[Date Prev][Date Next]
[Chronological]
[Thread]
[Top]
RE: RAT Unsolicited Scripts . . .
Ya know, one thing to throw into the mix is that if a small RATish theater
actually does 6 shows a year then they are very, very busy working very,
very hard all the time. I know I am. Now I'm not complaining, I love it! All
I'm saying is that its difficult to add programs to that mixture designed to
make unproduced playwrights feel better. I know that no one is explicitly
saying that but there in the background I detect guilt and self
righteousness.
And guilt and self righteousness can be very good. European Civilization was
pretty much motivated and built on guilt and self righteousness.
I think I'm working this out outloud so bear with me. Or not. The problem is
time. Most theaters that I am familiar with and have worked with have
regular staged readings. Usually weekly. Usually no one comes. People don't
go because stage readings are boring, staged readings of bad work is
interminable and, most importantly, the people involved in the theater have
been there every other night of the week until 2 am painting, building
rehersing, meeting, crying, laughing, smoking and, of course, drinking.
Anybody who has run a theater knows that the most time efficient way of
finding work appropriate to your theater is through networking. 98% of all
plays written are horrible drek. All you good writers out there need to
realize that. The good news is that you're better than most other writers.
The bad news is that the bad writers can send stuff in manilla envelopes
too. So each theater has a pile of manilla envelopes as Pa...Audie said
earlier. Your great play is in that pile but the rest of the pile is so
horrible reading it makes you want to give up theater and jump off a cliff.
If you actively, publicly solicit new works that pile gets higher and the
quality gets worse. Brads 9700 un-produced plays are mostly unproduce-able.
So that's one reason why personal contact is helpful.
So the problem is clear this. Playwright has play. Theater need play. Get
them together.
Obsticles. Theater Administration is overworked and under (as in completely
not) paid. 98% of all plays are very bad.
Solution: I don't know.
Since this has been a "problem" forever maybe is not a problem. Maybe it's a
symptom.
Okay thats
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Matt Bretz [SMTP:mabretz@cbomedia.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 01, 1999 10:48 AM
> To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
> Subject: Re: RAT Unsolicited Scripts . . .
>
> just for the record, we at circle x, being big, phat dorks don't know
> too many cool playwrights. the ones we do know we love, are fiercely
> dedicated to and read furiously when given the opportunity. but most of
> the reading we do year round both off the page and staged are plays by
> playwrights we don't know from a rock in the woods.
>
> what audie says about making events is exactly right. eat, drink and
> fight about plays. people will come.
>
> love
>
> matthew
>
> ps karen c., i hope i don't need to reiterate after last week that i AM
> looking forward to reading your play. in any event, i just did : ) BTW
> the whole thread became the genesis of a wonderful discussion at the
> local LA Big Cheap Theatre Roundtable on Sunday