[NEohioPAL]Reviewing College Theatre

[Ansley Valentine]

I think there is a difference between student shows produced BY a college=
 and those that take place AT a college. The examples you use are essenti=
ally professional productions being produced AT the College facility. Alt=
hough they probably involve students, these productions are less purely e=
ducational and intended to be more community-based or professional (whate=
ver that means). For example, BOOTH involves a number of professional New=
 York actors.=20

As an educator, I have always had mixed emotions about critical reviews o=
f theatre departmental productions. Of course, the review is part of the =
professional "real world," but would an emerging talent be served by bein=
g publicly reviewed, persumably held to a high professional standard? The=
re was a time when I was a student and I wanted to read those "kudos" in =
the newspaper. But after being in the public eye for a number of years, I=
 went back to graduate school. I welcomed the opportunity to explore, ris=
k, AND fail, outside the scrutiny of the professional press. If I knew I =
was going to reviewed by a paper like the Plain Dealer, I might have been=
 more reluctant to go out on a limb and truly develop my talent.=20

Having said that, I think it is wholely suitable for papers to do preview=
s or other feature articles about college productions. I agree that some =
of the most interesting work happens on a college campus. They often have=
 resources to do plays that might be out of reach for most groups--either=
 because of money, audience, cast size, or subject matter. The public sho=
uld know about the wonderful work happening in Northeast Ohio. Many colle=
ge productions only run one weekend. A review might come out after the fa=
ct, and have little impact on audience attendance. As someone who sees fi=
ve to ten college productions each semester, I know that there are things=
 well worth seeing. However, a review may not be the best way of getting =
the word out. But when the art is of merit, our area theatre writers shou=
ld find a way to feature the work.

In one last note, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there are ev=
en some area high school productions that are truly exceptional--and ofte=
n only the parents and grandparents know.

Ansley Valentine
Ohio State Director, KCACTF Region III
Associate Professor
Department of Theatre & Dance
Film Studies Program Chair
The College of Wooster
1189 Beall Avenue
Wooster, OH 44691
330-263-2028 Office
330-347-1519 Cell Phone
330-263-2690 Fax
>>> "Robert Lewis" <roblewed at gmail.com> 06/21/07 3:10 PM >>>
A few weeks ago, WCLV's broadcast included interviews with local
Cleveland theatre critics.  During the broadcast, the subject of college
theatre came up and most critics stated that "they do not cover college
productions".

Based upon the number of reviews I've seen on the neohiopal site, coverin=
g
productions at Lakeland, and CSU  (see below), I would say that
the statement above is obviously not true.  Some of the best acted
and directed productions I've seen in Cleveland were presented by college=

theatre departments and they should be frequented by the theatre-going
public and the critics as much as possible.   Also, the admission price t=
o
these plays are much less expensive than their "profession" counterparts,=

so basically, one gets a bigger bang for your buck.

Its evident that the critics *choose* to review certain colleges and not
others.  Why?  There could be many answers but it really comes down to th=
e
fact that Cleveland theatre is very political and like politicians, the
critics say one thing, but mean another.



BOOTH by Austin Pendleton, the story within the story of the famous famil=
y
made infamous by the 1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln, opens this
weekend at the CSU Repertory Theatre on East 24th Street between Chester =
and
Payne Avenues.

Featuring stars full of "innocence and desire", directed with "unfettered=

glee", and a "no holds-barred performance [by Everett Quinton] that must =
be
seen to be believed"* (Plain* *Dealer)* the show reflects "precisely the
kind of bright future that the promising CSU summer project will... build=
 on
*." (Free Times)*