| Tough question. My two cents: | |
| Posted by: tmdonahue (tmdonahue@yahoo.com) 01:38 pm EST 12/25/18 | |
| In reply to: Can off-Broadway become viable again - Kerick 10:07 am EST 12/25/18 | |
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| I think in addition to financial changes, there have been cultural changes that make it hard for off-Broadway to be what it once was. Remember the Vietnam War protests, the summer of love, the sometimes peaceful and sometimes not struggle to improve racial equality? Off-Broadway theater and the regional theater movement were in part powered by these societal responses to the complacency of the 1950s, that goaded many people to multifaceted actions in response. Including making art without regard to making a living. Regional theater has changed too. It now develops material for Broadway OR exploits recent Broadway and off-Broadway successes. As much as "American Theatre" magazine grumbles about it, the politically engaged regional theater has dwindled, too. The regional theaters that survived the 2008 recession are now fiscally stronger but not more artistically or politically interesting. (All of this is stated, of course, with the caveat: "for the most part." There are exceptions. My most recent trip to NYC included "Straight White Men" on Broadway, a really interesting, woke play. On the other hand, I saw half of "Desperate Measures," a truly miserable off-Broadway musical.) The growing financial divide doesn't help as it makes cities like NYC, Chicago, and San Francisco as places without the housing choices that let people live as struggling artists. |
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| Link | Link to my latest book "Playing for Prizes" |
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| Previous: | re: Can off-Broadway become viable again - Kerick 04:30 pm EST 12/25/18 |
| Next: | re: Tough question. My two cents: - ryhog 01:54 pm EST 12/25/18 |
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