Comments on: “Radar LA was much more important than the Hollywood Fringe Festival.” -Harvey Perr, Stage and Cinema

By: Howie

Howie — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 00:57:04 +0000

Hey, all,
The issues surrounding these topics; community reactions to the panels, the us vs. them mentality of the Fringe and RADAR, the continual cries of ‘why am I always the stepchild?’ from the 99 and unders… It is all deserving of time and thought.

I’ve put mine together here: http://hscactor.posterous.com/radar-la-hff11

I would love for you to take the time to read them.

a couple of nuggets to pique your interest…

So, what exactly WOULD [a fringe participant] get for $200?
Listing in a bloated Fringe guide, and a presence on a bloated website. Smells like pay to play.

….what is the Fringe doing? What is it creating, and whom is it for?

RADAR L.A. actually penetrated the consciousness of the community. The Fringe barely scratched in to it.

With the LA Times refusal to cover the actual local theater scene in earnest, and the move towards shorter ‘capsule’ reviews at many of the other publications (online and in print,) how is an Angelino, let alone a tourist, to figure out what to see?

By: Colin Mitchell

Colin Mitchell — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:49:58 +0000

You’re correct, Don, thanks. It was on Steven’s Stage Raw blog but written by Bill Raden.

My secret Editor continues to keep me on the right track. Well I guess he’s not that secret really…

By: Don Shirley

Don Shirley — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:47:44 +0000

Sorry to offer such a late correction, but you misidentified the LA Weekly writer of this passage: “By the time the dust settled and the group broke for coffee and crudités, a sort of consensus emerged that what the institutional non-profits are best at is raising money and building luxuriously appointed theater buildings. What they’re not so good at is making art. For the gathered artists, it was agreed that the reverse is true. The question of how to create a meaningful and mutually rewarding symbiosis between the two groups was left unanswered.”

That was by Bill Raden, not Steven Leigh Morris.

By: Colin Mitchell

Colin Mitchell — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 03:47:06 +0000

I know, it is long. But I had a lot to cover and a lot to say. Thanks for reading. And thanks to everyone for reading and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

By: Channing Sargent

Channing Sargent — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:29:13 +0000

Colin,

Wow, this IS a long article – but worth every word. I was unfortunately traveling during all of the above events, but as I am very much committed to the LA Theatre Commmunity, I’ve been reading up on all that went down here during the month of June (maybe also trying to experience it vicariously, ex post facto). This article gives me a detailed view of the dynamics of the month. I agree with Kat – thanks to everyone who cares to argue. It’s great that we’ve got people across the country coming to Los Angeles to truly discuss our impact on theatre at large, as well as locals arguing about what we, as a community, ought to be doing better.

By: Kat

Kat — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:52:51 +0000

Great wrap up, Colin, and thanks to everyone at the fringe, Radar, TCG, KPCC, etc etc who care enough to argue.

By: Jay Alvarez

Jay Alvarez — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:31:54 +0000

Wow! Great read!
I just did my show at the Fringe at Theatre of NOTE. I had a wonderful time the staff at NOTE was caring and supportive. I was able to reach my community and had great houses. Sold out the last two shows where seats were added.
As a New Yorker I’ve always found LA to have wonderful theatre and beautiful Theatre Talent.

Again great article Mr. Mitchell.

By: Colin Mitchell

Colin Mitchell — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:10:34 +0000

I love the races. Especially when it’s dollar dogs and dollar beer night.

By: Gedaly

Gedaly — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:48:00 +0000

There’s a lot to respond to here. The first being the sentiment that just because an audience is having a great time, it doesn’t necessarily mean the show is good. I often feel that way after the rest of the audience leaps to its feet while I remain sitting and wondering what show the audience saw.

I’d like to play devil’s advocate and provide the following quote (spoken by The Devil, ironically, in Don Juan in Hell/Man and Superman by GB Shaw):

“There is no physical gulf between the philosopher’s class room and the bull ring; but the bull fighters do not come to the class room for all that. Have you ever been in the country where I have the largest following—England? There they have great racecourses, and also concert rooms where they play the classical compositions of his Excellency’s friend Mozart. Those who go to the racecourses can stay away from them and go to the classical concerts instead if they like: there is no law against it; for Englishmen never will be slaves: they are free to do whatever the Government and public opinion allows them to do. And the classical concert is admitted to be a higher, more cultivated, poetic, intellectual, ennobling place than the racecourse. But do the lovers of racing desert their sport and flock to the concert room? Not they.”

People have different tastes, different standards. Who are we to say that those tastes and standards are wrong? Either way, you’ll still never find me at the horse races.

By: Dana D.

Dana D. — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 06:24:56 +0000

Wow. Well put. Colin, how can we get you elected Mayor of Theatre Row?