I agree with your assessment of the value of collaboration, though I don't think it need happen at the writing level. Normally my collaborative relationship is as a playwright to a director, but recently I directed one of my own plays and had a major crash course in the way an entire production is a collaboration. I had a cast of 10, many of whom possessed a degree of directorial sense and came up with visual ideas and moviement ideas that would never have crossed my mind. I had 2 assistant directors who also contributed numerous ideas, also outside of the Mac Box.
When the show went up, I watched it and realized how few of the ideas were originally mine. I was only the director in the sense that I decided what ideas we would keep, but not in the sense that I came up with all of the ideas or even most of them. I found that I was okay with this. There was some pride-swallowing sometimes, but the show was better for the amount of collaboration I allowed.
***
On another note, I'd be interested in reading your "What's Wrong With Theater" post. If there's something that we're all whining about but not changing, I'd definitely want to know what that is.
And I'll admit some hostility toward your "War on the audience" concept, even though you haven't articulated it yet - hostility connected to baggage. I've just been through a binge of seeing theater because of the Fringe Fest here in NYC. I saw a lot of different styles and genres of shows, rendered with different degrees of skill, but all presented with joy of performance and a desire to connect. I couldn't detect a shred of hostility toward the audience.
Maybe that's not what you mean by the term. I'm just saying that as a fairly regular theatergoer, if there really is a rampant breed of plays getting produced at any level that are designed to attack the audience, I still haven't seen one. I see this type of theater referred to by bloggers from time to time, and I'd like someone to properly explain to me what it is.
Scott Walters
· 2 years ago
Combining two themes of your post, I'd say that the best thing about collaboration is the sex! *L* Just kidding.
Like Mac, I'd like to read that post, too. But only write it if you're ready to defend it for a least a week. Mac was giving you a warning, and I speak from experience.
Clearly, there is nothing wrong with theatre. It is filled with generous, wonderful people who love each and every person in the whole wide world especially those who bought a ticket to their play and it's a lovely day in the neighborhood. 'Cause...well..it just is, damn it.
Mac Rogers
· 2 years ago
Travis, notwithstanding Walters's interjection, I hope the tenor of my comment indicated that I'm interested in reasonable discussion on this point. I admitted my hostility and baggage up front as a gesture of transparency to you, of putting my cards on the table. If it came off differently, that was my poor wording, and I apologize.
If that's a conversation you'd like to have, I would be interested as well. If not, no sweat. I do think that if you drop a term like War on the Audience into a post that it's not unreasonable or ill-mannered for me to ask for elaboration. I hope the concessions I'm including in my language are indicative of the fact that I'm not looking for a fight.
Travis Bedard
· 2 years ago
Not at all Mac, It's just not a short response. Very few of my responses are unfortunately... another shortcoming in my theatre practice that I'm working on...
And despite the tone of Scott's comment... he's not wrong. (Perhaps in specifics your spoiling for a fight, but not in the general need for the girding of my loins)
mac Rogers
· 2 years ago
Well, I suppose that any blogging on a controversial subject requires the girding of loins. For my part, I can promise that a measured and considered argument from you will be met with the same from me. And who knows? I don't actually yet know what you mean by War on the Audience. Perhaps I agree with you and don't know it yet.
Scott Walters
· 2 years ago
Girding loins is good. Full body armor is really good.
All Comments
I agree with your assessment of the value of collaboration, though I don't think it need happen at the writing level. Normally my collaborative relationship is as a playwright to a director, but recently I directed one of my own plays and had a major crash course in the way an entire production is a collaboration. I had a cast of 10, many of whom possessed a degree of directorial sense and came up with visual ideas and moviement ideas that would never have crossed my mind. I had 2 assistant directors who also contributed numerous ideas, also outside of the Mac Box.
When the show went up, I watched it and realized how few of the ideas were originally mine. I was only the director in the sense that I decided what ideas we would keep, but not in the sense that I came up with all of the ideas or even most of them. I found that I was okay with this. There was some pride-swallowing sometimes, but the show was better for the amount of collaboration I allowed.
***
On another note, I'd be interested in reading your "What's Wrong With Theater" post. If there's something that we're all whining about but not changing, I'd definitely want to know what that is.
And I'll admit some hostility toward your "War on the audience" concept, even though you haven't articulated it yet - hostility connected to baggage. I've just been through a binge of seeing theater because of the Fringe Fest here in NYC. I saw a lot of different styles and genres of shows, rendered with different degrees of skill, but all presented with joy of performance and a desire to connect. I couldn't detect a shred of hostility toward the audience.
Maybe that's not what you mean by the term. I'm just saying that as a fairly regular theatergoer, if there really is a rampant breed of plays getting produced at any level that are designed to attack the audience, I still haven't seen one. I see this type of theater referred to by bloggers from time to time, and I'd like someone to properly explain to me what it is.
Like Mac, I'd like to read that post, too. But only write it if you're ready to defend it for a least a week. Mac was giving you a warning, and I speak from experience.
Clearly, there is nothing wrong with theatre. It is filled with generous, wonderful people who love each and every person in the whole wide world especially those who bought a ticket to their play and it's a lovely day in the neighborhood. 'Cause...well..it just is, damn it.
If that's a conversation you'd like to have, I would be interested as well. If not, no sweat. I do think that if you drop a term like War on the Audience into a post that it's not unreasonable or ill-mannered for me to ask for elaboration. I hope the concessions I'm including in my language are indicative of the fact that I'm not looking for a fight.
And despite the tone of Scott's comment... he's not wrong. (Perhaps in specifics your spoiling for a fight, but not in the general need for the girding of my loins)