, or the priorities of the society, their survival is about not only courting private funds, but the health of those institutions - something theaters have no control over.
This is the free market for theater producers and actors alike: want to get paid? Pray for the health and safety of Phillip Morris.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
naplwrimo!
naplwrimo!
National Playwrighting Month starts in three days. Sign up at their brand spankin' new and shiny website here.
National Playwrighting Month starts in three days. Sign up at their brand spankin' new and shiny website here.
A Kick-Ass Production of Woyzeck
Inspired by Isaac's half-posting about Woyzeck.
Woyzeck is about German Peas. The seeds, one might say, of Germany.
Which seeds did Buchner lay in Germany in 1837? His own. He died and fertilized Germany, long before the play was ever finished or performed. Peas are brought forth from the soil. Hence: Buchner's own body is a part of the great soilmother from which the peas of early productions of Woyzeck must have been birthed. The peas are the issue of Buchner's own deathwomb.
So... when we see Woyzeck eating peas, we can see him as eating from the loam of Dead Buchner. Why not cut out the bullshit though? Why not have him eat a life-sized replica of Buchner ON-STAGE and have the body labeled "PEAS!?"
Christ, am I not the only one that sees the post-modernist metatheatrical possiblities of this?
I see, as I sculpt this in my own mind, a bare stage and a man dressed in a loin cloth. He is eating his own author, and behind him, his love sings "Inch by Inch/Row by Row/Gonna make this garden grow" over and over, as the lights change and the music becomes more and more foreboding. Then, when she gets to the part of the song that goes "Old Crow a-Sittin' on a tree / got his hungry eyes on ME" ... WE KNOW SHE MEANS THAT HE'S BEEN DRIVEN MAD!!!
Other characters will be performed with puppets. tm
My Concept for a Kick-Ass Production of Woyzeck
by Matthew FreemanWoyzeck is about German Peas. The seeds, one might say, of Germany.
Which seeds did Buchner lay in Germany in 1837? His own. He died and fertilized Germany, long before the play was ever finished or performed. Peas are brought forth from the soil. Hence: Buchner's own body is a part of the great soilmother from which the peas of early productions of Woyzeck must have been birthed. The peas are the issue of Buchner's own deathwomb.
So... when we see Woyzeck eating peas, we can see him as eating from the loam of Dead Buchner. Why not cut out the bullshit though? Why not have him eat a life-sized replica of Buchner ON-STAGE and have the body labeled "PEAS!?"
Christ, am I not the only one that sees the post-modernist metatheatrical possiblities of this?
I see, as I sculpt this in my own mind, a bare stage and a man dressed in a loin cloth. He is eating his own author, and behind him, his love sings "Inch by Inch/Row by Row/Gonna make this garden grow" over and over, as the lights change and the music becomes more and more foreboding. Then, when she gets to the part of the song that goes "Old Crow a-Sittin' on a tree / got his hungry eyes on ME" ... WE KNOW SHE MEANS THAT HE'S BEEN DRIVEN MAD!!!
Other characters will be performed with puppets. tm
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
A sign of the times - Milwaukee Shakespeare Closing Its Doors
See the Milwaukee Shakespeare website. To quote:
MILWAUKEE SHAKESPEARE CLOSING ITS DOORS
October 28, 2008 - Milwaukee Shakespeare is closing its doors due to lack of available funding.
Despite generous support from private and public local, state and national foundations and granting organizations such as UPAF and the NEA, the company’s primary source of operating funds is the Argosy Foundation. Due to the current financial climate, the Argosy Foundation has eliminated support from Milwaukee Shakespeare in order to put itself in the best position to continue to grow and support the community in the future. For this reason, Milwaukee Shakespeare cannot continue its season as planned. While ticket sales have been at a record level so far this season, ticket income only provides a fraction of what it costs to keep a non-profit theatre company running. Milwaukee Shakespeare has been actively seeking and achieving outside support, but the growth has not been sufficient to withstand this loss in its primary source of funding.
____
A sign of things to come? Unfortunately, you can count on it.
Any other similar activity you're seeing out there?
Sorry for the light posting
I've been sort of under the weather and busy. Quick thoughts.
- Bluebeard's new draft is done and I've sent it around a bit.
- I was, unfortunately, denied a grant by the NEA this year. My genius is once again overlooked! They won't laugh at me once I've completed the ultimate superweapon, however.
- One of the reasons I'm looking forward to November 4th is that I am finally tired of reading political blogs and articles and all that stuff. It's gotten to be overload. I've been watching these people run for office forever. It's enough already. I want to listen to NPR and hear them talk to a painter, and not a pollster or former CIA operative for once.
- Speaking of which, did anyone else hear this episode of Fresh Air? Robert Baer says that he believes the Osama Bin Laden is dead. He says it really plainly. It's totally under reported.
- I'm contributing a short piece to ReVamped this year.
- The One-Minute Play festival was a fine time. Thanks to everyone who worked on it.
- Is it really warm in here, or is it just me?
- Bluebeard's new draft is done and I've sent it around a bit.
- I was, unfortunately, denied a grant by the NEA this year. My genius is once again overlooked! They won't laugh at me once I've completed the ultimate superweapon, however.
- One of the reasons I'm looking forward to November 4th is that I am finally tired of reading political blogs and articles and all that stuff. It's gotten to be overload. I've been watching these people run for office forever. It's enough already. I want to listen to NPR and hear them talk to a painter, and not a pollster or former CIA operative for once.
- Speaking of which, did anyone else hear this episode of Fresh Air? Robert Baer says that he believes the Osama Bin Laden is dead. He says it really plainly. It's totally under reported.
- I'm contributing a short piece to ReVamped this year.
- The One-Minute Play festival was a fine time. Thanks to everyone who worked on it.
- Is it really warm in here, or is it just me?
Monday, October 27, 2008
For all you wrestling fans out there...
Rest in Peace S.D. "Special Delivery" Jones, who died yesterday at 63.
I am battling the sniffles
Sniff.
What say you, oh blogosphere? About sniffling playwriters and their complaints?
What say you, oh blogosphere? About sniffling playwriters and their complaints?
Friday, October 24, 2008
2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival
This weekend is the 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival. My work will represent two minutes therein, plays called Carbon Footprint and Last Words.
I have it on good authority that Saturday is sold out. Sunday is selling fast. Should be a madcap affair and lots of fun. I hope to see you there.
Tickets can be boughten in this imaginary "place."
Details:
Shstrng Prdctns (producers Dominic D'Andrea, Toby Knops, Ashlin Halfnight) presents the 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival.
The 2008 One-Minute Play Festival writers are (in no particular order):
Ed Napier, Liz Meriwether , Brian Dykstra, Rachel Axler , Caridad Svich , Bixby Elliot, Chiori Miyagawa, Robert Askins, Justin Deabler, Jeff Lewonczyk, Alex Beech, David Zellnik, Matthew Freeman, Jihan Crowther, Ross Maxwell, Sam Forman, Kobun Kaluza , Carla Ching, Graham Gordy, Cassandra Medley , Anna Fields , Ken Urban , Kristoffer Diaz, Susan Bernfield, Leslie Kramer , Michael Sendrow , Victor Lodato, Meghan Mostyn-Brown, Courtney Brooke Lauria , Anton Dudley , Saviana Stanescu, & Rob Urbinati
And Alumni Writers:
Kyle Jarrow, Clay McLeod Chapman , James Comtois, Emily Conbere , Bathsheba Doran , Ashlin Halfnight, Michael John Garces, Sibyl Kempson, Rajiv Joseph, & Anna Ziegler
PLUS special surprise guests!
Directed by:
Carlos Armesto, Dylan McCullough, Kim Weild, Claire Lundberg, Dominic D'Andrea, Lou Moreno, Shelley Butler, Jacob Krueger, & Michael Gardner.
Tickets are $18 dollars online pre-sale, and will be available for $20 at the door.
I have it on good authority that Saturday is sold out. Sunday is selling fast. Should be a madcap affair and lots of fun. I hope to see you there.
Tickets can be boughten in this imaginary "place."
Details:
Shstrng Prdctns (producers Dominic D'Andrea, Toby Knops, Ashlin Halfnight) presents the 2nd Annual One-Minute Play Festival.
The 2008 One-Minute Play Festival writers are (in no particular order):
Ed Napier, Liz Meriwether , Brian Dykstra, Rachel Axler , Caridad Svich , Bixby Elliot, Chiori Miyagawa, Robert Askins, Justin Deabler, Jeff Lewonczyk, Alex Beech, David Zellnik, Matthew Freeman, Jihan Crowther, Ross Maxwell, Sam Forman, Kobun Kaluza , Carla Ching, Graham Gordy, Cassandra Medley , Anna Fields , Ken Urban , Kristoffer Diaz, Susan Bernfield, Leslie Kramer , Michael Sendrow , Victor Lodato, Meghan Mostyn-Brown, Courtney Brooke Lauria , Anton Dudley , Saviana Stanescu, & Rob Urbinati
And Alumni Writers:
Kyle Jarrow, Clay McLeod Chapman , James Comtois, Emily Conbere , Bathsheba Doran , Ashlin Halfnight, Michael John Garces, Sibyl Kempson, Rajiv Joseph, & Anna Ziegler
PLUS special surprise guests!
Directed by:
Carlos Armesto, Dylan McCullough, Kim Weild, Claire Lundberg, Dominic D'Andrea, Lou Moreno, Shelley Butler, Jacob Krueger, & Michael Gardner.
Tickets are $18 dollars online pre-sale, and will be available for $20 at the door.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
For the record
This three-term thing is Bullshit. I like Bloomberg just fine. He's a good mayor. But term-limits are fucking sacred. Period. You get your time at the wheel, and then move on, like it or not. It's a part of the fabric of our system.
If you see something, say something
Last night, Pam and I caught a preview of Mike Daisey's new monologue If you see something say something at Joe's Pub.
We loved it. As much as I enjoyed and was engaged by How Theater Failed America, I think I this piece is stronger. Daisey's interlocking narratives of his own visit to Los Alamos, Sam Cohen's work on the Neutron Bomb (particularly harrowing and bizarre) and the history of "Homeland Security" psychological portait of our most destructive impulses.
The piece is puncuated perfectly by his writerly style and appealing performance. It's topical, certainly liberal, but never detached or sophmorically infuriated. Daisey has more than an instinct for a good story: he has a curiousity that augments the entire proceedings.
You should certainly pick up a ticket or two.
We loved it. As much as I enjoyed and was engaged by How Theater Failed America, I think I this piece is stronger. Daisey's interlocking narratives of his own visit to Los Alamos, Sam Cohen's work on the Neutron Bomb (particularly harrowing and bizarre) and the history of "Homeland Security" psychological portait of our most destructive impulses.
The piece is puncuated perfectly by his writerly style and appealing performance. It's topical, certainly liberal, but never detached or sophmorically infuriated. Daisey has more than an instinct for a good story: he has a curiousity that augments the entire proceedings.
You should certainly pick up a ticket or two.
When is a Clock publication
When is a Clock is going to be published and represented by Samuel French. I'll let everyone know when it's actually out and further along. Won't be for a while, I'd guess. But I'm certainly happy about it.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Chinese Democracy
Apparently Guns 'N Roses actually released a SINGLE from Chinese Democracy.
Also, Duke Nukem Forever just got released.
Also, Duke Nukem Forever just got released.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
A PA Native speaks about the electorate
There's been a lot of chatter about Pennsylvania and it's racism or lackthereof. John Murtha recently referred to Western PA as a "racist area."
I'm from Eastern Pennsylvania. Born in Bryn Mawr, lived in Collegeville and then lived in Boyertown, PA from the 6th Grade until I went off to college. I'm went to Pennsylvania Governor School for the Arts. My mother still teaches at a public high school there and lives in Oley, near Reading.
Guess what? That's a racist area. There are public KKK gatherings in Boyertown, for the love of God.
There are lots of reasonable, good people from my home state. Great universities, great theater, wonderful culture and folk art; it's not a terrible place. But there's a boatload of bigots there, no doubt about it. Anyone who claims to be offended for hearing that either doesn't like being called out for their own attitude, or doesn't actually live there.
I'm from Eastern Pennsylvania. Born in Bryn Mawr, lived in Collegeville and then lived in Boyertown, PA from the 6th Grade until I went off to college. I'm went to Pennsylvania Governor School for the Arts. My mother still teaches at a public high school there and lives in Oley, near Reading.
Guess what? That's a racist area. There are public KKK gatherings in Boyertown, for the love of God.
There are lots of reasonable, good people from my home state. Great universities, great theater, wonderful culture and folk art; it's not a terrible place. But there's a boatload of bigots there, no doubt about it. Anyone who claims to be offended for hearing that either doesn't like being called out for their own attitude, or doesn't actually live there.
Flux Presents the Angel Eaters Trilogy
There's an upcoming production that I'm looking forward to checking out. Flux Theatre Ensemble is presenting The Angel Eaters Trilogy by Johnna Adams in November. They're performing all three plays in rep. It's ambitious project and one I think should be rewarded with a lot of attention and eyeballs. The trilogy is about "generations of a family cursed with the ability to raise the dead and wrestle with angels" so I'm told.
Sounds like the Kentucky Cycle meets Pushing Daisies. Or something like that.
Either way, I'm there. And you should give it a go too. Here's where you can grab some tickets.
Here's where you can read more about the production.
And here's Johnna Adams blog.
Sounds like the Kentucky Cycle meets Pushing Daisies. Or something like that.
Either way, I'm there. And you should give it a go too. Here's where you can grab some tickets.
Here's where you can read more about the production.
And here's Johnna Adams blog.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
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