Re: RAT Re: obscurity

[Rae <c639450@showme.missouri.edu>]

finally jumping in:
	Hiya Karen.  It's so easy to feel attack-ed on this list, 'cause
peoples get passionate, and e-mail is not a medium that communicates
subtlety very well.  Thus, what would have come across in person as mutual
theatrical fervor (perhaps) came across a heavy gauntlet to the cheek.
	Honestly, given the historic bards of yore (and the legends here
on the Rat-list) it seems the "easiest" (and don't laugh too hard, y'all,
at the way this sentence plays out) way to ensure your writing gets done,
is to form your own theatre group.  These people would know you, work with
you, and thus at least have to give your work two glances, yes?  I've
worked in a theatre group of five for going on 3 years now, and until this
Jan, we only had one wright amoungst us.  All of his work got done.  tada.

	Which is not to suggest that your work isn't good enough to bear
competition; I'm sure it is; 'specially if you write at least 2 hours
every day.  It's just that everyone seems to acknowledge thatthey're a
sight more likely to seriously consider work of someone they know (or know
twice removed, etc.)  I don't know why this is, but I agree to it's truth.
I always appraoch new writers sidling sideways, minimum area exposed, 'til
I see,
from their writing and discourse, who they are.  Self-protection, perhaps. 
 
Further, it
seems in Rat-esque theatres, "we" want to be sure we're getting a team
player.  Someone who'll rewrite, or collaberate, or help move equipment,
or host the cast party, or all of the above. . .and we can't be garaunteed
every writer will be of that type-because not all people are of that type.
And people who aren't are of no use to RATs; at least they're of no use to
me.

	One other thought: writers are not the only ones playing the "it's
who you know" game.  Actors have much the same issue everytime they have
to audition in a new area.  Directors are seldom solicited randomly and
sight unseen.  Ditto designers. Etc.


Respectfully submitted,
Rachel Jackson
Regional Vice-president
BLOW STUFF UP INC.

"we will gladly feast upon those who would subdue us"