The Star of Entertaiment

I recently spoke to a theater friend of mine about a theater group we were both familiar with that was planning to once again present “You Can’t Take IT With You”. (YCTIWY was a major hit play written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart and made its Broadway premiere in 1936.) This theater group was presenting YCTIWY for the third time that we could recall.

Obviously it must be a good audience draw (a/k/a money maker) for them of hey wouldn’t produce again and again. And, now, again.

But why not give their audiences a new point of view? Possibly something a tad more contemporary such as something written in the 70′s? Only kidding.

There are a lot of mew playwrights just chomping at the bit to have their work produced.

Based on a discussion I had with an artistic director from a repertory theater company, there are a number of plays that get submitted that are a waste of paper. (Poor trees.) To illustrate his point. He nearly gave himself a hernia lifting a 300+ page script from the floor. I asked instead of intermissions if there were lunch and dinner breaks for this projected 5+ hour extravaganza. After attempting to read the first few pages, I was tempted to suggest he scrub his idea of presenting a new play and in its place perform “YCTIWY”.

There are times that artistic directors or literary managers take major risks with plays written by new playwrights. One such theater is The Arena Players Repertory Theater Company on Long Island. Its Founder and artistic director, Frederic De Feis, is a legend having energy of someone one-quarter his age and possessing the theatrical wisdom beyond anyone I have ever met. His repertory theater, under his direction, took a chance on me and premiered my play Candy Apples.

Yet there are times that you attend a new work by a new or seasoned playwright and can only utter “huh?” at the final curtain. One such play was produced by a local theater company with an outstanding cast, well designed and functioning set, great direction…but a script that was, for lack of a better term, a waste of paper. (Come to think of it, the fact that I am still bothered by it, after having seen it three years ago, is perhaps a clear sign that it was a well written play. Nah.)

Bottom line, my fellow playwrights, is that we have to find a way to get artistic directors and literary managers to release their death grip on “You Can’t Take It With You” and instead grab one of our plays.