About the Theatre in Greater Boston project
Welcome to the “Theatre in Greater Boston” blog. This blog is intended to serve as a discussion platform for all theatre artists who believe that theatre in greater Boston can benefit from honest discussions, suggestions, commentaries, and ideas pertaining to all facets of theatre in the area. Although contributors may stay anonymous, it is my wish that postings will be direct, honest, and respectful, and will have as objective to improve theatre in our area.
The report “Theatre in Greater Boston” (see pdf below) can serve as ‘trigger’ for discussion topics, yet I hope that many topics–not addressed in the report–will find their way on this blog.
Frans Rijnbout
(Please note that Regis College is not responsible for the content of the report)
You can download the report here: Theatre in Greater Boston (pdf)
Not An Actor; I Work For a Living said,
September 15, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I. Introduction
During the fall of 2009
Fall 2009 hasn’t happened yet.
fransrijnbout said,
September 15, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Ah, fall 2008, of course.
Thanks
Not An Actor; I Work For a Living said,
September 17, 2009 at 7:13 pm
my pleasure, this is good stuff! I enjoyed it.
janie howland said,
September 16, 2009 at 1:04 am
where is the voice of the designers and technicians? i found an insulting comment about designers but no designer voice about the state of theatre in boston. in the introduction the interviewer mentions talking to designers, stage managers and all, but I don’t see it in the report. thank you
fransrijnbout said,
September 16, 2009 at 4:06 pm
The report does many things. Where it insults we can at least say that it is an ‘equal-opportunity-insulter.’ There are strong opinions pertaining to ALL theatre professions. The point is: what are we going to do with these opinions? I created the blog so that anybody, who so wishes, has a chance to react. So my question to you: Besides feeling insulted, what is your response to that particular remark? But more importantly, what is your (designer’s) take on the topics that are expressed in the report that may be connected to design? For example: what do you think of the opinion that expensive production designs have an effect on funds set aside for rehearsals?
As the report states in the introduction, using StageSource’s directory, I sent out close to 400 emails to theatre professionals, covering all disciplines–including designers– and invited these persons to be interviewed.
134 people responded and agreed to do so. Of those 134 were very few designers/technicians. Still, among the 75 interviewees were some design professionals/technicians. I have reported their voices. Yet none of their opinions pertain specifically to design.
Again, it seems you have much to say on this topic from a designer’s point of view. So Speak!
Hugh Aaron said,
September 16, 2009 at 7:34 pm
THE PLAYWRIGHT’S DILEMMA as it pertains to both Boston Theatre and community theatres across the country.
I am a playwright as well as a book author, although I’m hardly known. After having, through the years, submitted my plays to hundreds, yes, literally hundreds, of playwriting contests throughout the country, I rarely do so now. With so many competitive submissions entered in practically every contest, the odds of having one’s play chosen are simply too remote. And where reading fees are involved, I soon learned it was too costly, a waste of money. In fact now, if I submit at all, it is only to theatre companies that will accept scripts via e-mail.
Besides the odds against acceptance due to the volume of competition, there’s also the arbitrary decision of the judges. The factors involved in judging a play are usually quite personal, such as the judges’ prejudices, education, sex, personality, age, and life experience. Furthermore, contests are winner-take-all affairs and, as a result, necessarily unfair. Original plays need a more efficient method to bring them to the public, which only community theatre can offer.
Reading a play on the page can’t compare with what a corps of good actors can do for a play. I’m constantly surprised how a well rehearsed reading, let alone a professional performance, reveals a play’s strengths and weaknesses which I may have completely missed on the page. Imagine, then, how often judges fail to see the merit of a play, or lack of it. This is borne out by the surfeit of bad plays that are so often staged, plays that simply don’t work, and seconded by the fact that the same proven plays are performed over and over again. No theatre company wants to take a chance on the unproven, but taking a chance may well reveal a masterpiece and a feather in the company’s cap.
How, then, may a playwright bypass the usual doubtful procedure of submitting his or her work to theatre companies and contests? Upon putting out calls for readers in our small town in Maine, I receive enough volunteers, frustrated lay actors, some of whom have had acting experience in school, one in film and television, and even a former director, to do performance readings of my plays. We’ve done five thus far in as many years. Three of the plays have received standing ovations, with lively discussions of the plays’ issues afterwards. Yet these were plays that had been rejected time after time by community theatre companies. Why couldn’t the artistic directors see the worthiness of these plays, anticipate how an audience would react to them? The fact is most theatre companies rarely know a good or bad original play when they see one. I’m reminded of Harold Pinter’s complaint that for years he practically starved as he struggled to get his work produced in only community theatre.
Of course, there are theatre companies looking for original drama. The Playwrights Center in Minneapolis e-mails its members every month a list of theatres seeking such plays. However, most are seeking ten minute plays, or specific plays confined to a locale or by the gender of the author, or any number of arbitrary requirements. Based on the vast number of submissions I’ve sent out, hardly any company is interested in plays that deal with contemporary issues, that don’t have happy endings, that are realistic in style, that aren’t escapist. Perhaps it’s the nature of our times. When the world is in such flux and upheaval, audiences will go to see only happy plays.
Still, I think most artistic directors underestimate the intelligence of playgoers. Recently a 62 year old prize winning Theatre Company in Massachusetts produced one of my plays that deals with the interaction between young adults and the elderly, showing that as we age and may come to feel useless, we question whether it makes sense to go on. Not an easy subject, but the audience was quite enthusiastic in their reaction to it. Now, this same company is planning on staging another of my plays that deals with a disturbing and controversial subject, confirming that the theatre’s artistic director believes in the intelligence and attentiveness of his audience.
For new playwrights, there is only community theatre in which to test their works. But few such theatre companies have the courage to take on anything more than the same old subjects, themes, and ideas, or, seeking to be original, plays that most of us can’t relate to. Oh, for the authenticity and power of another Death of a Salesman, or A Streetcar Named Desire, or A Doll’s House, or The Cherry Orchard in which each of us can relate to the motivations of the characters in stories that keep us asking what happens next. I’m sure there are such plays out there, but nowadays, sadly, there are few takers.
Not An Actor; I Work For a Living said,
September 17, 2009 at 7:14 pm
do what everyone else does; call Kate Snodgrass; she’s the best.
Bill Barclay said,
September 16, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I want to applaud the effort in compiling this document – not only of the author but of the passionate voices that were represented herein. The apparently similar grievances illuminated much for me and were distinctive in their solidarity. It was also nice to hear the positives about making art in Boston. I was left with the distinct impression that it really is all in our hands, and it’s up to us. No one is victim to anyone else – not to Artistic Directors, not to New York, not to our audiences or fellow actors. We all possess the intelligence, passion, drive, and sense to push the envelope. As a deep lover of the theatre, here’s to more pushing. BB
SerahRose said,
September 18, 2009 at 12:58 am
This is an extensive piece of work. Well done. Given the inherent flaws in studies on the arts, I wholeheartedly support anecdotal/qualitative evidence to create change within and beyond the theatre community.
I would, however, like to express disappointment in your range of professionals.
“Close to 70 percent of the interviewees see their main work in acting; 20 percent in directing; 10 percent in diverse theatre work.”
These unbalance representations make this study far from complete. I hope you will continue this venture and actively seek out artists who consider themselves primarily designers, playwrights, crew, stage managers, directors, and educators.
I look forward to the continued dialogue as others read your report.
john stenson said,
September 18, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Good work on “About Theatre …”. Hugh Aaron wrote to the point as well. I want to add my two cents too. I live in Brighton, surrounded by Universities but not one of these Universities have ever been to Brighton to perform one of their many theatre pieces.
Are we not a live audience, dying to be treated to a live performance? If the local universities don’t reach out to us, their community, and teach their students to come to their neighbors, how can theatre survive?
Love to enjoy a performance of “The Marriage Proposal”
Does Regis perform at the local library? We, the public, badly need live performances if we, our way of life, our democracy, is to survive as a democracy.
Years ago when, 50s and 60s, the Charles Playhouse was open on monday night. to playwrights. Either Ted Kasanof and Mike Murray would be in attendence, directing playwrights, listening and encouraging.
We need to go back and develop our playwrights on monday night and on tuesday perform for an audience where they live.
I belong to a group, 57 Readers and Writers, that perform 3 times a year in our local library and the Congregational Church to a live audience of our peers.
Thanks, John
fransrijnbout said,
September 18, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Regis College does, occasionally, bring its production on the road. I fully agree that this could be a mission for many colleges/universities.
As far as Serah Rose comments. I too am disappointed that there are not more voices from non-performing theatre artists. As I stated in my earlier reply (#10): I did invite many non-performing artists to be interviewed. In the end only few responded. My report is FAR from perfect. I have no problem calling it incomplete and unbalanced. Yet as a ‘one-man band’ I was limited in time and resources and this affected the final document. By starting this blog I hope to remedy-somewhat-the lack of other voices that deserve to be heard.
Christine Hamel said,
September 18, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Teaching at an urban university, I’d like to say that most universities’ doors are wide open and their art-making is highly publicly available…it isn’t a matter of where something is performed I think (local library v. local school), but that people are interested in going out for an evening of (cheap, and very alive) theatre that a university can provide. BU, for instance is a quick trip on the Green Line (hardly the cloistered Ivory Tower) and markets its events in all local newspapers, virtual and otherwise, drawing most of its audience from local residents, on whom it depends, actually.
rosalie contino, phd said,
December 6, 2009 at 5:33 am
I found the comments from each category interesting . I went back to school nyu and became a costume designer – and a writer, and playwright. BAsically I gave up designing because I also wanted to write. I send my plays out and hope for the best. the Dramatist Guild had an issue abut the lack of women playwrights. I’ve gone to see some plays done by women in NY – the crtics like them but I have problems with them probably because I like mine better. Many are about older women with useful lives and not sitting around waiting for the kids to come in with their kids.