Birthday weekend is over and four more shows are done and gone. A terrific friend and I had a terrific time watching The Christians, Cloud Nine, Fool for Love, and King Charles III. As I was leaving the theatre after the last of the four shows, I overheard some of the obviously native New Yorkers claim how their theatre going experience has been a bit tiring, a bit predictable, a bit inconvenient – – what with crowds and parking, you know.
And I thought politely, “Shut the f*** up. You have no idea what a privilege it is to have this be your regular experience! And again with great deference and respect, “Shut the f*** up.
Back to NYC in early November for more NYC lovin’ . Till then, please check out my back-to-work teaching theatre website: www.theatreclassaddict.com
Work calls and I am packing my bags to return to Jacksonville, Florida to begin teaching my 22nd year of teaching theatre at a high school for the perormings arts. It wont’ be until late September that I will likely be able to get back to NY and feed my addiction.
This summer has been wonderful for theatre. It has been a long time since I have seen such diversity. I am so struck by the work of Annie Baker with her successful prodction of The Flick and her less then satisfactory John. However, the concept of taking the stage pause to a whole new level is quite an exploration – – so close to being beautiful and so close to being just boring. I am wondering how other playwrights are going to pick up on this trend.
While I am off the New York theatre scene for a month, I do invite you to switch over to my new blog, Theatre Class Addict at www.theatreclassaddict.com to followings the musings of a 22 year veteran of the theatre classroom preparing classes that I have taught for years and ones that I am just creating from scratch. I would really love your feedback. How fun this has been! – – to think that someone out there may actually read this – – and more – how fun to excicercise my voice and opinion. Till September.
The following fifteen play mini-reviews are from plays that I saw the summer of 2015 BEFORE I decided to create this journal of impressions. I apologize for them being quite brief and void of any critical thinking or specifics. Unfortunately, much of what went down in the play is now lost in the compost of my theatrical memories. But I did want to come clean with the extent of my addiction (and this is for this summer only!) and perhaps let you know something of my bias and opinions.
