Cutting it on the Cutting Edge
I know this may shock some, but there is an interesting piece in the Los Angeles Times about theatre. This may surprise those who thought LA didn't have theatre. Not to fear though, it's just another 'critic's notebook' regarding the Pulitzer selection.
Here's just a snippet by Charles McNulty.
"...the award is yet another sign that this isn't the most welcoming of times for envelope-pushing drama. Broadway is rife with revivals and British imports. And the big regional theaters, established as an alternative to the commercial system, have had a tough time staying true to their mandate. Risk-averse programming that favors the familiar, preferably with a star lead, slick showmanship and a clobbering marketing campaign, isn't limited to the Great White Way.
To be an up-and-coming playwright today is to be unavoidably part of a grass-roots effort. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Though in a decadently corporate era — when "branding" is the highest creed not just for soda and cereal manufacturers but for the behind-the-scenes movers and shakers in politics, the arts and even foreign policy — it's hard for the not-yet-famous to stay on the radar, let alone pay the rent, secure health insurance and scrounge a few hours a week for creative fulfillment.
It has never been easy, but the current generation of writers finds itself in a double bind. Broadway hasn't been in its sights for ages. But the larger nonprofits, which should be a reasonable goal, haven't been too keen to gamble subscribers' goodwill on a bunch of unknowns who still need a few more years to bake. Trouble is, these artists are having the darnedest time finding a well-stocked kitchen. Without institutional support — and without a robust alternative that can draw crowds and critics and, yes, possibly even Pulitzers — it's no wonder TV and movies have been siphoning so much talent from the stage."
Thanks to Jason Grote for the link: http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/cl-ca-playwrights22apr22,0,7755147.story
[By the by, does anyone know about the companies he mentions: Circle X Theatre, the Furious Theatre Company, the Echo Theater Company and the Blank Theatre Company?]
Here's just a snippet by Charles McNulty.
"...the award is yet another sign that this isn't the most welcoming of times for envelope-pushing drama. Broadway is rife with revivals and British imports. And the big regional theaters, established as an alternative to the commercial system, have had a tough time staying true to their mandate. Risk-averse programming that favors the familiar, preferably with a star lead, slick showmanship and a clobbering marketing campaign, isn't limited to the Great White Way.
To be an up-and-coming playwright today is to be unavoidably part of a grass-roots effort. There's nothing wrong with that, of course. Though in a decadently corporate era — when "branding" is the highest creed not just for soda and cereal manufacturers but for the behind-the-scenes movers and shakers in politics, the arts and even foreign policy — it's hard for the not-yet-famous to stay on the radar, let alone pay the rent, secure health insurance and scrounge a few hours a week for creative fulfillment.
It has never been easy, but the current generation of writers finds itself in a double bind. Broadway hasn't been in its sights for ages. But the larger nonprofits, which should be a reasonable goal, haven't been too keen to gamble subscribers' goodwill on a bunch of unknowns who still need a few more years to bake. Trouble is, these artists are having the darnedest time finding a well-stocked kitchen. Without institutional support — and without a robust alternative that can draw crowds and critics and, yes, possibly even Pulitzers — it's no wonder TV and movies have been siphoning so much talent from the stage."
Thanks to Jason Grote for the link: http://www.calendarlive.com/stage/cl-ca-playwrights22apr22,0,7755147.story
[By the by, does anyone know about the companies he mentions: Circle X Theatre, the Furious Theatre Company, the Echo Theater Company and the Blank Theatre Company?]
posted by THALATTA! Theatre International at 2:42 PM
2 Comments:
I'm with Circle X, and we do really interesting work. Check us out at www.circlextheatre.org. No shows scheduled at the moment. We just finished up a free reading series in Hollywood.
I've seen a bunch of these wonderful theater companies shows...and Mr. McNulty is dead on about theater in L.A....I know the Echo has amazing actors in their company...I've seen Christine Estabrook (on Broadway now in Spring Awakening) and Rico Colantoni (Veronica Mars) in some of their stuff (in a 99 seat theater) which was really good.
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