More on local talent

First visited here.

Isaac has the "Cliffs Notes" on Mike Daisey's How Theater Failed America, which appears to address the exact subject we've been talking about (and more). To quote Isaac on Daisey: "No one in the communities they perform for has any real connection to the work they're doing because the casts and crews are these anonymous interchangeable people who rarely come back and with whom you have no connection." Hi. Welcome to last week. Serendipitous, ain't it?

Scott Walters is back from a bit of a hiatus, and he's got a whole series of posts about the importance of using local talent, not to mention the uneven distribution of theaters and funds throughout the country. Scott's neck-and-neck with Nick Keenan right now for the most thought-provoking outside-the-box thinking on theater. (I say this not because Scott recently had a post headed "Kris Vire gets it right," though if you want me to link to you it can't hurt to say similar things.)

To bring it back local (see what I did there? see?), Rob Kozlowski gives us another concrete example of casual audiences connecting to local talent, via his wife. Bob Falls, are you listening?

Comments

[Scott Walters]

Thanks for ther link! The next time you get it right, I'll note it! *L*

[Nick Keenan]

Wink!

I will say this, Kris: You were one of the first if not the first to read my little rag, and that thought has kept me honest ever since. Hasn't kept me concise, but honest? Yes.

I know I've benefitted a lot from your criticism, so I'm surely biased, but I do think that you TOC gents have more love for what makes Chicago theater great than any of the other critics in town. That love and excitement transfers to our collective audience, and we've seen the results of it. Shaping thought and focusing opinion in the way that you do is incredibly valuable work for such a small and potentially divisive industry. Rock on.

[[email protected] shows in new york city]

I think I would agree with Scott Walters about using local talents. I think it is more convenient to do that.

Thanks for sharing!