A few weeks ago, a directing colleague shot me an email to ask if I was (or knew) the anonymous source who sent an email to many Bay Area artistic directors with diversity statistics from local theaters. It wasn't me, and I don't know who it was.
I have not seen a copy of this email (I sure would like to if anyone has it and can forward to countingactors (at) gmail (dot) com), so I don't want to comment on content. I understand the impulse to share this information anonymously - an individual artist who may also be seeking work at these companies may not want to point fingers publicly. The Guerilla Girls are a fantastic example of folks who solved this conundrum with creativity, humor and style.
In the meantime, there's Counting Actors. One full year now of adding up and sharing numbers from shows that myself and others have seen or worked on. June results in the next week, so send me stats now. Don't know what I'm talking about? Go here to read more!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Monday Thoughts
are coming in from all sorts of sources:
1) A NYT article about artistswanted.org and other web businesses that are changing 'the distinction between professionals and hobbyists and what it means to call yourself an artist when anyone with a cellphone can be a photographer, anyone with the right apps can be a designer, anyone with a Facebook page can amass a following, and anyone at all can dream up a concept and find a place to pitch it'
Live theater isn't mentioned explicitly, nor is acting, but there's lots to think about here.
2) the eloquent Polly Carl over on Howlround preaching transcendance over transactions. It may be Monday, but this sermon is worth your time.
3) and finally, a huh? what were they thinking pair of literally hot pants.
BTW, I read all of these thanks to my feed reader.
1) A NYT article about artistswanted.org and other web businesses that are changing 'the distinction between professionals and hobbyists and what it means to call yourself an artist when anyone with a cellphone can be a photographer, anyone with the right apps can be a designer, anyone with a Facebook page can amass a following, and anyone at all can dream up a concept and find a place to pitch it'
Live theater isn't mentioned explicitly, nor is acting, but there's lots to think about here.
2) the eloquent Polly Carl over on Howlround preaching transcendance over transactions. It may be Monday, but this sermon is worth your time.
3) and finally, a huh? what were they thinking pair of literally hot pants.
BTW, I read all of these thanks to my feed reader.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf on O'Neill
It's an email exchange turned into an article for the NYTimes - he's playing Hickey in Iceman Cometh in Chicago, she's playing Mary Tyrone in Long Day's Journey in London. Full of insight into process, backstage rituals and the challenges of O'Neill's characters.
I love that Lane makes sure to say hi to the two actors backstage who enter before him and talk about having seen Hickey when they enter. I was fascinated by the facts that Metcalf wears prosthetics on her hands and prefers to be slightly hungry while performing a show.
A quote that resonated for me from Nathan Lane:
"Even after months of preparation you don’t really start to figure something like this out until you’re in front of an audience. You need time. In some ways just to get through the terror of taking this on, I think I had mapped it out too much and needed to let go of everything and let the play happen to me more."
It's a really great article. RTWT.
I love that Lane makes sure to say hi to the two actors backstage who enter before him and talk about having seen Hickey when they enter. I was fascinated by the facts that Metcalf wears prosthetics on her hands and prefers to be slightly hungry while performing a show.
A quote that resonated for me from Nathan Lane:
"Even after months of preparation you don’t really start to figure something like this out until you’re in front of an audience. You need time. In some ways just to get through the terror of taking this on, I think I had mapped it out too much and needed to let go of everything and let the play happen to me more."
It's a really great article. RTWT.
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