[NEOPAL]Dissolving of Theatre - Emergence of Two Theatres - (4th Wall, Bang and Clatter)
GeneralBag at aol.com
GeneralBag at aol.com
Fri Apr 7 14:03:50 PDT 2006
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Hello everyone,
My two cents if I may-
Theatre is not part of the pop culture mainstream anymore. That's a given.
More people are more inclined to visit sporting events, movie theatres, or
not even leave their homes at all. You can definently attribute the high cost
of theatre tickets. $50 is an astounding amount of money to pay for a play
that you have never heard of before, haven't probably heard of any of the
actors in it before, and only know what the play is about because of posters,
and reviews about it (nothing really substantial to go off of... not, say... a
movie trailer).
You can start with the education system. Schools these days aren't teaching
the type of theatre that kids would want to pay attention to. Shakespeare
isn't all about the thrills now-a-days as it is a way to teach kids how to
break down iambic pentameter. And besides, Shakespeare? The language is so
dense, it detracts kids instantly. Should we start pumping Mamet into the high
school systems? No. Probably not. Because while other cultures believe
language is just language, I'm sure American school systems could never possibly
get away with harsh language in some of today's BEST contemporary plays.
So, how do we hook kids? Most of the plays these days have lengthy
monologues that this ADD generation would immediately deter from. Musicals hit home
with most age groups, but probably loses the 14-28 years olds.
Last summer, I saw a production of Fourth Wall Productions "Plans Change" at
The Cleveland Play House, and I must say, these kids are onto something.
Most of them are from Ohio University (which, if this production is any
indicator, is a pool of talent) and the writer, Sprosty, and Director, Cole,
graduated with them. This play was aimed directly at 16-32 year olds, and even
found a home in the heart of some of the elderly audience members. It's a play
that was fast paced, dealt with issues kids deal with today (the uncertainity
of planning out your own future) and had a humor that adults could
appreciate.
Fourth Wall Productions says it owes everything about it's first production
to the faith displayed in Michael Bloom. Michael gave them access to the
Brooks Theatre at the Cleveland Play House.
Talking with the playwright, Matthew Sprosty, he was telling me that it
wasn't really dumbing down theatre for today's generation, but it wasn't carrying
that density plays usually have. The long monologues about the deeper
meaning of things... To get the kids in, and keep the kids in, you have to pay
attention to what they're watching. It is all very fast paced. And if you do
have a monologue, it has to be riddled with either catchy dialogue or jokes
that you can bounce of them real quick for a sly chuckle.
And the snowball of Fourth Wall keeps growing. While audiences weren't sold
out crowds for their first production, Word of mouth quickly spread. Fourth
Wall's "Plans Change" was being passed around the high school and college
circuit as a play to see. But, by the time the word of mouth spread, the
show's one weekend run was up.
But that doesn't mean the word of mouth has stopped. Non-theatre go-er's on
the West Side are talking about it's next show, "Schism" to be produced in
late Spring/ Early summer. And with their $10 ticket price limit, this show
would be accessible for kids.
I firmly believe Fourth Wall (and Bang and Clatter, like Alicia Rodis
mentioned) are two theatre companies to watch out for. You can keep up with Fourth
Wall at _www.fourthwallproductions.com_
(http://www.fourthwallproductions.com/)
There's a review of Plans Change if you search Fourth Wall Productions on
Yahoo.
And if you're wondering why I'm the person to give such a review on them.
It's because I had no interest in theatre, or to see a play. My knowledge of
theatre was for the joke classes I took in college. I was dragged to "Plans
Change" because my boss' son was apart of it... I laughed all night long,
and days afterward, and can't wait to grab an opening night ticket to "Schism".
(And will bring my friends and family who also have an aversion to theatre)
So, to the person questioning the future of theatre. There is a future. It
will be evolved by companies like Bang and Clatter and Fourth Wall, it will
be nourished by companies like Great Lakes, it will be kept in the pop
culture mainstream by the Hollywood stars returning to their roots on Broadway, and
theatre tickets will still be the best way for a guy to impress a girl's
parents with...
Sincerely,
Mary Solcia
A new Theatre-goer at 40 years young
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<DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Hello everyone,</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>My two cents if I may-</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Theatre is not part of the pop culture mainstream anymore.&=
nbsp;=20
That's a given. More people are more inclined to visit sporting events=
,=20
movie theatres, or not even leave their homes at all. You can definent=
ly=20
attribute the high cost of theatre tickets. $50 is an astounding amoun=
t of=20
money to pay for a play that you have never heard of before, haven't probabl=
y=20
heard of any of the actors in it before, and only know what the play is abou=
t=20
because of posters, and reviews about it (nothing really substantial to go o=
ff=20
of... not, say... a movie trailer). </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>You can start with the education system. Schools thes=
e days=20
aren't teaching the type of theatre that kids would want to pay attention=20
to. Shakespeare isn't all about the thrills now-a-days as it is a way=20=
to=20
teach kids how to break down iambic pentameter. And besides,=20
Shakespeare? The language is so dense, it detracts kids instantly.&nbs=
p;=20
Should we start pumping Mamet into the high school systems? No. =20
Probably not. Because while other cultures believe language is just=20
language, I'm sure American school systems could never possibly get away wit=
h=20
harsh language in some of today's BEST contemporary plays. </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>So, how do we hook kids? Most of the plays these days=
have=20
lengthy monologues that this ADD generation would immediately deter from.&nb=
sp;=20
Musicals hit home with most age groups, but probably loses the 14-28 years=20
olds. </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Last summer, I saw a production of Fourth Wall Productions=20=
"Plans=20
Change" at The Cleveland Play House, and I must say, these kids are onto=20
something. Most of them are from Ohio University (which, if this=20
production is any indicator, is a pool of talent) and the writer, Sprosty, a=
nd=20
Director, Cole, graduated with them. This play was aimed directly=
at=20
16-32 year olds, and even found a home in the heart of some of the elderly=20
audience members. It's a play that was fast paced, dealt with iss=
ues=20
kids deal with today (the uncertainity of planning out your own future) and=20=
had=20
a humor that adults could appreciate. </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Fourth Wall Productions says it owes everything about it's=20=
first=20
production to the faith displayed in Michael Bloom. Michael gave them=20
access to the Brooks Theatre at the Cleveland Play House.</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Talking with the playwright, Matthew Sprosty, he was tellin=
g me=20
that it wasn't really dumbing down theatre for today's generation, but it wa=
sn't=20
carrying that density plays usually have. The long monologues about th=
e=20
deeper meaning of things... To get the kids in, and keep the kids in,=20=
you=20
have to pay attention to what they're watching. It is all very fast=20
paced. And if you do have a monologue, it has to be riddled with eithe=
r=20
catchy dialogue or jokes that you can bounce of them real quick for a sly=20
chuckle.</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>And the snowball of Fourth Wall keeps growing. While=20
audiences weren't sold out crowds for their first production, Word of m=
outh=20
quickly spread. Fourth Wall's "Plans Change" was being passed aro=
und=20
the high school and college circuit as a play to see. But, by the time=
the=20
word of mouth spread, the show's one weekend run was up.</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>But that doesn't mean the word of mouth has stopped. =20
Non-theatre go-er's on the West Side are talking about it's next show, "Schi=
sm"=20
to be produced in late Spring/ Early summer. And with their $10 ticket=
=20
price limit, this show would be accessible for kids. </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>I firmly believe Fourth Wall (and Bang and Clatter, like Al=
icia=20
Rodis mentioned) are two theatre companies to watch out for. You can k=
eep=20
up with Fourth Wall at <A title=3Dhttp://www.fourthwallproductions.com/=20
href=3D"http://www.fourthwallproductions.com/">www.fourthwallproductions.com=
</A> =20
</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>There's a review of Plans Change if you search Fourth Wall=20
Productions on Yahoo.</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>And if you're wondering why I'm the person to give such a r=
eview=20
on them. It's because I had no interest in theatre, or to see a=20
play. My knowledge of theatre was for the joke classes I took in=20
college. I was dragged to "Plans Change" because my boss' son was apar=
t of=20
it... I laughed all night long, and days afterward, and can't wait to=20=
grab=20
an opening night ticket to "Schism". (And will bring my friends and fa=
mily=20
who also have an aversion to theatre)</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>So, to the person questioning the future of theatre. =20=
There=20
is a future. It will be evolved by companies like Bang and Clatte=
r=20
and Fourth Wall, it will be nourished by companies like Great Lakes, it will=
be=20
kept in the pop culture mainstream by the Hollywood stars returning to their=
=20
roots on Broadway, and theatre tickets will still be the best way=20=
for=20
a guy to impress a girl's parents with...</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE> </DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Sincerely,</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>Mary Solcia</DIV>
<DIV class=3DRTE>A new Theatre-goer at 40 years young </DIV></DIV>=
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=3D0 face=3DArial size=3D2 FAMILY=3D"SANSSERIF"=20
PTSIZE=3D"10"></FONT> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>
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