[NEohioPAL]An Open Letter to the Theater Community

[Joel Nunley]

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Dear Randy (and Larry N.),
 
I understand your frustration and utter contempt for those who offended your production, Randy. CPT has a fine reputation for being edgy, innovative, and sometimes downright provocative, while putting up some of the finest SPT shows around. 
 
But lighten up. The world isn't over. So the visiting director was less enchanted with the skyline of Cleveland. I mean, it's the dead of winter for God's sake; nobody is enchanted with 7 degrees and snow. But the snow will melt, the buds will burst again and the season will change. Time is the revealer of all truth, I heard someone say, but it's also the consummate catharsis (the alliteration was unintended, but I dig it). 
 
People are like the seasons, though. Unpredictable-- sometimes warm and teachable, sometimes hot and passionate, sometimes cool and crunchy, and sometimes bitter and dying. When we cast productions, we often get that person in a different season. That's why blacklists are so destructive. That's why the law prohibits an employer from disclosing an employee's record to other employers--maybe the person was bitter and dying at the time of termination, but maybe now he's back to at least cool and crunchy. You'll never hire him again, but maybe someone else will, someone who might relate better to that particular personality.
 
Look, I'm not making excuses for someone who is drunk or high during a show or someone who is just a schmuck in general. Those people should be fired; time will reveal their truth and pattern. And enough rejections might push them to change their behavior. 
 
 But look at theatre culture in general. John Barrymore was applauded for his unmatched performances. His Hamlet is still talked about. But the guy was a drunk, and everyone knew it. He would go into drunken tirades onstage, talking to the audience. But the critics and the public loved it. They would actually go see him to see what he might do next, sad as it is. He should have been fired, but yeah, right. Like that was going to happen. The theatre needed to pimp the ho Barrymore. And that's what they did. 
 
My opinion, Randy, and Larry, is that s--- rolls downhill. A carefully woven piece does not unravel under stress. I have worked with many directors and producers, some who ran a tight ship and others, who at the end of the run, looked back and wondered what happened. It all boils down to leadership, painful as that is to say. And respect. Some performers have not learned that acting professionally is not talent related. But some production companies have winked at behavior which in the workplace would have landed the offender in the unemployment line or jail. We're artists, right? We are more expressive and free-spirited, so we get more breaks, right? "Well, maybe, let me look at last night's receipts and I'll get back to you on that." 
 
As for the guest director, I've worked for some guest directors from "out of town" who were jerks and cads. One was from New York. But I didn't base my entire opinion of New York on the behavior of that director who would, in other settings, have gotten his butt kicked. By me. So maybe your director is more forgiving than you think. But then again, maybe not. Maybe you're ruined. Maybe CPT will be shutting its doors because of this...I don't think so. Your breath in many occasions has been controversy; people can't wait to see what you guys will put up next. That goes for you, too, Larry. Morons don't move the mountains--miners do. Both of you are miners.
 
As for Cleveland's reputation being hurt, I now live in LA (where it is a chilling 64 degrees today). I have met many people in the "bidness" here who have great respect for Cleveland. Little Chicago, they call it. They like us here because we're not jaded or presumptuous. We're teachable, virgin-like--hehehe. Let's keep it that way. Let us not presume to be keepers of the reputation barometer. That's not what we're building. Just keep creating and affecting and being. Let the bad apples be bad, maybe their season will metamorphose. Or maybe they'll be crapped on by a passing animal. Regardless, the tree must keep producing its fruit because that's what it does. That's why it's here.
 
I miss everyone.
 
Sincerely,
Joel S. Nunley
  



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<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>Dear Randy (and Larry N.),</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I understand your frustration and utter contempt for those who offended your production, Randy. CPT has a fine reputation for being edgy, innovative, and sometimes downright provocative, while putting up some of the finest SPT shows around. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>But lighten up. The world isn't over. So the visiting director was less enchanted with the skyline of Cleveland. I mean, it's the dead of winter for God's sake; nobody is enchanted with 7 degrees and snow. But the snow will melt, the buds will burst again and the season will change. Time is the revealer of all truth, I heard someone say, but it's also the consummate catharsis (the alliteration was unintended, but I dig it). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>People are like the seasons, though. Unpredictable-- sometimes warm and teachable, sometimes hot and passionate, sometimes cool and crunchy, and sometimes bitter and dying. When we cast productions, we often get that person in a different season. That's why blacklists are so destructive. That's why the law prohibits an employer from disclosing an employee's record to other employers--maybe the person was bitter and dying at the time of termination, but maybe now he's back to at least cool and crunchy. You'll never hire him again, but maybe someone else will, someone who might relate better to that particular personality.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Look, I'm not making excuses for someone who is drunk or high during a show or someone who is just a schmuck in general. Those people should be fired; time will reveal their truth and pattern. And enough rejections might push them to change their behavior. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> But look at theatre culture in general. John Barrymore was applauded for his unmatched performances. His Hamlet is still talked about. But the guy was a drunk, and everyone knew it. He would go into drunken tirades onstage, talking to the audience. But the critics and the public loved it. They would actually go see him to see what he might do next, sad as it is. He should have been fired, but yeah, right. Like that was going to happen. The theatre needed to pimp the ho Barrymore. And that's what they did. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My opinion, Randy, and Larry, is that s--- rolls downhill. A carefully woven piece does not unravel under stress. I have worked with many directors and producers, some who ran a tight ship and others, who at the end of the run, looked back and wondered what happened. It all boils down to leadership, painful as that is to say. And respect. Some performers have not learned that acting professionally is not talent related. But some production companies have winked at behavior which in the workplace would have landed the offender in the unemployment line or jail. We're artists, right? We are more expressive and free-spirited, so we get more breaks, right? "Well, maybe, let me look at last night's receipts and I'll get back to you on that." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As for the guest director, I've worked for some guest directors from "out of town" who were jerks and cads. One was from New York. But I didn't base my entire opinion of New York on the behavior of that director who would, in other settings, have gotten his butt kicked. By me. So maybe your director is more forgiving than you think. But then again, maybe not. Maybe you're ruined. Maybe CPT will be shutting its doors because of this...I don't think so. Your breath in many occasions has been controversy; people can't wait to see what you guys will put up next. That goes for you, too, Larry. Morons don't move the mountains--miners do. Both of you are miners.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As for Cleveland's reputation being hurt, I now live in LA (where it is a chilling 64 degrees today). I have met many people in the "bidness" here who have great respect for Cleveland. Little Chicago, they call it. They like us here because we're not jaded or presumptuous. We're teachable, virgin-like--hehehe. Let's keep it that way. Let us not presume to be keepers of the reputation barometer. That's not what we're building. Just keep creating and affecting and being. Let the bad apples be bad, maybe their season will metamorphose. Or maybe they'll be crapped on by a passing animal. Regardless, the tree must keep producing its fruit because that's what it does. That's why it's here.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I miss everyone.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sincerely,</DIV>
<DIV>Joel S. Nunley</DIV>
<DIV>  <FONT id=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT id=rolx_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2></DIV></FONT></FONT></DIV></DIV><p>__________________________________________________<br>Do You Yahoo!?<br>Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around <br>http://mail.yahoo.com 
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