The 99 Seat Theatre Plan: Pro
Colin Mitchell | Dec 25, 2009 | Comments 2 |
Steven Stanley of StageSceneLA chimes in with a defense of LA’s 99 Seat Theatre plan, responding to my latest post on the subject. Here’s Steven:
The answer to this question is quite simple. Start by taking a look a the sheer number of outstanding 99-seat-plan productions, terrific performances, superb directorial achievements, gorgeous designs, sensational music direction on stage every month. If you think there aren’t that many, take a look at the Ovation, LA Weekly, or LADCC nominees or the Best Of The Year lists at StageSceneLA. Attend Critic’s Picks and LA Weekly GOs and you’ll see dozens upon dozens of productions that anyone would be proud to be part of, to see, or to recommend to friends. Then ask yourself how many of these productions could exist without the 99-seat plan. Ask yourself how many L.A. based actors would be denied great roles if there were no 99-seat plan. Those who complain about the quality of L.A. theater would do well to inform themselves. A theatergoer could easily see 100 excellent intimate theater productions a year in the L.A. area, if not double that number … at affordable ticket prices. In what other U.S. city is this the case? If you’re one of those who puts down L.A. theater, start actually seeing what’s out there and THEN complain. It’s your own hat you’ll be eating.
Anyone else?
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
Filed Under: Ponderings
About the Author: COLIN MITCHELL: Actor/Writer/Director/Producer/Father, award-winning playwright and screenwriter, Broadway veteran, Marvel comics scribe, Van Morrison disciple, Zen-Catholic, a proud U.S. Army Brat conceived in Scotland and born in Frankfurt, Germany, currently living in Los Angeles and doing his best to piss off as many people as possible.
This is the equivalent to saying that New York theater is crap because they pay people real wages.
This is a great theory If you like your theater like you like your fast food: Easy to find (% productions of the same show in different locations over the course of a few months!), easy to swallow (What did the TCG theater’s like this year!), with most of it lacking substance (Where can I find another puke-box musical*?).
Sure we can talk about how great a lot of shows are, but that’s like saying how great In-n-Out is. it’s true, but it’s still a drive-thru burger. When your next dining option is the LORT BIstro (probably operated by Patina) where is the place where I can sit down and get a good meal with breaking the bank?
* Puke-Box Musical is actually a phrase from my friend Miranda. But, if you’re interested, my friend Allain has a great idea for a new hit show called “Hey remember this tune?” based on a baby boomer’s ipod set to shuffle.
So if I’m reading you right, Ian, you’re saying Steven’s standard isn’t very high? Is that correct? Using your terminology – if you’re looking for fast food, the In and Out is pretty dang good, but if you’re looking for a Steak Arnie Morton’s has got Sizzler beat by a mile? Or something to that affect?
Them’s fightin’ words, Steven? What say you?
Personally I think the quality of theatre in this town continues to get better, but I would like to cull out the crap myself, or at least give people a better idea of where it is so they can avoid it.