Tonys Blog

Canon 2.0?

Written by Tony Adams Tuesday, 20 October 2009 11:29

Over on the twitter, Travis asks: "What women should be in a revised theatre canon? Give: Name, Representative Play, & Slug Line (i.e. why they're in)."

I think it is a great question.  I've got some suggestions. It's something we spend a lot of time on. But I'd like to expand it.

If you had the ability to add writers to the theatrical canon (and the identical reading list every college seems to photocopy) who should be included? Who would be added in a revised canon? Anyone you'd drop?

Please let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts.

I'll have some of mine next week. Add a comment

Following Up on Chad Deity

Written by Tony Adams Monday, 19 October 2009 11:22

Looks like last weeks post on Chad Deity hit some nerves. A lot of folks have contacted me about it, mostly off-the record, but a lot of interesting perspectives. A couple of folks want to talk more, so I'm excited to see what they have to say. I know, I'm a bit eccentric, I like hearing from smart people even if they completely disagree with me. I'll tweak and post my thoughts as the conversation warrants.

I didn't mean to signal out Victory Gardens, and I should have been more clear on that. I don't hold them blameless; however, it is a wide spread problem.  Most of the people who wrote me in support of VG were very clear and explicit about pointing out other local Tony-winning theatres faults in terms of co-productions and inclusion.

I have to admit VG does a far better job than most in the country about making sure there are interpreted performances and other ways to improve accessibility and make sure people with disabilities still can go to theatre. They deserve a lot of credit for that. Their access project should be a model for other regional theatres. And they produce more works by and featuring artists of color than a lot of theatres in town. (Although weren't some of those were co-productions with Vista as well? You wouldn't know it from the website)

A couple people pointed out that not all of that is the fault of Victory Gardens. The co-production and Vista's logo is on the poster and postcards and the web page for Chad Deity. While it's not on the tickets or door, it is in the program. So VG isn't hiding from it, but they're not really pointing it out either. I watched the ED work the room before the show. A lot of credit was taken, none was given from what I heard. I can't say whether that's intentional or not. I just didn't hear it.

In the story (which still hasn't posted my question in the comments), I bristled at Kallish talking about those smaller theaters (namely InterAct in Philly and and Mixed Blood in Minneapolis) also getting rights when VG was the one with the transfer rights (the "important" ones.)  VG can't be blamed for what Jones writes, but their Executive Director left them out as well.

Also, it gives me pause when non-profits shift from supporting the play or the writer into protecting their property. VG seems to have signaled (or at least their commercial producer turned ED has signaled) they're making that shift.

A couple of folks pointed out I didn't actually say what I thought of the show. The show itself is good.  I thoroughly enjoyed it. Is it the greatest show ever staged? No. A couple parts are a bit messy structurally and at the end could be a bit tighter, but overall it's solid. Right now it seems about 70% narration and 30% dialogue, and there are some places it would be stronger if it was more dialogue. But when it's clicking it's excellent. It's been a while since I've seen an audience as engaged as they were in a house that size. (that's obviously much easier to to in a storefront than in a house that size.)

I have one more thought on something I saw there, more on that tomorrow. Add a comment

The Elaborate Outsourcing of The Color Slot

Written by Tony Adams Friday, 16 October 2009 09:32

Last night I went to see The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at Victory Gardens. It was one of the shows at at the top of my list to see. In the decade I've been here, I've never heard anyone talk about a show at Victory Gardens they way I was hearing things about this one.

In the interest of full-disclosure, I'm usually not a big fan of VG's shows as they tend to typify the middle-brow deadly theatre Peter Brook was railing against in the 60's. (I'll admit I missed Blackbird.) Something was different and I couldn't tell why.

One night Charin Alvarez (one of my favorite people in Chicago Theatre) came to see Lorca in a Green Dress, and when I was talking to her after the show I asked her what Teatro Vista was up to next. She looked at me a bit quizzically and said "oh, you know, Chad Deity." Not once had I heard Vista brought up with it. I had no idea it was a co-production. Apparently no one does, as none of the reviews have mentioned it either. I thought that was odd.

Last night as I waited for the house to open, I was pretty excited to see it. Then my heart sank a bit. The Saints were there. Wearing fucking sombreros. The house manager came out and rang a bell and made an announcement, trying to ape a big-time wrastler, that the house was now open.

"God help me", I thought, "it's going to be one of those nights."

I was thinking of that when, as the show was about to start, I looked around and something seemed off. It didn't seem like a Victory Gardens show. Not like what I expected.

Then Eddie Torres walked in and sat down the row from me. If you've ever seen Eddie, he's pretty easy to recognize. As he walked up, I looked at him, at the stage, back at him . . . and a light bulb went off. Everything about the show was Teatro Vista. The writer, the director, the designers, the cast. From what I could tell, being on the outside looking in, the only things that felt like VG were the house and maybe the budget. And the Saints in Sombreros.

The critical response has been wild. Chris Jones is already banging the drum to get it to New York. But nowhere is there any mention of Teatro Vista. They tend to do a lot of co-productions. They've co-produced with VG, the Goodman, Steppenwolf and others. They tend to be brought on to fill the "color slot" at bigger houses. The rarely get the credit they deserve.

Goodman and Collaboraction's El Grito el Bronx, Rivendell's Elliot: A Soldiers Fuge at Steppenwolf; ATC's Living Out; The Goodman's Electricidad; Apple Tree's Two Sisters and a Piano--all Teatro Vista co-productions.

Few culturally specific or inclusive organizations have their own space, so co-producing is a way to stay afloat. Frankly, what bothers me the most about it is the blatant outsourcing of "the color slot" done in a way that manages to keep any credit from the artists making it.

As you might be able to tell I'm a big fan of Vista. I love their work. To my mind, they do some of the best stuff around. They've got a very loyal audience. And you probably haven't heard of their work. Much of it gets lost in the shuffle.

The founding legend of the company, at least as it has been told to me, is pretty wild. in 1989, two really talented actors were in a show at the Goodman. In coconut bras. They realized they were the only two Latinos on the Goodman stage that year. That's a problem. So they founded a company. Things have gotten better in the past twenty years, but there's still a long way to go.

Not too long ago I got a brochure from the Goodman, about their "golden season" subscription package. (I'm pretty sure that was the name, let me know if I'm wrong about it.) It was all shows with brown people in them. Designed to follow up on their footnote that fully one third of their shows in the past decade have featured artists of color. The brochure didn't mention Christmas Carol or Animal Crackers or any of the rest of the season. Only the shows with, ya know, those other folks in them.

The "color slot" is a big problem.

It's an even deeper problem when the color slot is filled by co-productions that leave no mention of the artists doing the "co-." It allows large institutions to continue to receive funding, while outsourcing the color slot in an elaborate way that gives all the credit to the landed institution. I'd assume most of the funding goes that way as well.

To me, there's a pretty simple solution to that. Don't fund the color slot.

Instead give that money to Teatro Vista, Teatro Luna, Congo Square, MPAACT, Albany Park Theatre Project, Teatro Americano, Urban Theatre Comany, People's Theatre of Chicago, Rasaka,or Aguijon Theatre. Or give it to companies who are inclusive in the stories they tell and the artists they work with like Barrel of Monkeys, 16th Street, Lookingglass, Silk Road, Theatre Mir or Halcyon. Or anyone I may have missed.

Stop funding the color-slot and let gravity take effect.

Or at the very least, can we give credit where it is due?



Footnote: Twice I've left a comment on Jones' blog asking "Why is no one mentioning the Teatro Vista side of Chad Diety co-production?"

Neither was posted. With all the nutjob comments they routinely put through, why doesn't that go through?
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It's Okay to Say No

Written by Tony Adams Monday, 12 October 2009 11:48

I recently had two similar conversations with actors I know. Both talented but in different stages in their careers.

The first one, fresh out of school, had been offered a role with a company she liked, but it was a show she was unsure of. So, she called me for advice. When I talked to her it was apparent she really didn't like the script. She really didn't feel comfortable with the role.

Being fairly new to the scene, she didn't know what to do. She was really uncomfortable at the idea of turning down an opportunity.

I gave her the advice it took me years to learn. It's okay to say no.

She had all the usual concerns about turning something down: she'd miss out on an opportunity for exposure; she didn't want to come off as a demanding diva; they'd never call her again.

The other actor and I were talking about a show he'd been offered. He's been around a while. The show seemed interesting but every step of the way there had been red flags raising. He politely declined the role.

It's okay to say no. Most of us at one time or another have felt bad about saying no. What happens if we don't from time to time is: we either over-commit ourselves and can't give a show everything we're capable of; or we do shows we're not happy with and the audience can see it on the cast's faces at every performance; or we have the worst experience of our lives (until the next time.)

I think we'd all be better off if more people said no more often. Few of us are getting paid a living wage, so why spend months on a project that doesn't excite you, or an experience that is horrible, or "for exposure".

If an actor turns down a role for the right reasons, than any one who wouldn't call them again is someone you don't want to work with.

"Exposure" in a shitty show is just about as common as riding a unicorn to the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

The easiest way for a person to turn into a jaded demanding diva is to keep taking on projects they hate by people that treat them poorly.

As an audience member, I think the worst thing I can imagine is watching actors onstage in a show none of them care about.

It's okay to say no. If you don't like the show or the company in the first place, it's actually preferable.
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