Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, David Johnston
I read an article in The New Yorker last week. It was about that
self-help book, “The Secret,” one of those books that teaches you to
“think” yourself rich, you’re an amazing creature, God wants you to
have nice stuff, etc etc. It’s a very popular book. I’ve never read
it. To be honest, self-help books annoy the crap out of me. Their
aura of smugness puts me right off. Sometimes people are sitting in
cars and a tree falls on them, and impoverished children in other
countries starve to death or die in floods, and it’s distasteful to
sit in our fat wealthy country and chalk it up to “negative thinking”
on the part of the victim.
But this New Yorker article also dealt with some of the backlash from
this book. (Hooray! Backlash!) Barbara Ehrenreich wrote in her new
book, “Bright-Sided: How Positive Thinking is Undermining America”
(which I also have not read) how books like “The Secret” offend her,
too. What offends her is the notion that “poverty is a voluntary
condition.” I’d probably like Barbara Ehrenreich.
But it got me to thinking about those of us who work in Off Off
Broadway in New York. We work in an impoverished field. We don’t have
money and we certainly don’t have nice stuff. We’re passionately
devoted to an art form that the overwhelming majority of people in
this country couldn’t care less about. I don’t have the stats right
here. It’s early in the morning, and I’m drinking coffee and my
wireless keeps going out because the neighbors keep changing their
password. So I’m not going to look it up right now. Plus, I’ve got
to go to the post office and send off this application that I’ve been
putting off. God, I need a few days to catch up on everything. Where
was I? Oh yeah. We’re negligible in terms of cultural impact, and
most people think we should really stop this and get a job.
But we work hard and we do it because we love it and we think we have
something to say or we have an idea. It’s a good role, someone’s
going to give us a break on the space, the script isn’t perfect but
the writer needs a production and how’s he going to learn otherwise?
It’s tough and heartbreaking and the rewards are small. But if my
lips twitch in anger in a Barnes and Noble as I pass by racks and
racks of “The Secret,” it’s because I’m saying to the writer, “Nobody
chose this poverty. We live in a system. We love this art form, this
discipline. We also live in a society that doesn’t value it. We
didn’t make that. But we don’t see any reason to stop doing what we
love just because a society or political system is indifferent.”
Yes, I frequently stop in the stacks at Barnes and Noble and have
conversations with the author who isn’t there. Don’t judge.
So this week, folks, when the world around says “you need to think
like a business,” or “you would have more money and resources if you
adjusted your attitude” or “have you thought about law school?” – the
everlasting chorus of “no” that surrounds you whenever you try to
create something – this week, dear reader, I hereby give you (and
myself) permission to cut a break. Give a pat on the back. Thank all
the negating voices for their time and tell them you will keep them on
file for the next project.
You’re doing just fine. Keep doing what you do. The world around us
is what needs fixing.
David J
Monday, September 20, 2010
Guest Blogger of the Week: David Johnston
Many thanks to Cat Parker for blogging last week!
We're happy to announce our guest blogger during ceremony week: David Johnston!
David Johnston’s plays have been performed and read at the New Group,
Moving Arts, Rude Guerrilla, the Neighborhood Playhouse, Henry Street
Settlement, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. He was named one of Time
Out’s Playwrights to Watch. Recent regional productions include The
George Place at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre. New York productions:
with Blue Coyote Theater Group, Conversations on Russian Literature
Plus Three More Plays, a new adaptation of The Oresteia, Busted Jesus
Comix (GLAAD nominee 2005), and A Bush Carol, or George Dubya and the
Xmas of Evil. With director Kevin Newbury, Candy & Dorothy (GLAAD
winner, 2006) and The Eumenides. Publications: The Eumenides, (Playing
With Canons, published by New York Theatre Experience, Inc.) Leaving
Tangier, (Samuel French, produced by Blue Coyote). Awards include
Theater Oxford, Turnip Festival, Playwright Residency at the
University of Cincinnati, Berrilla Kerr Foundation Grant, Ludwig
Vogelstein Foundation and the Arch & Bruce Brown Foundation.
Education: College of William and Mary, Circle in the Square. Member: Actors Equity, Dramatists Guild, Charles Maryan's Playwrights/Directors Workshop.
We're happy to announce our guest blogger during ceremony week: David Johnston!
David Johnston’s plays have been performed and read at the New Group,
Moving Arts, Rude Guerrilla, the Neighborhood Playhouse, Henry Street
Settlement, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. He was named one of Time
Out’s Playwrights to Watch. Recent regional productions include The
George Place at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre. New York productions:
with Blue Coyote Theater Group, Conversations on Russian Literature
Plus Three More Plays, a new adaptation of The Oresteia, Busted Jesus
Comix (GLAAD nominee 2005), and A Bush Carol, or George Dubya and the
Xmas of Evil. With director Kevin Newbury, Candy & Dorothy (GLAAD
winner, 2006) and The Eumenides. Publications: The Eumenides, (Playing
With Canons, published by New York Theatre Experience, Inc.) Leaving
Tangier, (Samuel French, produced by Blue Coyote). Awards include
Theater Oxford, Turnip Festival, Playwright Residency at the
University of Cincinnati, Berrilla Kerr Foundation Grant, Ludwig
Vogelstein Foundation and the Arch & Bruce Brown Foundation.
Education: College of William and Mary, Circle in the Square. Member: Actors Equity, Dramatists Guild, Charles Maryan's Playwrights/Directors Workshop.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
“Too” High a Standard?
Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Cat Parker
What IS “good enough?” Good enough for who… uh… whom? At the expense of what?
I’ve been bombarded recently by instances of having to push, hard, for the best in my work. And sometimes the pushing is not well received. And because my work is collaborative in nature, I can’t push alone. It can be difficult when one person aims for the stars, and others are content with the clouds. One actor gives 150% to a role, the next gives 100% - who’s ‘wrong’ in this instance? Is there a ‘wrong?’
Our resources are minimal, and yet we’re surrounded by platitudes “necessity is the mother of invention,” “go big or go home,” and “poverty breeds creativity.” We do theatre because we love it; we do it in NYC because we want to make a living at it. So we go for the gold, reach for the stars, etc. And yet…there are those that are happy at “good enough.”
How do these people work together? Conventional wisdom says you have to learn to cheerlead, to make people want to work harder, be better, reach for the stars. I confess, I’m not a good cheerleader – I can’t jolly people into coming along with me for the ride cuz it will be fun, awardwinning, profitable. Because oftentimes, it won’t be. It will be difficult, and frustrating. Will it be worth it in the end? I say “yes.” But will you agree? How would I know? I don’t know your priorities, your inner ruler by which you measure these things. All I can really say is what is the point of doing anything if you don’t give it your all?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a Fosse or Welles or Cameron, people known for their drive and determination in every way. There are days when I seriously want to chuck it all, go work in a flower shop, have a dog, pay my taxes and have a real honest-to-god weekend. But I just can’t! This storytelling..disease..won’t let me go. And so I do it again. And I push to do it the best that I can with every breath. And I piss people off. And sometimes I’m sorry about that – and sometimes I’m not.
I have no closing paragraph for this. I don’t know the answer. The closest I get is to search for like-minded people and then work with them again and again. And avoid the “good enoughers.” Not because they’re wrong – just because it’s wrong for me.
What IS “good enough?” Good enough for who… uh… whom? At the expense of what?
I’ve been bombarded recently by instances of having to push, hard, for the best in my work. And sometimes the pushing is not well received. And because my work is collaborative in nature, I can’t push alone. It can be difficult when one person aims for the stars, and others are content with the clouds. One actor gives 150% to a role, the next gives 100% - who’s ‘wrong’ in this instance? Is there a ‘wrong?’
Our resources are minimal, and yet we’re surrounded by platitudes “necessity is the mother of invention,” “go big or go home,” and “poverty breeds creativity.” We do theatre because we love it; we do it in NYC because we want to make a living at it. So we go for the gold, reach for the stars, etc. And yet…there are those that are happy at “good enough.”
How do these people work together? Conventional wisdom says you have to learn to cheerlead, to make people want to work harder, be better, reach for the stars. I confess, I’m not a good cheerleader – I can’t jolly people into coming along with me for the ride cuz it will be fun, awardwinning, profitable. Because oftentimes, it won’t be. It will be difficult, and frustrating. Will it be worth it in the end? I say “yes.” But will you agree? How would I know? I don’t know your priorities, your inner ruler by which you measure these things. All I can really say is what is the point of doing anything if you don’t give it your all?
Don’t get me wrong – I’m not a Fosse or Welles or Cameron, people known for their drive and determination in every way. There are days when I seriously want to chuck it all, go work in a flower shop, have a dog, pay my taxes and have a real honest-to-god weekend. But I just can’t! This storytelling..disease..won’t let me go. And so I do it again. And I push to do it the best that I can with every breath. And I piss people off. And sometimes I’m sorry about that – and sometimes I’m not.
I have no closing paragraph for this. I don’t know the answer. The closest I get is to search for like-minded people and then work with them again and again. And avoid the “good enoughers.” Not because they’re wrong – just because it’s wrong for me.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
OOB Community: What and Who is it?
Contributed by Guest Blogger of the week, Cat Parker
When I first moved to New York, a dear friend, John Morrison, introduced me to the WorkShop Theater Company and they welcomed me into their fold. Thus began my entrée into the world of Off-Off-Broadway theatre. I met other directors, actors, playwrights, stage manager, producers, technicians and all the “slashie” combinations of those positions. As we all know, the ability to wear multiple hats, and change them mid-stream can be a real asset in our world.
Then I took a detour – I began work at T. Schreiber Studio, which afforded me a wonderful opportunity and unique environment to hone my directing and producing skills. TSS was a great place to work, but one thing I noticed about my time there was that I was losing touch with the outside community. So, after I left TSS, my first priority was to re-establish contact with the theatre community. Seems like an easy proposition, right? After all, it seemed pretty straight forward in my earlier years. Turns out, identities in the theatre world are mushy, grey, and ever-changing. See that struggling, first-time playwright over there? In her day job, she’s a well-respected actress in off-Broadway and regional houses. That budding OOB producer over there in the grungy jeans and decades-old tee shirt? He makes his living as a literary assistant at a very well established producer’s office, wearing a very snazzy tie with his white shirt, thank you very much.
Who are these people? Where/What are the parameters? How the hell am I supposed to get back into the swimming pool?
Fortunately, there are two very big and helpful elements to help me take this dive. The first is that theatre people are generally very willing to help each other out. When I sit in a puddle in the floor and wail “HELP!” I am never left hanging – good friends, and “6-degrees-of-facebook” friends have always come to my rescue. Casting advice, rehearsal space, that one freakish prop you desperately need – all of these have magically appeared just when I was on the verge of ripping my hair out because of the generous nature of our community. So, when I tap on the shoulder of a stranger at a gathering, feebly introduce myself, and take a chance on this scary thing called “networking,” it’s gratifying to have them smile and say something like, “Oh riiiight! You’re the one that was looking for the blue thing-a-ma-hoochie with the red candles and spotted feathers. Glad we could share ours with you.” (The fact that no one in the group even looks vaguely askance at that description is testament to a whole ‘nuther trait about theatre folks, which I’ll leave for another time.)
The second element(s) are the folks at NYIT. [Yes, I know this is their blogspot, but I’m really not just kissing up!] I got involved with NYIT originally as a judge for productions, and then was asked into the Honorary Awards Committee. Being involved with this varied group of individuals has really widened my understanding of how intricate, complex and passionate our community is. And professional! Sometimes the word “community” has more of a social feel to it, but the reality is that our “community” is deadly serious about what we do. And the folks at NYIT are entangled with community leaders and organizations at all the various levels – political, legal, social, revolutionary, journalistic, polling, statistics, reviewing, “a”warding and “re”warding, past, present and future. If it’s going on in the world of independent theatre, someone at NYIT is involved or knows someone who is. So, when I made the decision to leap back into the fray, I turned to these colleagues, and they said…… “Hey, wanna be a guest blogger for us?”
So, next time I’m being the wall-flower at a gathering, and I pluck up the courage to come tap on your shoulder, hopefully you’ll turn around and say, “Oh yeah, I know you – I read your blog!” and we’ll have widened our community by one more degree. Who is the OOB community? – I am.
And, should you need a blue thing-a-ma-hoochie with the red candles and spotted feathers, I’m there for ya.
Peace!
When I first moved to New York, a dear friend, John Morrison, introduced me to the WorkShop Theater Company and they welcomed me into their fold. Thus began my entrée into the world of Off-Off-Broadway theatre. I met other directors, actors, playwrights, stage manager, producers, technicians and all the “slashie” combinations of those positions. As we all know, the ability to wear multiple hats, and change them mid-stream can be a real asset in our world.
Then I took a detour – I began work at T. Schreiber Studio, which afforded me a wonderful opportunity and unique environment to hone my directing and producing skills. TSS was a great place to work, but one thing I noticed about my time there was that I was losing touch with the outside community. So, after I left TSS, my first priority was to re-establish contact with the theatre community. Seems like an easy proposition, right? After all, it seemed pretty straight forward in my earlier years. Turns out, identities in the theatre world are mushy, grey, and ever-changing. See that struggling, first-time playwright over there? In her day job, she’s a well-respected actress in off-Broadway and regional houses. That budding OOB producer over there in the grungy jeans and decades-old tee shirt? He makes his living as a literary assistant at a very well established producer’s office, wearing a very snazzy tie with his white shirt, thank you very much.
Who are these people? Where/What are the parameters? How the hell am I supposed to get back into the swimming pool?
Fortunately, there are two very big and helpful elements to help me take this dive. The first is that theatre people are generally very willing to help each other out. When I sit in a puddle in the floor and wail “HELP!” I am never left hanging – good friends, and “6-degrees-of-facebook” friends have always come to my rescue. Casting advice, rehearsal space, that one freakish prop you desperately need – all of these have magically appeared just when I was on the verge of ripping my hair out because of the generous nature of our community. So, when I tap on the shoulder of a stranger at a gathering, feebly introduce myself, and take a chance on this scary thing called “networking,” it’s gratifying to have them smile and say something like, “Oh riiiight! You’re the one that was looking for the blue thing-a-ma-hoochie with the red candles and spotted feathers. Glad we could share ours with you.” (The fact that no one in the group even looks vaguely askance at that description is testament to a whole ‘nuther trait about theatre folks, which I’ll leave for another time.)
The second element(s) are the folks at NYIT. [Yes, I know this is their blogspot, but I’m really not just kissing up!] I got involved with NYIT originally as a judge for productions, and then was asked into the Honorary Awards Committee. Being involved with this varied group of individuals has really widened my understanding of how intricate, complex and passionate our community is. And professional! Sometimes the word “community” has more of a social feel to it, but the reality is that our “community” is deadly serious about what we do. And the folks at NYIT are entangled with community leaders and organizations at all the various levels – political, legal, social, revolutionary, journalistic, polling, statistics, reviewing, “a”warding and “re”warding, past, present and future. If it’s going on in the world of independent theatre, someone at NYIT is involved or knows someone who is. So, when I made the decision to leap back into the fray, I turned to these colleagues, and they said…… “Hey, wanna be a guest blogger for us?”
So, next time I’m being the wall-flower at a gathering, and I pluck up the courage to come tap on your shoulder, hopefully you’ll turn around and say, “Oh yeah, I know you – I read your blog!” and we’ll have widened our community by one more degree. Who is the OOB community? – I am.
And, should you need a blue thing-a-ma-hoochie with the red candles and spotted feathers, I’m there for ya.
Peace!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Guest Blogger of the week: Cat Parker
Thank you to Cyndy Marion for blogging last week! We're happy to announce this week's blogger: Cat Parker!
Cat Parker is a freelance director based in NYC, who has worked regionally at Dallas Theater Center, Dorset Theatre Festival, and Oklahoma City Rep. She assisted Jerry Zaks on the Broadway debut of A Bronx Tale, featuring Chazz Palmenteri. In New York, Cat was the Producing Director at T. Schreiber Studio, and has directed at The WorkShop Theater Company, Creative Place NYC, Mid-Town International Theatre Festival, Abingdon Theatre, and UrbanStages. Favorite productions include Picasso at the Lapin Agile (NYIT Award Winner), Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Towards Zero, A Doll’s House, a steampunk-influenced Twelfth Night (NYIT Award Winner) and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. New works include the New York premiere of Sister Cities, (NYIT Award Nominee), The English Channel, En Passant, A New Theory of Vision, Riders of the Golden Sphinx, Echoes of Radioland (a theatrical radio show), Lovers of Verona (an original commedia del’arte piece), Lilith, Blind Study, Safekeeping, Switch, Gone Astray, Shadow Pier, Beachwood Drive, The Chekhov Dreams, Native Stone, Underpass, and Rapture. (www.catparker.com)
Cat Parker is a freelance director based in NYC, who has worked regionally at Dallas Theater Center, Dorset Theatre Festival, and Oklahoma City Rep. She assisted Jerry Zaks on the Broadway debut of A Bronx Tale, featuring Chazz Palmenteri. In New York, Cat was the Producing Director at T. Schreiber Studio, and has directed at The WorkShop Theater Company, Creative Place NYC, Mid-Town International Theatre Festival, Abingdon Theatre, and UrbanStages. Favorite productions include Picasso at the Lapin Agile (NYIT Award Winner), Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Towards Zero, A Doll’s House, a steampunk-influenced Twelfth Night (NYIT Award Winner) and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. New works include the New York premiere of Sister Cities, (NYIT Award Nominee), The English Channel, En Passant, A New Theory of Vision, Riders of the Golden Sphinx, Echoes of Radioland (a theatrical radio show), Lovers of Verona (an original commedia del’arte piece), Lilith, Blind Study, Safekeeping, Switch, Gone Astray, Shadow Pier, Beachwood Drive, The Chekhov Dreams, Native Stone, Underpass, and Rapture. (www.catparker.com)
we like it when artists are busy
Unfortunately, we will not be hearing from Kevin Doyle (Playwright, Director and Artistic Director of Sponsored By Nobody) after all. The unexpected demands of producing and rehearsing a show have kept Kevin super busy this week and he was unable to respond to my questions. Of course, this is one of the challenges of wearing multiple hats--there just it not always enough time in the day to get everything done. But, we try!! So, I leave you all with one final question as we wrap up the week's discussion. DO ARTISTS MAKE BETTER PRODUCERS? I know I have my opinion--but what does everyone else think? Love to hear from you.
Thanks again for having me and many thanks to Michael and Liz for their participation.
En Avant!
Cyndy
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