On the morning of February 3rd, Reddit User ihavetosaythis2 posted a commentary regarding Washington DC’s small professional theatre companies. The posting criticized the legitimacy and professionalism of DC’s small professional theatre companies and equated their ethic and quality to that of community theatre.
This is a piece by piece response to that message:
“Dear DC Theatre, We’re a group of actors, directors and writers. We’d tell your our names, but you’d retaliate."
Hello ihavetosaythis2. It’s okay that you won’t say your names. There is nothing wrong with anonymity. There is also nothing wrong with the community retaliating if done in a respectful, knowledgeable, and understanding way. It’s all part of communication, which is very important for any community to survive.
“Still, we have a message: It’s time to get over yourself.”
Things got heated real quick. Okay… does this mean your group does not consider yourselves part of the DC Professional Theatre Community?
“Let’s review a little bit. In the last year or so, we’ve seen the artistic directors of DC’s many so-called “professional” theaters cry that a local awards organization (that no one outside of DC cares about or has even heard of) thinks you should pay your actors.”
Yes, there has been a lot of talk about the new rules for Helen Hayes Awards eligibility. Some people from companies such as Molotov Theatre Group, Pallas Theatre Collective, and other individual artists have spoken out about the new ruling. Many have stated their beliefs on what would be best for the community in respectful ways, at no time demeaning the award granting institution who offered the new ruling. There really is no need to insult theatreWashington and the Helen Hayes Awards for no apparent reason.
“You’re aghast? Your budgets will increase 60 to 80 percent per show! Last time we checked, guys, DC, Maryland, Virginia and the federal government all have minimum wage laws. Why are you exempt from these again?”
The minimums are substantially below DC minimum wage, and with good reason. The arts are not supported as other areas are, and individual non-profit companies do not get subsidized by the government. The arts are exempt because of this. It isn’t a great comparison because most of us know the status the arts have in our nation. Having distinction between Equity productions, minimum wage non-Equity productions, and low wage non-Equity productions is great because it gives all the company’s more balanced competition.
“And by the way, you’re not a “professional” theatre because you toss $5 a show at your actors at the end of a three-week run. Professional theaters use professional actors, compensated at a professional level. You’re glorified community theatre, nothing more.”
There are different levels of professional theatre. Some companies can afford to pay professionals for professional work, a small stipend. Others can afford much larger wages. Some can afford Equity wages. There is nothing wrong with that diversity. The creation of new professional theatres (who can’t pay the minimums required by theatreWashington) should be encouraged, and collaboration between already established companies applauded. With that being said, theatreWashington isn’t requiring theatres to have a minimum wage. They are simply making it a requirement for eligibility for their awards. theatreWashington is not the All Deciding God of what is DC Theatre. They are an award granting institution with their own personal requirements for eligibility. They are making a distinction for Non-Equity theatres that the companies can choose to follow or not follow. Just because a small theatre company can’t afford the $75 per week minimum wage ($150 per week during 8 performance weeks) doesn’t mean that they aren’t a professional company or that the art isn’t as important; it simply means they aren’t eligible for Helen Hayes Awards. Money is part of what makes professional theatre “professional”, but there are other factors to what differentiates professional from community theatres. There is a different amount of artistic leadership and general talent in para-professional theatre productions than there are in community theatre shows; anyone who has worked at any local community theatre and at the (para-)professional level can tell you that.
“Maybe if you cared half as much about the actors you exploit as you did a Helen Hayes Recommended badge, you’d have enough self-awareness to see how ridiculous you sound.”
It’s an honor and a privilege to be recognized by a locally organized award granting group. theatreWashington does not need to exist. Their recommendations and awards don’t do anything but provide artists with badges of honor and open opportunities for future work in the DC theatre scene. Most companies would love to pay their artists more… that would mean they are gaining more funds themselves. Sure, there may be some companies that exist that exploit their artists, but to generalize all small professional theatres in DC as such doesn’t make sense. If a company has administered unethical practices towards its artists, it’s our responsibilities as members of this community to call them out on the issues so that they can be addressed. Who do you feel has acted as such?
“And let’s talk about the spectacular theatre you’ve produced, lately, dear glorified community theaters. Take say, the happy little theater company everyone loves that, when not running snappy little pirate-themed shows, is busy producing works that blatantly — without remorse, shame or even subterfuge — rip off acclaimed graphic novels or are built almost entirely on the copyrighted music of other artists.”
Many playwrights do adaptations. It’s true, there can be a fine line between adaptation and plagiarism. If that’s the case, it’s important as members of this community to call out the companies producing that work (possibly during rehearsal process or run of the show) to make a statement regarding the accusations. What exactly do you feel Flying V,with their “snappy little pirate-themed shows” has done? What authors have they plagiarized, and not simply adapted?
“Cool, huh? Most people figure out how to steal without others noticing, but not this theater. They’re proud of their disrespect for other artists. The flaunt it. And they get awards and critical attention for it. No one even bats an eye.”
What did Flying V do to you exactly? It’s okay to have the conversation, but these attacks seem to come out of nowhere… and with spite. For the sake of your argument, it may be better to list examples of where Flying V has offended. Adaptations are fair game, if done lawfully. Where has Flying V failed?
“There was that great show about baseball and being gay that was pretty almost relevant when it was written 10 years ago, filled with full-frontal male nudity that had no bearing on the plot.”
To say that Take Me Out has no relevance today is not only ignorant, it is disrespectful to LGBT youth, athletes of color, and diversity in general. There are countless amount of LGBT young athletes of color who could identify with 1st Stage’s production, and thanks to great artists of color such as Jason Wright, Ray Navorio, Steven Soto, Devyn Tinker, and Jacob Yeh; as well as the great work by their designers of color: Ruthmarie Tenorio (set designer), Jane Chan (lighting designer), and Joseph Michael Jones (stage manager). As for the full-frontal male nudity having no bearing to the plot- the show is set in a men’s baseball locker room… nudity is right at home in Take Me Out.
(Photo Credit:Teresa Castracane)
“That’s the definition of gratuitous. It didn’t help that you cast actors who, for the most part, looked like they could barely get off a couch let alone run ‘round a baseball diamond.”
To Straight White Cisgender Men, of course penis is going to be something that they don’t want to see at the theatre and would consider gratuitous. These same people would say that there is nothing wrong with having women do the same thing. For them, the female body has been reserved for the exploitation of the male gaze, meanwhile the male body is preserved as untouchable. It’s a qualm that many opposed to full-frontal male nudity hold. Furthermore, baseball players come in many shapes and sizes. Men such as Prince Fielder prove that baseball players come in all shapes, sizes,colors, and backgrounds. All of the men in Take Me Out looked believable as baseball players.
(Photo Credit: ESPN The Magazine)
“Actors who were cast for their connection to the director or their level of status in DC’s insular theater scene (have you heard the one about actors from New York complaining about how cliquish and ridiculous DC’s theater community is? How they’ve gone up to Off-Broadway and Broadway in a year’s time, but couldn’t get cast in DC to save their lives? — that’s not a myth),”
Take Me Out Director Doug Wilder’s network of artists is being put to question? The circumstances surrounding casting of Take Me Out is something only the director of the show, the company’s Artistic Director, and other 1st Stage Casting Personnel, can speak on. Comments can be made about it, but ultimately, their decisions regarding the casting of Take Me Out was theirs to make. For a show with such a diverse ensemble, Doug Wilder and his team did an awesome job assembling it.
(Photo Credit:Teresa Castracane)
“ actors whose emotional ranges amounted to zero to screaming with no in between. Indicating and theatrical, not real nor honest. “
Disrespecting the artists in Take Me Out doesn’t really prove your point about anything. Where are the facts about these particular artists performances?
“But who the fuck cares about that, right? All you want to know is if Helen Hayes is going to tell people to see your show.”
Assuming theatreWashington isn’t simply handing out Helen Hayes Recommendations, talented artists creating good theatre is required to get the distinction from the organization. A Helen Hayes Recommendation is great advertisement for theatres who are producing great work but aren’t generating full audiences. It’s a great thing to get the commendation from theatreWashington. But, to reiterate: good theater is required.
“We’re used to seeing these kinds of shows in DC’s theaters, though— our stages are filled with actors who are bland, dry, vague and meandering or think the only way to get emotional is to scream and shout. Talk, talk, talk. Oh, I’m supposed to be angry now. I’ll shout! Talk, talk, talk, shout, shout, shout. This kind of mediocrity is celebrated here.”
Criticizing other’s work (and speaking generally about an entire community you are a part of) is only relevant if you have the proof, and the conviction to back it up. Neither of which you presented. You haven’t convinced anyone that DC’s non-Equity and Equity professional productions are mediocre at best.
“Cast the same actors over and over and over again because they’re in the clique,”
Are you still talking about Take Me Out in particular? I’d kill to see Jason Wright in more productions. Did you see him in Pinkalcious at Adventure Theatre MTC? Or in Choir Boy now playing at Studio? Or maybe you caught him in the ensemble of Studio Theatre’s 2nd Stage’s The Rocky Horror Show?
(Photo Credit: Igor Dmitry. Jason Wright forward left.)
Did you see Jacob Yeh in Imagination Stage’s Anime Momotaro? Or in Theatre J’s Yellow Face? Or maybe you caught him in Cinderella: The Remix?
(Photo Credit: Margot Schulman. Jacob Yeh, front center)
Did you miss Steven Soto in NextStop Theatre Company’s Go, Dog, Go, or in Good Good Trouble on Bad Bad Island? These talented actors deserve to get the work they do, and more! The DC theatre community is already lacking in diversity. To eliminate these actors simply because they have been cast before is irresponsible. DC needs to embrace these actors and provide more opportunities for these actors to be showcased. If you aren’t talking about Take Me Out, then which actors at which small theatres are you talking about?
(Photo Credit: NextStop Theatre Company)
“ and you get actors who haven’t worked on their craft since their first run at Flying V or in the Source Festival, actors who wouldn’t know what a technique was (and don’t care to) if it fell on them from the lighting grid during a show.”
This is a jab at DC’s actor training programs: Theatre Lab School of Dramatic Arts, Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory, National Conservatory of Dramatic Arts, Academy of Classical Acting, and the other Bachelor’s programs in the DC/MD/VA area at Howard University, University of Maryland, George Mason University, George Washington University, and others. To say that these education organizations are not properly training local artists is to spit at the hard work and dedication of the countless educators who have spent their lives perfecting their crafts and are inspiring the future of theatre on this planet.
“Actors whose emotional preparation amounts to getting to the theater 15 minutes before curtain.”
Clearly you have worked with these artists. Why not share your experience? If you choose to remain anonymous, then provide as much detail as you possibly can. Or perhaps, talk to the individuals on a one-on-one basis. Tell them how their behavior affects your art, and how their lack of preparation hurts the story the company is trying to tell to our community. Don’t generalize DC theatre artists as non-caring and neglectful of our art.
“We could go on with examples (don't get us started on the exploitation-mill that is the revenue-generating Capital Fringe Festival).”
It would be great to hear some examples of how awful DC theatre is. As for Capital Fringe Festival, it is an opportunity for new content creators to showcase their work. CapFringe is a place where actors, directors, designers, playwrights, and nearly any other artists can go to experiment with ideas not readily accepted by the mainstream theatre community. Money will always be an issue, especially for those who don’t have it (read: many that do CapFringe), so perhaps it would be great for your group and others who may be interested to begin a new, FREE, well-organized project similar to the Capital Fringe Festival, where new artists and developed artists can collaborate and make the future of DC theatre. A festival where individual artists can put up experimental shows for a low cost 1 or 2 weekend competition. Maybe one similar to the already established NVTA One Act Play Festival, for Northern Virginia Community Theatres. Or perhaps a combination of CapFringe and NVTA One Act Festival, one where companies can have a couple runs of the show to gain revenue and compete in a community-based award ceremony. The ideas could go on.
“But we don't think we have to. DC theater lives inside a bubble that’s hostile to outsiders, that turns to the same talent (loosely defined) over and over, that lacks any kind of literary range (this play has naked men, oh we’ll get so much press! this play is non-linear and experimental, we’re so avant garde! I can’t write to save my life so I’ll copy stuff from an acclaimed graphic novel and call it “adapted"), that disrespects and exploits artists on so many levels, that has set its sights on one singular award to the detriment of everything else”
Disregarding the insults. The Helen Hayes Awards are not the be all of DC theatre. Most companies just wish to put on great theatre for the community. Awards are supplementary. (Read: If the Helen Hayes Awards ceased to exist, DC professional theatre would go on.)
“(why should an organization named after someone no one’s ever heard of have so much control over you?).”
There is no need to be disrespectful to the legacy of Helen Hayes MacArthur in the US Theatre. She was named the "First Lady of the (US) American Theatre" and was one of twelve people who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award (an EGOT). She has a hospital named after her, and has had two theatres in New York renamed after her. Not to mention she has a postage stamp… so yes, people have definitely heard of Helen Hayes.
“A bubble that is so bland, so pretentious and so navel-gazing it can’t even recognize its own deep mediocrity.”
Yes, DC Theatre has it’s issues. Instead of out of the blue attacks on artists’ talents and integrities (both specific and general), it is more productive to provide solutions to the issues the DC theatre community has. We as a community should raise initiatives to encourage emerging playwrights, and self producing artists to build a more diverse, artistically challenging, and embracive community.
In conclusion, small professional theater companies should organize together in a group such as the Independent Theatre Coalition of Washington and come up with a new award granting program for the theatres who can’t afford to pay the theatreWashington minimum wage requirements. Perhaps the coalition of small theatre companies can resurrect the Mary Goldwater Awards and reinvent them for the main purpose of being an award granting institution dedicated to the advancement of DC’s small professional theaters and artists. A new award system would strengthen the community and celebrate more artists at levels sometimes ignored. ihavetosaythis2 should raise some questions to Flying V and Doug Wilder regarding this message they sent out to the community in a productive, respectful way. No matter what conversation arises from that, it is important to remember that theatreWashington has made the decision to grant Flying V the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company, and to grant Doug Wilder a nomination for The Robert Prosky Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play-HELEN Production. If ihavetosaythis2 feels these are mistakes, they should contact theatreWashington with their concerns. Keep the conversation going- theatreWashington encouraged it.
Thanks ihavetosaythis2 for having this conversation with the community.
-DC Actors of Color
