[NEohioPAL] Berko spotlight on: Kory of 102, newest Cleveland Critics Circle member

[Roy Berko]

*Kory of 102 newest member of Cleveland Critics Circ*le



Members of the Cleveland Critics Circle, the official organization of area
theater reviewers and critics, come from various backgrounds.  Some are
college professors and teachers, some are professional reporters and
writers, others are public relations experts.   There is even a life coach
in the mix.  But they have one thing in common, they all have strong
theatre backgrounds as directors, actors, producers or have studied theatre
history and playwrighting.  That is,  except for the newest member,
Christopher Beale, known professionally as Kory.



Beale, was brought up in Apopka, Florida.  He recounts that he was a kid
with ADD, on Ritalin, who was a “dork.”  In high school he was, in his
words,  “obnoxious, brave, insecure, and bullied.”   He took several
actions during that time that has set him on an interesting life path.  In
his freshman year he came out as gay.  Part of the reason for his actions
was his self-acknowledged  “not afraid to be different.”  Then, after his
third freshman year, he decided that school wasn’t for him, and dropped out.



His path led to Disneyworld and eventually, because of his deep, resonant
voice, to a job in radio.  As he explains it, “I went to work at a little
psychotic libertarian station connected to the Liberty Works Radio Network.”
The job came about because he made a demo on a computer, contacted a number
of stations on Friendster, and was hired as an intern.  He moved to
Maryland .  After they found out he was gay, he was fired.



Not to be deterred, he moved back to Orlando, made another demo and got a
job with Metro Traffic as their weekend traffic reporter and camera
operator on a helicopter. Eventually he was hired as the overnight weekend
dj at Y-100 Miami. Remember, this is a young kid, a high school dropout,
competing in a world of many college trained and educated professionals.  After
a disastrous experience in Boston, he was offered a job in Colorado Springs.
After three years there, the still twenty-something year old, wound up in
Gainesville, then Orlando, and finally in Cleveland.



How did he get into theatre reviewing?  The same serendipity that has
followed him throughout his life reared its head.  He went to see a
production of ALTAR BOYZ and hung out with the cast.  One of the cast
members suggested, after hearing him comment on the show, that he write a
review.  Why not?  He went into radio with no training or background, why
not reviewing?  He posted the critique on the station’s media list.  It
started to get hits.  He was on his way to being a self-declared reviewer.



His commentaries don’t follow the usual approach of evaluating the
production aspects of a show.   Since he has never been in a play, except
for one line in kindergarten, never has directed nor read scripts, and has
no formal theatre educational background, he writes from his gut.  Kory
believes that the average theatergoer isn’t a theatre expert either.  He
states, “They are looking for entertainment and something that they have
never done before.   I write from that perspective.”



Why should someone pay any attention to his views?   He says, “I don’t
represent what I know about.  I only know what I saw when I went to the
theatre.”  He seems to be learning on the job. His reviewing skills have
increasingly had more depth.  He admits that “since doing reviews and
reading the writings of others, I’ve has started to do research about the
shows I see.”



He doesn’t actually read the reviews on air.  He mentions a show a couple
of times.  He leads his listeners to his blog site, where the entire review
resides.  He often interviews cast and production members.  “If there is a
live interview, a segment is presented on air and my blog links to the
interview.”



Some comments about his reviews include:  “When I look at a show, I put it
on a curve based on the kind of theatre I’m reviewing.”   “I have the
benefit of going into the theatre as an uneducated theatre-goer, so I go in
fresh faced.”  “I don’t claim to be an expert, but I know good entertainment
when I see it.” “My bottom line is, if I had spent $90 to see this show
would I have been feeling ripped off?”



Some might question whether Kory’s reviews have credibility.  The answer
depends on your viewpoint.  If you are one who believes that there must be
some educational and experiential basis for evaluation of any art form,
whether it is painting, dance, music or theatre, then Kory’s background
isn’t going to lead you to his blog.  If, on the other hand, you want a gut
level reaction to a show, Kory, is probably your man.  There are many in
town who seemingly buy into his perspective as the number of hits on his
blog keep increasing!



To read a sampling of Kory and reviews of the other Cleveland Critics
Circle members go to www.clevelandtheaterreivews.com
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