About: Will It Play HERE?

Update: August 17, 2023:

This blog continues to analyze theatrical works in reference to their possible and probable production in my local theatrical venues. The evolution of what is common, acceptable, even expected, on Broadway and regional theatres in the last 30 years is not often been reflected in the demographics, standards and expectations of our local community’s patronage or bureaucracy.  Language and content expectations have relaxed. The F-Bomb passes muster (with discretion), but such language may not appear too frequently, must be in the proper context, be in only one of the 5 offerings in a season, and must have a bold-faced disclaimer in the advertising, We have a small, but growing number of BIPOC artists, and have been able to interject some non-traditional casting. However, we have not yet attracted the number of diverse artists necessary to populate the casts of many modern works. While the audience always accepts swordplay,  palpable modern violence is a very tough sell. With all this in mind, my goal is to discover and produce theatre with which MY community can identify and by which MY community can be inspired and enlightened. If I do not recommend a work, it is not primarily or necessarily for the quality of its craftsmanship or importance of its subject matter.  Sometimes, it might not be recommended for the technical scope (i.e., multiple sets, large casts, giant swinging chandeliers, helicopters, 50-foot tall puppet mammals).  I am ALWAYS looking for suggestions of works to read. Please submit them.  I despise assembly-line pablum. I prefer cerebral. I love a witty, well-crafted farce. It’s got to get it produced HERE in Pleasantville (blog name: Will it play HERE?). I refuse to censor scripts. I prefer casts of 10 and under. I prefer plays set ANYWHERE else but The Northeast. I prefer American playwrights, especially gender-female. I prefer settings from 1920 to the present. I’m always pushing! 

Original post: January 18, 2015:

This blog will analyze plays in reference to their possible production in my local  theatrical venues. What is acceptable, even expected, on Broadway stages and regional theatres in the last 20 years has fast outdistanced the acceptability equations of our community in both content and multiculturalism.  With all this in mind, my goal is to find and produce theatre with which my community can identify and by which it can be inspired. I am ALWAYS looking for suggestions of plays to read. I like to direct plays that are not stupid. I like cerebral. I’ll take witty. I’ll take well-crafted farce. I’ve got to get it produced here Pleasantville. That often means that nobody dies that anybody cares about. The language can’t go as far as the F bomb (but I’m always pushing!). I refuse to censor scripts. I prefer casts of 10 and under. I prefer plays set ANYWHERE else but The Northeast. I prefer American playwrights. I prefer a time period of 1920 to the present. HERE WE GO!