[NEohioPAL]Reviewing College Theatre

[TONY BROWN]

my rules about what i do review and don't review are not hard and fast. in =
fact, i wouldn't even call them rules.

generally, however, since the topic came up:

i review the "professional" theaters in town, those that regularly pay =
their actors. these include the professional theaters that operate at csu =
(new), lakeland and tri-c (the jcc, in the absence of the beloved =
halle).=20

but, i sometimes don't review the professional theaters, if they're doing =
something that a) isn't particularly newsworth; b) doesn't particularly =
interest me; or c) has been produced recently by another theater. i also =
usually don't review developmental staged readings unless they're =
particularly newsworthy. i also sometimes will go to a show at a marginal =
professional theater and decide against reviewing for one reason or =
another.

and, but, i always review the main stage shows at the three equity houses =
in town: playhouse square, the play house and great lakes.

and, and, but, i don't always review everything at the equity houses in =
akron and hudson, carousel and actors' summit.

and, and, and, but, i do sometimes review college or community productions =
if i think they're newsworthy. i also review summer theaters that are =
largely students, such as csu (again) and porthouse (kent), simply because =
there is no equity summer theater here (quel domage).

and, and, and, and, but, i review, when i can, the graduate students at =
the case/play house graduate acting program.

clear?

please also bear in mind that the plain dealer entertainment staff's =
freelance budget was slashed to nearly zero about the same time that =
carolyn jack, my trusty and erudite first choice on the staff, and dance =
critic wilma salisbury took a buyout and left the paper. don rosenberg and =
i are splitting ALL the performing arts in town, so please be understanding=
 with us.

finally, more theaters might get reviewed if they ever got their acts =
together enough to not schedule four or five openings on the same night.

cheers.

tony

>>> "Ansley Valentine" <avalentine at wooster.edu> 6/21/2007 4:28 PM >>>
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 essentiall=
y professional productions being produced AT the College facility. =
Although they probably involve students, these productions are less purely =
educational and intended to be more community-based or professional =
(whatever 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 of =
theatre departmental productions. Of course, the review is part of the =
professional "real world," but would an emerging talent be served by being =
publicly reviewed, persumably held to a high professional standard? There =
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, risk, 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 previews =
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 =
should know about the wonderful work happening in Northeast Ohio. Many =
college productions only run one weekend. A review might come out after =
the fact, and have little impact on audience attendance. As someone who =
sees five 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 should find a way to feature the work.

In one last note, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that there are =
even some area high school productions that are truly exceptional--and =
often 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, covering
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 to
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 the
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 family
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)*

____________________________________
Cain Park presents OLIVER! June 21 - July 8. Tickets: 216-371-3000
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