As many active in making theater have realized recently, plays written by women are often a scarce commodity on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in local and regional theaters.
I wrote plays about boxers (I can't take a punch), and ghosts (I'm not dead, yet), and all my titles I stole from albums by The Pixies, but nothing I wrote was sincere.
So what is the scorecard of play production, both commercial and not-for-profit on Broadway over these last 20 years? Three hundred and ninety-seven productions by 228 playwrights, with more than a quarter of the plays produced written by the 17 men listed above.
The excitement of the Festival going off like a sprinter in the 400 meters, well, that's wearing thin. And the 400 meters go by in a flash, don't they? And then where are you, after?
You know it's real when people keep writing eulogies for it: we're in a golden age of TV, everyone. Today's scripted shows are stylish, smart and occa...
Why can't Art instruct? In addition to providing entertainment, consolation, beauty, and a reflection of our humanity by holding "the mirror up to nature," why can't Art also teach us a thing or two?
While never having the intention of substituting drawing for writing, Lisa Ferber found that when her elderly mother became terminally ill, the lifelong playwright, lyricist and story author couldn't put words to paper.
On my recent trip to New York City, I found an undeniable theme running through the New York/new play scene: a place called Denver.
I would not normally recommend seeing three plays in the span of eleven hours. But I would contend that this epic approach is the ideal way to experience the stories, characters and the striking commonalities in theme that bind these three works together.
The Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas will seek to answer this and many other questions as they take stage this weekend at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
