RAT Homegrown Philadelphia (Resending)

[InTheLime@aol.com]

I got a note back saying this never reached the RAT list serve.  So, I'm 
resending.  If you folks actually got it and the note lied to me, my 
apologies.

MF

In a message dated 99-10-23 19:58:17 EDT, you write:

<< Are there no homegrown writers in Philly? >>

The homegrown writers in Philadelphia have two centers that showcase, 
workshop, and assist in dramaturgy or criticism for their works:  the 
Philadelphia Dramatists Center and The Brick Playhouse.  In addition, such 
companies as Fictitious, Theatrix, Interact, Theatre Double, The Vagabond 
Acting Troupe and others less frequently, showcase local talent at least once 
a year in their seasons (or, in the case of Interact, offer an extensive 
series of local writers' productions). 

What we haven't had a lot of until Brad and Theatre Double started their 
series was out of town "edgy" writers getting some aural exposure.  While I 
appreciate that perhaps many of you have read the playwrights that TD is 
showcasing, I've had little exposure to most of them (as Brad notes, I know 
where Austin is...but what they are producing?  Not a clue.)   When I'm 
available on a Monday night, I hope to stop in and hear these out of towners. 
 

I am looking forward to getting a chance to hear their work in anticipation 
that my company might indeed produce them (guess what, I've ended up 
producing three Philly grown works in the last three years which I heard 
originally at the Brick readers' series!).  And I know Fictitious and 
Theatrix both produced plays that the the artistic directors heard first at 
the Brick.  Perhaps (as I suspect) the Philadelphia climate is more "magical" 
than the theatrical climate where you reside.  Do you know these names:  Cat 
Hasson West, Dan West, Mark Cofta, Aaron Posner, Robert Christoffe, Michael 
Hollinger, Linda Lough, Michael Friel?  These are the oft-produced of 
Philadelphians... Do you know of them where you are?  If you want to know of 
them, contact the Brick Playhouse and seek them with candle...

I was actually looking forward to hearing Karen's work read aloud, because I 
have a copy of the play sitting right here on my desk (with approximately 30 
others - several from RAT list playwrights) that my company hasn't had a 
chance to delve deeply into yet.   I don't usually respond to playwrights 
about their work until I have a chance to really know what I'm talking about 
- i.e. until I've read it a couple of times and had company members read 
sections for me so I can hear it aloud and that can, (as I mentioned to Karen 
when I first told her I'd read her play) mean it has to sit on my desk until 
I go on an extended vacation where I can actually just sit and read plays - 
and an extended dark period in our season where I can gather actors just to 
read some things aloud (that was a run-on sentence...I'm aware of it, but 
grammatically speaking, I know the rules, so - snap - broken....)  With seven 
shows in our season - six of which I'm either directing or in which I'm 
appearing (I worked on that grammar...it was tough - and I'm still not sure I 
got it right), that luxury avails itself about every six months.  

I'm also more likely to respond to the playwrights who take the initiative of 
calling me or emailing me with a pleasant request to say "hey, how's it 
going"  as I did with one of my favorite rat playwrights...Ken Tesoriere 
(Ken's got a whole bunch of stuff he's floating around right now if anyone's 
interested...right Ken? -- I've read several of his plays...haven't had time 
to figure out if anything would work in a Vagabond season but I like his work 
and would love to eventually produce him locally!)  - than to rush to read a 
play just because the playwright couched a not-so-subtle complaint as a flame 
toward me during a retort to a rat post (you know who you are and you also 
know that I told you right up front it would take a while for me to get a 
chance to sit down with your play...it's going to take me a while longer 
cause Ken's been so polite and friendly and has a whole bunch of plays for me 
to read - or if you'd like I can send it back to you unread).  

Shoot, if you folks send me a play because I'm on this list serve, then you 
certainly know how to reach me just to ask politely if I've had a chance to 
read the play yet, rather than attack in that passive agressive way in public 
- right?  Perhaps the reason a lot of playwrights out there (no matter how 
brilliant) might not be produced as often as they like is because there are 
some simple rules of communication with strangers (i.e. politeness, and I'll 
hazard: modesty) that seem to ellude them?  Spelling and punctuation are 
fine...but if a director never reads a playwright's work because the 
playwright was rude when handing the play to the director, then who the heck 
cares how well either of them can spell?

We're doing a much over-produced playwright at Theatre Double for one more 
week...Vagabond's AS YOU LIKE IT (praised by some critics for it's unique 
physical approach and panned by conservatives for not being at all what they 
want from Shakespeare) continues through the end of this week.  If you 
haven't had a chance to see it yet, come see what movement can do with 
lyrical language.  (Thurs-Sat. 8 p.m., 1619 Walnut Street, Philadephia).  
There's an industry night tonight, Monday, (8 p.m.), where we let artists in 
free if they bring a friend at full price.  

-- Aileen McCulloch, Managing Artistic Director
The Vagabond Acting Troupe