[NEohioPAL] An Open Letter To Critics, Reviewers, et al. (Steve Wojtas)

[Tom Kerr]

my uncle was Walter Kerr (now deceased), former
theater critic for The New York Times.
   He once said to me "of course actors and writers
and directors and set designers don't like me.  My job
title is 'critic'.  Look up the definitition.  But the
point is...there are MANY critics, not just one.  My
voice is only that of one man."
Tom Kerr
--- Tom Fulton <tomtq2 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Well, to put it in perspective...
> "I don't mind what the opposition say of me so long
> as they don't tell the
> truth about me. But when they descend to telling the
> truth about me I
> consider that this is taking an unfair advantage."
> *- Mark Twain -*
> 
> :)
> 
> Tom
> 
> On 10/11/07, Pantsios, Anastasia
> <apantsios at freetimes.com> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks for the absolutely classic
> letter-to-the-editor from a disgruntled
> > fan/injured artist. The only cliche you left out
> is "Were you at the same
> > show I was at?" (I have to wonder if you are a
> prog-rock fan. They are
> > always writing letters complaining that  clearly
> the reviewer doesn't have
> > the technical mastery of an instrument needed to
> review a Dream Theater
> > concert.) In reality, years working at the barre
> or doing breathing
> > exercises often - usually and necessarily -
> narrows an individual's focus so
> > much he or she is in fact unqualified to be a
> critic; (s)he doesn't have the
> > frame of reference it takes. I can't tell you how
> many times I have heard a
> > musician completely miss the power and impact of a
> concert because they were
> > so focused on a repetitive bass line (being a bass
> player) or flaws in the
> > sound mix.
> >
> > In addition, artists almost by necessary need to
> believe that what they
> > are doing is the most valuable expression of
> whatever their chosen craft is;
> > that is generally why they are doing what they do
> (leaving out those who do
> > it to make money). Therefore, they almost
> automatically become an
> > incompetent judge of the expressions of others.
> >
> > Anastasia Pantsios
> >
> > > ----------
> > > From:         neohiopal-bounces at listserve.com on
> behalf of Steve Wojtas
> > > Sent:         Wednesday, October 10, 2007 4:14
> PM
> > > To:   neohiopal at listserve.com
> > > Subject:      [NEohioPAL] An Open Letter To
> Critics, Reviewers,et al.
> > (Steve Wojtas)
> > >
> > > You may as well know from the outset that I'm
> probably going to tip over
> > a
> > > sacred cow or two.  Some may even say that I'm
> tilting at windmills.  Be
> > > that as it may.
> > >
> > > But what I'd like to know is:  By whose leave do
> you deign to hold forth
> > in
> > > judgment of the artist and his works?  Are you
> his peer?  Have you
> > studied
> > > intensively; have you practiced extensively in
> the discipline in which
> > you
> > > presume to sit in judgment?  For unless you
> have, your pronouncements
> > are
> > > just so much balloon juice and worth as much.
> > >
> > > Or do you see it as your sacred and moral duty
> to instruct the unwashed
> > > masses as to what they must think?  For myself,
> as part of the unwashed
> > > masses, and as a thinking man who has it on good
> authority that I am
> > above
> > > average in intelligence, I prefer to think for
> myself, thank you very
> > much.
> > >
> > > To the theatre critic:  Have you spent countless
> hours of countless days
> > > honing your technique so that you can convey
> volumes of meaning with one
> > > look or with that certain inflection?  As 
> director, have you spent
> > weeks or
> > > months coaxing just the right emotion, just the
> right interplay from as
> > many
> > > as a dozen or more actors?  And while you're
> doing this, have you had to
> > > keep in check the tempers of a cast and crew who
> are overwrought and
> > > overtired from emotional and physical labors as
> you approach impending
> > > deadlines?  As a set designer or lighting
> designer, have you had to
> > create a
> > > mood or ambiance that is aesthetically pleasing
> to the audience as well
> > as a
> > > space in which the actors can move efficiently
> and safely?  And have you
> > had
> > > to do it while keeping your creative vision
> within budget?
> > >
> > > Unless you've done these things yourself, you
> have no right to judge
> > those
> > > who have.
> > >
> > > To the movie critic:  Have you ever had to stay
> awake late into the
> > night,
> > > every night, memorizing pages of dialogue only
> to wake up at an ungodly
> > hour
> > > so that you can spend hours in a make-up chair
> before going on set so
> > that
> > > you can convey the depth of emotion of a tearful
> parting as your lover
> > > boards the train for the front?  And have you
> done this while sweltering
> > > under hot lights, and while dozens of techs and
> crew scurry around mere
> > feet
> > > from you?
> > >
> > > Unless you've done these things yourself, you
> have no right to judge
> > those
> > > who have.
> > >
> > > To the dance critic:  Have you spent literally
> years practicing at the
> > barre
> > > to perfect your technique?  Have you spent hours
> physically exerting >
> > > yourself, sometimes to the point of exhaustion,
> forcing your body into
> > > positions and movements it was never designed to
> assume; only to go home
> > > each night and spend countless hours unable to
> sleep because of the pain
> > in
> > > your muscles and joints?  Yet you get up and do
> it all over again the
> > next
> > > day.
> > >
> > > Unless you've done these things yourself, you
> have no right to judge
> > those
> > > who have.
> > >
> > > To the music critic:  Have you spent years
> practicing your breathing and
> > > vocal technique?  Or spent years in practice
> developing the muscles and
> > > dexterity of your fingers and arms?  Or what
> about the musician who
> > spent
> > > years developing his embrasure so that he is
> able to coax that clean,
> > clear
> > > note from his instrument?
> > >
> > > Unless you've done these things yourself, you
> have no right to judge
> > those
> > > who have.
> > >
> > > Have you ever sat in front of a blank page month
> after month or year
> > after
> > > year trying to create on it a microcosm that is
> both believable and
> > > engaging?  Have you sweated blood doing it? 
> Have you suffered countless
> > > rejections of your creation before your work is
> published?
> > >
> > > Unless you've done these things yourself, you
> have no right to judge
> > those
> 
=== message truncated ===>
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