Dramatic Dancers

My parents, siblings, and imaginary fans called me Rose. That was my self-chosen stage name as a child.  I’d stand on the hearth of the fireplace and (try to) sing Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” or Juice Newton’s “Just Call Me Angel of the Morning” into the microphone that went with our enormous eight-track stereo.  My inspiration?  SOLID GOLD on Saturday nights.  Ahhh, the dramatic smoky entrances, the sparkly costumes, the perms and sweatbands, and the simultaneous solos (were the dancers ever in sync?)… I’d take SG, or my runner up favorite, Puttin’ on the Hits, anytime over American Idol or Dancing with the Stars.  After watching the clips below (of course, I couldn’t pick just one to post), I’m now totally convinced of the true inspiration behind American Apparel’s overall image–the SOLID GOLD Dancers.

I’m long overdue for a post of substance, and I’m irritated with myself for not writing about some plays I’ve read or seen recently. But I’ve honestly been so preoccupied with other theatre-related stuff that my head actually hurts (as in I’ve been taking Excedrin, literally), and I’ve felt too mentally exhausted to write about it all.   And I’m okay with this, I guess, because exciting things are in the works–my new ongoing interview series on Women in the Theatre is officially underway, I’m working to get a new play I feel super passionately about up by the spring, and I’ve picked up where I left off on a comedy I began writing last fall.

Goodbye ageism, Hello aged lovers

To balance out all the blog discussion about ‘New Plays,’ here is some info about a new take on an ‘old play.’  This past week the Bristol Old Vic announced the two senior actors who will be performing the parts of Romeo and Juliet  in the theatre’s upcoming production (March 10-April 24), redubbed Juliet and her Romeo and directed by Tom Morris…

The 75-year old Welsh actress, Sian Phillips

And the 66-year old English actor, Michael Byrne

Phillips and Byrne have actually been cast to play 80-something year old lovers–older than they are themselves.  Morris has been collaborating on this project with Sean O’Connor for some 12 years.  Just this past fall, Ben Power’s RSC-commissioned adaptation of R & J, entitled A Tender Thing, played at Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne. Power’s take on the classic text recast the lovers as 70 year olds.

Benny Hill: Clever, Not Just Cleavage

I can recall many childhood nights that I fell asleep to the sound of my dad snickering over The Benny Hill Show.  On nights that I tried to stall going to bed and went downstairs for a glass of water, I inevitably walked into the den during one of the canned, perverted skits with half clad women, and my mom would give my dad an ear full.  It wasn’t until many years later that I realized there was actually more to the show than just that.

For example, the parody below of avant garde cinema is great.  How true it is that sometimes what appears to be a crafted stroke of genius on stage or screen is, in reality, the result of accident, chance, error, resource limitations, etc.

**And thanks to everyone so far who has contributed to my reading list of 20th and 21st Century Plays about Plays.**

If you know of some additional ones that have not yet been suggested, please add them, and please also briefly gloss what kind of metaplay it is based on the list of possibilities I provided.

On Warming (Up to) Our Audiences

Last week on the Guardian’s “Noises Off,” Chris Wilkinson asked the title question “Are audiences too old?”  In the post, he rounds up the voices from the blogosphere that have been sounding off on this subject lately–many spurred by concerns raised about audience in Outrageous Fortune.

The comments Wilkinson’s post elicited are quite interesting–many of them delicious dramatic morsels themselves.  ”LadyBroomstick” kicked things off with this: “Who cares about the Baby Boomers?  Many of them are gonna die soon anyway.” In other words, old audiences have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel, so don’t curry to them with drama, just let them slip on out.  This, of course, didn’t sit well with the many commenters who followed her.  ”Jaypeebee” replied, “how ignorant.  We’re all going to die ’soon.’”  Beyond age, experience, class, economics, and free time were also raised as explanations for the existing audience ‘problem’.

Half seriously and half sarcastically, I’d ask this: Are audiences too COLD?

Forget age, maybe people aren’t returning to theatres because theatres have frozen them to death.

Now, I realize most theatre spaces are kept cool because actors get hot while performing, but I freeze my bottom off nearly every time I go to a show.  If I forget to bring a sweater or jacket, I’m done for, curtains.  Then, my encroaching hypothermia distracts me from the performance because I’m wrapped up in thinking about the hot food I’m going to eat and the hot beverages I’m going to drink when I leave the theatre, along with the heat in my car, and my warm bed.  Barring older menopausal women, most old(er) people I know don’t like to be too cold.  I really have heard folks at intermissions, complaining, teeth clattering, about how c-c-c-c-c-c old they are.

So here’s a suggestion for theatres: The Snuggie.

Don’t ask why: Ask why not.

Better yet, just try it.

While the money isn’t always (or ever) there for it, maybe theatres should do more to entice audiences into shows and to make them more comfortable when they get there.  Remember how much better airplane food and amenities used to be (yes, in just Coach, not even First Class)? Has the same thing happened in the theatre?  Find a local caterer, better yet, a new one trying to build a reputation, and have them sell inexpensive hot hors d’oeuvres plates before the show and/or during intermission.  Christ, sell Campbell’s soup on the go. That would make me happy.  I don’t know.

On Warming Audiences to Each Other

Here’s another thought.  Remember Grandparents’ Day at school? (I do because I never had a grandparent there, but that’s my own issue, anyway…) What if theatres tried to market some shows to pairings of old and young, kind of like Grandparents’ Day?  And then, even if there wasn’t a talk back that encouraged the age diverse audience to share responses to the show, on the way home the disparate generations could do it themselves.

And here’s another. We do all sorts of against type casting these days, particularly with race and gender, but what about with age? (On purpose this time, not just due to lack of casting resources.)  Since this could be too risky for a full production, what about some (staged) readings in which young(er) people take on older parts and in which old(er) people take on younger parts? After each play, the generations could share what it felt like literally to walk in the shoes of someone older or younger, and perhaps this would open up positive cross-generational dialogue and give theatre makers more insight into their audiences.

You could call it: “Don’t act your age.”

Plays about Plays

Hi All:

I’m trying to compile a reading list of 20th and 21st Century Plays about Plays, and I would really appreciate your input.

The metaplays (no musicals or adaptations) on the list may be about any of the following:

• A real or fictional playwright.
• An actor or acting.
• A director, a producer, a stage manager, a costume/set/sound designer.
• A front of house role, such as box office, usher, etc.
• A theatregoer.
• A theatre audience.
• A theatre critic.
• A theatre movement or subgenre.
• Drama/Theatre as a metaphor for depicting life, for telling a story not otherwise directly about drama or theatre.
• A play within a play.

Here are some to start it off:

Tim Crouch, The Author; an oak tree; ENGLAND

Maria Irene Fornes, Summer in Gossenssass

Moises Kaufman, Gross Indecency

Tom Kilroy, Tea and Sex and Shakespeare; The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde

Michael Mac Liammoir, The Importance of Being Oscar

Theresa Rebeck, The Understudy

Conundrum Stage’s “SpeakOut”

Sometimes the best things in life really are free, though I would have gladly paid admission to see some of the many deep and daring performances delivered Saturday night at “The SpeakOut,” a spoken word event presented by Conundrum Stages at 18 Rabbit Gallery in Ft. Lauderdale.  The creative mastermind behind this well-attended event, Executive Producer, Kevin Johnson put together an impressive and diverse (in age, gender, race & ethnicity) lineup of artists, many of whom have already begun to achieve national recognition.  For example, the poet known as Asia was featured on season 6 of Russell Simmons’ HBO Deaf Poetry, and his two pieces last night only reaffirmed his worthiness of acclaim.  Accompanied by a friend on guitar, this slim-figured fellow offered up two formidable pieces rife with self-deprecating humor and endearing humility about his (read Everyman’s) misguided desire for bigger biceps, buttocks, and, yep, penis,  his 2006 battle with cancer, and his spiritual discovery; his overall message was a compelling one–the potential for God and goodness lives in himself and others, not in the rituals and trappings of religion with a capital ‘R.’  Matthew “Write Now” Madonia, a member of Write Side Poets (a Florida non-profit for spoken word artists ages 13-24) and a featured artist in the HBO documentary “Brave New Voices,” presented by Russell Simmons, demonstrated his verbal voracity in a pointed piece about the student victims of Florida’s faulty education system (Florida public schools allegedly rank 50th in the nation).   Rebecca “Butterfly” Vaughns, a 13 year veteran of the South Florida poetry scene, has authored several poetry books and CDs and has become particularly noted for her freestyle poems, such as the chilling one she composed extemporaneously last night about the recent tragedy in Haiti.

The Chaos Theory, a spoken word ensemble, opened and closed the festivities with hard hitting performances about fame and notoriety, (im)mortality, and domestic violence.  Many of the lesser known artists at the event delivered equally meaningful and memorable performances.  Brian Poem elicited many laughs with his piece, “Turn the TV Off, So I Can Turn You on,” which cleverly drew on dozens of TV show titles to tell a story about making quality time for making whoopy in our boob tube-engrossed society.  The plucky Kristen McCorkell delivered three impassioned pieces on gang violence, masculinity, politics, and more. And Skye Whitcomb, Managing Director of The Alliance Theatre Lab, gave a good glimpse of his acting chops with a few boot stomping personal and political reflections.  All in all, the event was a success, and with it, Conundrum Stages has followed through, again, in fulfilling its mission to showcase and foster all forms of local talent.

*The Chaos Theory will be performing on Sat. Feb. 13th at Cinema Paradiso in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Dramatic Car, Fort Lauderdale

Dramatic Car, Fort Lauderdale

I couldn’t figure out why traffic was moving so slowly on Sunrise Blvd.  Then, I saw this as I got onto 95.

Thanks, Dude.

Dramatic Donuts

Dramatic Donuts

Here in Florida, I have passed Donut Circus many times, and each time, without fail, I find myself pondering the name.  Why “Circus,” ya know?

I’m sorry, but it’s a dramatic name for a donut joint.  Krispy Kreme Donuts I mostly get.  Ok, kind of get.   Deep fried donuts can be ‘Krispy,’ I guess?  And I get the ‘Kreme’ part because I’m quite familiar with vanilla cream filled donuts–the sugary frosting type filling, not bavarian.  Dunkin Donuts I get, too.  Some people like to dunk their donuts in coffee or milk, yeah, yeah.  But this place, is it called Donut Circus because donuts are round and circuses have lots of round things, like hula hoops and ring tosses, and also often take place in the round? Are the donuts themselves or the people who make them crrrrrazy? Are  the donuts fun? fun to make? fun to eat? all of the above?  Better yet, do clowns make them?   Just curious.

Speaking of donuts, Tracy Letts, author of August: Osage County and Superior Donuts, is returning to the stage as an actor in a revival of Mamet’s 1975 play, American Buffalo, which opens March 9th at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey.

And on an unrelated not, I have to share my love for Irene Cara singing “Hot Lunch” in the original Fame movie.  How much more fun could lunch possibly be than this?

The WTB

You’ve heard of The W (a hotel), The WB (a tv network), TBS (another tv network), and The BLT (a sandwich), and now I present to you–The WTB–updated and explicated.

For those of you just tuning in, the WTB are Women Theatre Bloggers.

Why a list of WTB?

In recent years, several studies have indicated that there is not gender equity in the American theatre.  Marsha Norman’s article in the November ‘09 issue of American Theater magazine reiterated this point (which I have written about here and here).  Like others, I was deeply bothered by all of this, and I began thinking about what kind of (small) part I could play in improving things, even if it meant merely highlighting the great work of women in theatre here on Drama, Daily.

Then, as part of his year-end reflection on theatre, Chris Wilkinson of the Guardian blog, Noises Off, put together a list of the top 10 theatre blogs.  I actually discovered Chris’ list by way of George Hunka’s blog, Superfluities Redux, which received an honorable mention on Chris’ list.  And the immediate inspiration for my initial WTB list arose from one of George’s comments: “Looking at the Top 5 list, I see five white males — no women or bloggers-of-color, nobody over the age of 35 or so … talk about your lack of diversity!”

About the WTB List

Compiling the list below has revealed that there are more women out there offering up compelling commentary about the theatre than we ourselves even realized.  To date, the list contains 68 Women Bloggers and is international in scope, with writers hailing from Australia, Canada, England, and the United States.

The list is simply arranged in ABC order by author’s last name.  I have not made any real attempt to set restrictions for inclusion–beyond requiring a blog (1) be by a woman, (2) contribute interesting, credible, original writing about theatre, (3) exhibit a track record (or the potential for/promise of one)–so some blogs are more established and more frequently updated than others.  As in the original list, those with an * before their names are members of the ITBA.

I also have tried to provide a sense of each blogger’s background or affiliation with the theatre arts as well as her physical location in the universe.  This was not possible for everyone because some blogs did not disclose this information.  Others disclose so much (people in the arts often wear sooo many different ‘hats’) that it was difficult to decide which job titles to include in order to provide accurate yet concise thumbnails of everyone.

It was actually quite a learning experience to read so many “About” pages (and also to read some blogs without one).  Some of these profile/bio pages were very detailed, others rather vague.  My own “About” page errs in the former direction, I think.  How one presents oneself on an “About” page seems, in my estimation, to increase in importance as you hone in on the purpose of your blog, your audience, and your longer term blogging goals (particularly if these goals intersect with your creative and professional goals).  Just something to think about…

Since this has become a bigger, albeit rewarding, undertaking than I anticipated, I will eventually move this post to its own page or include it in the ‘Women and the Theatre’ page above.

Goals and Next Steps

The list already has brought awareness and a kind of visibility, which truly didn’t exist on this scale before.

I hope this list will facilitate more dialogue among women working in and/or writing about the theatre AND among women and men working in and/or writing about the theatre.  (By no means is this list meant to enact precisely that–gender inequity–which it is trying to overcome.)

I hope this list will also lend itself to camaraderie, networking, and future collaboration.

What are your thoughts on how we can put this list to good use?

For my own part, I will be starting an ongoing interview series of Women in Theatre (as well as Florida Theatre Makers, but that’s for another post).  The last week of March I will be interviewing Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Project.  If you’d like to be part of this series,do send me an email.

Beyond this, look for my upcoming lists, The ATB (Animal Theatre Bloggers), The MTB (Martian Theatre Bloggers), and The RTB (Robot Theatre Bloggers).

I’m just kiiiiiiding.

The List

RVC Bard. Love’s Labors Lost Brooklyn, NY.

Bekah Brunstetter. I Care Deeply (Playwright). NYC.

*Linda Buchwald. Pataphysical Science. (Theatre enthusiast). NYC.

*Jodi Schoenbrun Carter. Off-stage Right. (Theater leadership, management, & fundraising; blog is ‘a strategic look at the process of working in the theater). NYC.

*Wendy Caster. Show Showdown. (Collaborative blog).

Corine Cohen. Corine’s Corner (NYC arts & culture). NYC.

Rebecca Coleman. The Art of the Business. (Freelance Theatre Publicist) Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Alison Croggon. Theatre Notes (Writer, critic. Also reviews for National Daily). Australia.

Diana Damian. London Theatre Blog.

Cara Joy David. The Huffington Post.

Adrienne Dawes. Oh the Joy. (Playwright) Chicago, IL.

Lois Dawson. Lois Backstage (Stage Manager). Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Rochelle Denton. Plays and Playwrights (Editor). NYC.

Jill Dolan. The Feminist Spectator (Writer & Professor). Princeton, New Jersey.

Christine Dolen. Drama Queen (Theater Critic, The Miami Herald). Florida.

Jamie Dunsdon. Verb Theatre (Artistic Director of Verb). Calgary, Canada.

* Be sure also to check out THIS by Jamie about gender equity in Canada.

Susan Elkin.  The Stage Blogs (Freelance writer, Theatre Education and Training).  North Kent, UK.

Joanna Erskine. Cluster (An interactive blog for playwrights) Australia.

Sabrina Evertt. An Unidentified Production (Artistic Producer of 20-Something Theatre) Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Esther. Gratuitous Violins (Editor, theare enthusiast) New England, US.

Kate Foy. Groundlings (Freelance Artist, Voice/Dialect Coach, Former Academic). Australia.

Lyn Gardner. Guaridan theatre blog (Theatre Critic, The Guardian). London.

*Diana Glazer. Lezbehonest.

Stephe Harrop. London Theatre Blog.

Joanne Hartley. Northern Creative (Theatre Writer and Director, Northern Creative Theatre Company). Leeds, England.

Samanta Hayes. Working Artist’s Blog (Actor, writer). Canada.

Jess Hutchinson. Violence of Articulation (Director). Chicago.

Joyce ? Mel: Hot or Not (Chinese-Australian intellectual property, IT and media lawyer). Australia.

Kate Shea Kennon. Irish Stage in NYC (Freelance theatre and culture writer). NYC.

Nancy J. Kenny. So You Want to Be an Actor? (Actor, writer). Ottawa, Canada.

*Yvonne Korshak. Let’s Talk Off-Broadway. NYC.

Catherine Kustanczy. Play Anon (Freelance journalist & broadcaster). Toronto, ON, Canada.

Marissa ? Marissabadilla. (Playwright). San Francisco.

Sinead Mac Manus. London Theatre Blog.  Also check out her new website: StartaTheatreCompany.com

*Tulis McCall. Usher Nonsense. NYC.

Megan Mooney. Mooney on Theatre. (Writer & site editor, Making theatre accessible) Toronto, Canada.

Kristen Palmer. Plays with Others. (Playwright, Summary and Analysis of Plays).

Anne Marie Peard. Sometimes Melbourne (Freelance Writer, Reviews of Australian Theatre). Australia.

Elizabeth Maupin. Attention Must Be Paid (Theatre Critic, Orlando Sun Sentinel). Orlando, FL.

MK Piatkowski. One Big Umbrella (Artistic Director). Toronto/Ontario, Canada.

Jana Perkovic. Guerilla Semiotics (Writer, Structuralist Analysis of Arts & Culture [?]). Australia.

Carolyn Raship. Caviglia’s Cabinet of Curiosities. (Writer, Director, Illustrator) Brooklyn, NY.

*Monica Reida. Fragments. (Theatre Student) Chicago, IL.

Valerie Rigsbee. Valrigsbee & Broadway Musical Blog (Actor). Minneapolis, MN.

*Sarah Roberts. Adventures in the Endless Pursuit of Entertainment. (Law) NYC.

Wendy Rosenfield. Drama Queen (Freelance Writer & Theatre Critic for Philadelphia Inquirer; DQ is an Artsjournal weblog). Philadelphia, PA.

Jessica Ruano. The Most Exquisite Moments. (Writer’s musings on theatre) Ottawa, Canada.

Angela Sauer. Angela Acts (Actor, MFA student) Florida.

*Jan Simpson. Broadway and Me. (Writer, Former Editor, Critic, Academic) NYC.

Chloe Smethurst. Dance Out There (Freelance Writer). Australia.

Alexis Soloski. Guaridan Theatre Blog contributor. Village Voice theatre critic. (also teaches writing/literature at Barnard College) NY.

Nicole Stodard. Drama, Daily. (Writer, Critic). Florida.

Augusta Supple. Augusta Supple (Director, Playwright, Writer). Australia.

Lee Strimbeck. WAM Theatre Blog (Co-Artistic Director, WAM Theatre). Pittsfield, MA

Nadine Thornhill. Adorkable Thespian (Playwright, Actor). Ottawa, Canada.

Kristen van Ginhoven. WAM Theatre Blog. (Canadian born Co-Artistic Director, WAM Theatre). Pittsfield, MA.

Chloe Veltman. Lies Like Truth. (Writer & Broadcaster) San Francisco, CA.

Elisabeth Vincentelli. New York Post Theater Blog. The Determined Dilettante. (Chief Drama Critic atNYP) NYC.

Katherine Lyall-Watson. Brisbane Performing Arts Blog (Playwright, Critic). Australia.

*Kim Weild. Blog (Director, Choreographer, Teacher, Writer) New York.

Write Response. (A writing collective by 5 women in the arts: Gai Anderson, Stephenie Cahalan, Anica Boulanger-Mashberg, Kylie Elizabeth Eastley, Sara Wright). Tasmania.

Rebecca Zellar. GreyZelda Land (About GreyZelda Theatre Group) Chicago, IL.

Jenn Zuko. Bonzuko (Movement Arts). Boulder, CO.

Thanks again to Simon at The Next Stage and Isaac at Parabasis for helping get the word out to build this list!

Irish Theatre Links (Updated)

Sorry, more links.  Reconnecting with a friend and classmate from grad school, Kay Martinovich (a former director at Irish Rep in Chicago), has gotten me thinking about how little I’ve been nurturing my love of Irish theatre lately.  So…here are a few more links:

Irish Theatre Magazine Blog. Patrick Lonergan’s 1/24 article raises some good questions, some of which are relevant to recent discussions on US theatre blogs–ie. new plays, the power/impact of name recognition, innovation, audience expectation, etc.

Irish Theatre Institute. Has a great searchable directory of Irish theatre artists, companies, venues, and festivals.

Liam Neeson is trying to raise $1.3 million by June to rebuild the Lyric Theatre in Belfast.

Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild Blog.  This is a great site! Does the linkage for me.  Scroll down right sidebar and check out the links to Irish theatre/film resources online.

In a comment, Autumn also suggested I add a link to Pan Pan Theatre, located in Temple Bar, Dublin.

Below are the Irish theatre/arts related links I posted on Sunday:

• “Curtain Up on a New Theatrical Era.” A piece worth reading about how economic downturn and funding cuts are affecting Irish theatre, non-profits having to think more commercial, etc.  (*In which case, title of next link is perfect–cast a celebrity and market it.)
• “Channing to Play Bracknell in Dublin.” Lynne Parker will direct a new Rough Magic production of The Importance of Being Earnest, with Stockard Channing (of Grease and now The West Wing) as Lady Bracknell. The show will open in June at The Gaiety in Dublin.
• Rough Magic is a fantastic independent theatre company based in Dublin.
• “Pursued by a Bear.” Fiona McCann’s Arts and Culture Blog for the Irish Times online. (Love the title–it’s a nod to Shakespeare’s absurd stage direction in The Winter’s Tale)
• Harold Pinter’s second wife, Antonia Fraser, has just put out a book about their relationship:’Must You Go? My Life With Harold Pinter’. Here’s a lengthy piece about the two in The Irish Independent .