tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post9218780605451104473..comments2023-12-20T17:20:22.032-05:00Comments on 99 Seats: Lying Liars and the Liars who Love Them99http://www.blogger.com/profile/11955916620902994495noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-22884155905425355462008-04-01T13:09:00.000-04:002008-04-01T13:09:00.000-04:00I meant to say "aren't confined to the page" in th...I meant to say "aren't confined to the page" in the comment above...sloppy typing...99https://www.blogger.com/profile/11955916620902994495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-53800157751310918742008-04-01T13:07:00.000-04:002008-04-01T13:07:00.000-04:00I think the reasons to "love" a script are differe...I think the reasons to "love" a script are different for each theatre and each AD. The reasons you mention, Secret, and that RLewis alludes to, I think, are reasons someone would "love" a script, not just the artistic love. But those reasons are still more honest and more helpful than the reasons that playwrights get, most of which boil down to "make this play different and we'll love it". Especially when the reasons you don't love a play are confined to the play on the page, that spins writers off in bad directions. I appreciate the difficult position and the need for wiggle room that most artistic staffs have to deal with, but at the same time, in the pursuit of making better theatre, a wave of honesty would be helpful.99https://www.blogger.com/profile/11955916620902994495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-5617891849747550822008-04-01T12:11:00.000-04:002008-04-01T12:11:00.000-04:00Part of the problem is that the theatres/ADs are l...Part of the problem is that the theatres/ADs are lying to themselves, too. I've heard mine lament a play's edginess or the fact that subs won't like it, or the fact that it's not star-castable, or any of the million lies you list, when you're right, it's just that they're not in love. Sometimes they'll say, "It's really good, but I can't see myself wanting to watch it 20 times in previews," which is an honest thing, but, of course, only said internally, but is a variation on the honest thing to say. But this is a great post and a way of thinking about this process that I will remember.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-13324158388264677012008-03-31T17:12:00.000-04:002008-03-31T17:12:00.000-04:00I think you've actually gotten to the nuts & bolts...I think you've actually gotten to the nuts & bolts of this issue nailed pretty well with this post, but I will say that the topic is still more detailed than stated. For example, I have produced plays, on my humble level, that I didn't "love" - there were other reasons, and I know other ADs who've done the same.<BR/><BR/>Much more goes into such a decision than my love, and simplify ADs as much as you want, I'm sure they all (well almost all) take their jobs seriously and consider many, many more factors than their personal tastes.<BR/><BR/>Sometimes it has to do with how much the theater community loves a playwright. Another example, I do not loooove Adam Bock's work (just haven't seen any yet to know), but if he gave me even a crappy play of his to put on, I would do it in a heartbeat, because right now the community loves them some AB.<BR/><BR/>So, I agree that communication on this can always improve, but if it makes you feel any better, I know that Tony Kushner would not let my company produce his new play, and I've been turned down by others of note - so it works both ways.<BR/><BR/>We all want to leave our options open, cuz I would hate to tell someone No, and then next season things change. Maybe it's just more about finding the right match.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-28749574730594565472008-03-28T15:47:00.000-04:002008-03-28T15:47:00.000-04:00This is one of the most informative and honest thi...This is one of the most informative and honest things I've read on development hell. And it just makes me even more despondent over the crop of artistic directors in this town. Middlebrow tastes for middle management types. Where is the fire, people!?!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-36335885155854486672008-03-27T23:05:00.000-04:002008-03-27T23:05:00.000-04:00I'm a big fan of tact and gentleness...playwrights...I'm a big fan of tact and gentleness...playwrights are fragile and their process should be a safe one. But there's a line between tact and dishonesty that a lot of theatres skirt. A theatre shouldn't need to give "reasons" that a script isn't ready to be produced; simply say, "we don't want to produce it." The shifting goalposts don't do anyone any good. But by all means, employ tact when saying it.99https://www.blogger.com/profile/11955916620902994495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6731242543254491491.post-82870806982681187912008-03-27T22:07:00.000-04:002008-03-27T22:07:00.000-04:00I had a recent discussion with someone regarding t...I had a recent discussion with someone regarding the same thing, except I argued for tact.<BR/><BR/>What's the difference between being tactful and being honest?<BR/><BR/>I feel like there are ways to be honest without being insulting, crude, rude, vulgar, or hurtful. Others feel like any attempt to "sugarcoat it" is detrimental.<BR/><BR/>What do you think?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com