So. Late August, around the time of my last post, I forgot to make the customary observance about having maintained a blog for one year and what I've learned and experienced as a human being and so forth. Part of the reason was sheer bloody inertia. I was experiencing the combined excitement and fear of a new fall season and the mountains of freelance work—besides my pressing TONY duties—I'd have to devote energy to. Then, after the seasonal panic subsided, I surfed around to other blogs, procrastinated some more and still felt bored and anxious and void of thoughts.
Not that you asked, but, well...
Truth is, I'm darned tired! All this reviewing, essaying, deadlines, seeing Clarinatrix concerts, seeing stuff just 'cause I should.
Then there's that whole, you know, being a frustrated writer in an, um, creative sense. That sort of raging against shadows takes lots of free time.
I still kinda feel like this:
Anyway, if you missed me, thanks!
Here's some stuff:
I'm Facebooking now.
I've got an essay on Conor McPherson's spine-tingling Shining City in this.
I reviewed McKellen's King Lear recently here and on NY1.
Tomorrow at 6:30pm at CUNY's Graduate Center, I'm moderating a Prelude ’07 panel on how/why playwrights and downtown companies aren't properly represented at our major nonprofit institutions. It took Elevator Repair Service 16 freaking years to premiere a play at an Off-Broadway venue (New York Theatre Workshop, this spring). What is up with that?
Welcome back! I admit, I WAS wondering why you weren't updating. Sorry to hear about the anxiety, but stick through it! We need to hear your voice! (We as in the people working in the theater who often fear but more often agree with your voice!)
RE: the lack of representation of downtown experimental theater in the off-broadway scene -- I suggest that you meet the people who run those theaters and you will have the answer.
The larger theaters in this city are run by conservative, unadventurous, boring and vain people trying to get their pals from grad school a break while making a buck and a name for themselves to move on up to Broadway. The grey area between Broadway and Off-Broadway is a mix of upwardly mobile idiots and cemented-in-place dinosaurs trying to dictate new theater without taking any risks (yes, it's often a result of what it takes to raise funding for these bloated productions). A broad generalization, I know, but I must resist the urge to lay down specifics.
And there is still the overriding and irrational worship of the playwright to contend with. Almost every producer aches to discover the next Stoppard or Churchill, getting behind anyone with a semi-memorable name and clever vernacular. They don't know what to make of companies or directors conceiving new work, aside from the occasional cooption.
Perhaps long-time, self-sufficient companies such as The Wooster Group and Richard Foreman laid the groundwork for this assumption that all experimental artists belong (and are happy) downtown in little sweat boxes existing as ambrosia to an intellectual theater class and adherents to Artaud, only rarely leaving their hovels to see the light of off-broadway or (gasp) broadway...
Just a thought... you might totally disagree. I hope Prelude goes well. Wish I could see 31down's piece in it!
Love the blog! Keep posting, or at least post links to your current writings. You're our best voice, David!!
Posted by: Semi-Anonymous Experimental Theater Designer | September 26, 2007 at 09:12 AM
Congratulations on a YEAR !!!
Yes KEEP POSTING !!!!
Posted by: BCNYC | September 27, 2007 at 10:16 AM
"...the overriding and irrational worship of the playwright..."
Ouch. You know, we're really nice people once you get to know us, we scribes.
Posted by: Ken | September 28, 2007 at 09:42 AM