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15 September Permalink

Free theater! It’s a start.

After my original full post I got several comments of support on my facebook page by friends.  Don’t know why they wouldn’t comment here.  Maybe it is not easy enough.  People agreed, but no one had any suggestions about where to see good affordable theater in NYC.

Then I ended up scheduling a coaching session for Sunday afternoon.  Between the current cost of the train and the cost of the studio rental I was barely breaking even on what I was getting paid for the session.  So, to make the trip into Manhattan worthwhile, I put another shout-out to my facebook friends.  Here’s 2 free things they came up with:

New York Classical Theater is doing Richard III in Central Park! Here’s the link:http://www.newyorkclassica l.org/current.php

Thanks, Rivka.

THE TROJAN WOMEN

http://www.riversideparkfund.org/calendar/?date=2010-06-5

Thanks, Heidi.

And now I just got a notice from a director:

I have some limited press paper tickets available for Oberon TheatreEnsemble’s production of OTHELLO (which I directed) for this Wed June 9@ 8pm and Thurs June 10 @ 8pm. It’s at the Kirk Theatre on Theatre Row(42nd between 9th & 10th). More info here:
http://www.oberontheatre.org/othello/

Interested parties should email cara@carareichel.com ASAP, and no later than 3pm on Wed, to request tickets with the following info:
Name tickets should be held under
# of tickets (up to 4)
If the request is for Wed or Thurs night 8p performance

Please note that the show is long: the running time is 3 hours total so the performance will let out at 11pm. We have press coming so those attending and receiving tickets must stay for the entire performance, even though it’s long! (It’s also good!!!). 

There are some truly excellent actors in this piece (which is an AEA showcase) that I recommend you check out, so even if you can’t make it Wed / Thurs let me know if you want to request industry tickets and I’ll try to get you in.

Thanks!
Cara

So, that is it for now.  Not hearing great things about Promises Promises or The Grand Manner so far.  Too bad.  Hey!  This Sunday is the Tonys.  Hope you all enjoy it and all your favorites win.  Since I haven’t seen anything that was nominated, I have no one to root for.  Oh, well.

Mary

PS above this I will post an interesting and educational video.

8 June Permalink

You You You (About me)

Another blog.

So why should you read it?  I have no idea, but I know I’ve got to write it just in case you do.  It’s about theatre.  I feel strongly about it, hell, I’ve devoted my life to it (my mother might say “ruined”) and I know there must be someone out there who feels the same.  So, I am writing for you.

How did we get into this state of affairs?  And how do we get out of it?  Please answer.  That is what this blog is about - a dialogue.

What state am I talking about?

A world where theatre, as an art form, is seen as having no value other than entertainment, and then is priced so high that most people, especially artists, cannot afford to participate.

Let’s start at the top.  Broadway tickets are now over $100 each.  This means that going to a Broadway show must be a rare treat enjoyed by tourists, instead of a regular cultural event enjoyed by all.  (Jeez!  I just double checked on Broadway.com, a premium ticket for “Little Night Music” this Saturday is $440!!!!!!!)

This makes me very sad.

Where does all that money go?  (When “Starlight Express” brought us the first computerized set and Disney started its forays onto the great white way we laughed and thought is was just a phase- but look where it has led, economically.)

I work in the theatre.  I have been a theatre artist for 30 years.  Over the past decade I have been running a nonprofit organization that produces theatre.  We make no money, barely break even and pay the bills.  It does not even pay a living wage, yet takes up 80 hours a week. 

At one time I actually went to the theatre every week.  It was not always Broadway, but when Tony time arrived I usually had seen many of the shows and could have a personal interest in the proceedings.  I used to track actors from show to show: Denis O’Hare, Cherry Jones, Allison Janney and Elizabeth Marvel were favorites.  

Now I am so broke that I have barely been to the theatre as an audience member in years.  I hate to admit that.  I want to write about theatre, but my viewpoint is so from the inside of my own world that I feel stuck.  I have always been suspicious, myself, of friends who would work on shows but not go see them.  It isn’t right. Even if one is totally self centered and just wants to be up there, you have to think of karma.  Why should anyone come to your shows if you don’t go to the shows of others?

There must be other theater artists out there struggling to make ends meet and get to see shows.  There must be something we can do to help each other.  Let’s let each other know when discounts happen, or when shows are papering the house, etc.  Also, let’s let each other know when a production is not worth the time or money.    Or, if you are involved in an Off or Off-Off Broadway production that needs ushers, let me know.  I will spread the word.  Does that seem fair?

Frankly, the train has gotten so expensive now that I can’t afford to commute into the city unless I know it’s going to be worth it.  There was a time when I came into New York every day, I worked in the city and it was easy to go to showcases and small events.  If they turned out to be lacking, I really didn’t mind.  I learned something from everything and found something I could enjoy in every production- even if it was just the performers’ nerve.

But as time went on, my work took me out of the city, and I got older and busier, my mantra changed to “Life’s too short for bad theatre.”

Now I feel that is sad.  For me it is still true, I’m older now and don’t have as much time as I used to.  But still, I have to be supportive of the community, don’t I?  And it seems, lately, that that mantra has led me to not taking a chance and not going to the theatre at all.  Well, I want to change that.

I just laughed at myself as I wrote the above.  How am I going to change that?  I’m totally broke, with bills up to my eyeballs and even if I get free tickets its still going to cost $26 just to get into the city.  (Two months ago it cost $17 - NJ Transit has eliminated excursion fairs, those bastards!)  Well, somehow I will gather the coins.  I must trust to the theatre gods.

What I need for YOU to do is let me know about any deals you come across, theaters papering the house, etc.  And I will let YOU know what I hear.  Then we can discuss things like the civilized theatre artists that we are, okay?

Here’s my first contribution, for tonight, Wednesday May 26, and the Saturday 5/29 matinee at 3, this production of The Libertine is running a pay-what-you-can night. I am going tonight.  I cannot tell you if it is good, but a good actress I know is in the cast and the director, whom I know, is very good too, so it looks promising.  For the discount you must give the code word “fool” if you get tickets through Theatermania.  Here’s details: 

T H E   L I B E R T I N E
by Stephen Jeffreys

May 14–May 30   2010
The Chernuchin Theatre, 314 West 54th Street, NYC


* PAY WHAT YOU CAN *
WEDNESDAY 5/26 @  8pm   &  SATURDAY 5/29 @ 3pm

VISIT WWW.THEATERMANIA.COM
CODE: fool   

(or at the door)

www.thefoolstheatre.com
http://www.theatermania.com/new-york/shows/the-libertine_166655/
Hope this inspires you to go out and see more theatre.  Report back to me here and I will report to you.

- Mary

Late breaking news for those of you willing to travel to see Shakespeare: I just got an email from American Shakespeare Center about a 2 for 1 deal during the week.  It’s a cute little town in VA to get away to and stay at a romantic  B&B or a cheap hotel and see good theatre.  http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/v.php?pg=664

26 May Permalink

Tickets???

How can we find tickets for shows that we can afford?

25 May Permalink