Here's something you might be interested in.
I was chatting with a long time friend, I try not to call actors “old” friends, about different types of theaters.
She wanted to make a distinction between commercial theater and nonprofit theater.
I think it is a very good distinction to make.
If you haven’t heard, the most expensive production in the history of Broadway is currently in previews and will probably open next month, maybe. Previews means that there is an audience but the show isn’t officially ready.
Spiderman Turn off the Dark is reportedly costing $65 million. The music is by U2’s Bono and Edge. The director is Julie Taymor. Taymor won a Tony for her direction of The Lion King musical.
Just this week, Spiderman took over as highest grossing play on Broadway.
Most of the reviews have been about actors being injured. There have been a few that talk about the story but they’ve all expressed confusion.
MTV.com lists the top five things they liked about Spiderman. 1. Set Design. 2. The Costumes. 3. The Aerial Work. 4. It’s Family Friendly. 5. Splash Page—the opening musical number.
MTV.com also listed the top five things they hated. Here are the top three. 1. The Story. 2. The Acting. 3. The Music.
Spiderman is a product of commercial theater.
On Broadway, right now, the top grossing show is one where the worst things about it are the story, the acting, and the music.
What about nonprofit theaters?
Here are the mission statements from a few local companies.
Moxie Theater: “MOXIE's mission is to create more diverse and honest images of women for our culture using the art of theatre. Through the production of primarily female playwrights and the special attention given to plays which defy the stereotypes of what women are writing about, MOXIE expands the idea of what is feminine. Our dedication to finding work that is under produced means we're discovering the classics of the future.”
North Coast Repertory Theater: “North Coast Rep's mission is to create a platform where artist and audience thrive through the intimacy of live theatre, recognizing the power of theatre to challenge complacency, revitalize the imagination, nurture the unexpected and embrace the variety and diversity in our lives.”
Mo ‘olelo: “Mo 'olelo Performing Arts Company's mission is to create, produce, and educate. Through all three aspects, we seek to broaden the scope of San Diego's cultural environment by offering professional, socially-conscious theater that provides a voice for diverse and underrepresented populations, aesthetics, and issues on stage; generates participation and dialogue between local communities; and creates paid employment for local theater artists. Our commitment to paying artists union-level wages reflects our strong belief that professional, resident artists will make San Diego a nationally-competitive destination arts scene, thus improving the quality of life for all people of San Diego County. Mo 'olelo serves the diverse general public, from youth to seniors, with particular focus toward providing a forum for those who are typically underserved in mainstream American theater. Mo 'olelo means story in Hawaiian, and is a reflection of our vision to present powerful stories that are as diverse as the Islands of Hawaii.”
I don’t have anything to add.
I was chatting with a long time friend, I try not to call actors “old” friends, about different types of theaters.
She wanted to make a distinction between commercial theater and nonprofit theater.
I think it is a very good distinction to make.
If you haven’t heard, the most expensive production in the history of Broadway is currently in previews and will probably open next month, maybe. Previews means that there is an audience but the show isn’t officially ready.
Spiderman Turn off the Dark is reportedly costing $65 million. The music is by U2’s Bono and Edge. The director is Julie Taymor. Taymor won a Tony for her direction of The Lion King musical.
Just this week, Spiderman took over as highest grossing play on Broadway.
Most of the reviews have been about actors being injured. There have been a few that talk about the story but they’ve all expressed confusion.
MTV.com lists the top five things they liked about Spiderman. 1. Set Design. 2. The Costumes. 3. The Aerial Work. 4. It’s Family Friendly. 5. Splash Page—the opening musical number.
MTV.com also listed the top five things they hated. Here are the top three. 1. The Story. 2. The Acting. 3. The Music.
Spiderman is a product of commercial theater.
On Broadway, right now, the top grossing show is one where the worst things about it are the story, the acting, and the music.
What about nonprofit theaters?
Here are the mission statements from a few local companies.
Moxie Theater: “MOXIE's mission is to create more diverse and honest images of women for our culture using the art of theatre. Through the production of primarily female playwrights and the special attention given to plays which defy the stereotypes of what women are writing about, MOXIE expands the idea of what is feminine. Our dedication to finding work that is under produced means we're discovering the classics of the future.”
North Coast Repertory Theater: “North Coast Rep's mission is to create a platform where artist and audience thrive through the intimacy of live theatre, recognizing the power of theatre to challenge complacency, revitalize the imagination, nurture the unexpected and embrace the variety and diversity in our lives.”
Mo ‘olelo: “Mo 'olelo Performing Arts Company's mission is to create, produce, and educate. Through all three aspects, we seek to broaden the scope of San Diego's cultural environment by offering professional, socially-conscious theater that provides a voice for diverse and underrepresented populations, aesthetics, and issues on stage; generates participation and dialogue between local communities; and creates paid employment for local theater artists. Our commitment to paying artists union-level wages reflects our strong belief that professional, resident artists will make San Diego a nationally-competitive destination arts scene, thus improving the quality of life for all people of San Diego County. Mo 'olelo serves the diverse general public, from youth to seniors, with particular focus toward providing a forum for those who are typically underserved in mainstream American theater. Mo 'olelo means story in Hawaiian, and is a reflection of our vision to present powerful stories that are as diverse as the Islands of Hawaii.”
I don’t have anything to add.