The Theater Thing
Wrote a big Sunday article about theater in Bakersfield. Read all about it here.
Or on the Drama Rama blog here.
I wrote about all the drama in Bakersfield theater. You know? The backstage drama. The financial drama. The competitive drama. All that stuff that makes theater people, theater people all around the world. The thing was a bitch to write. It took forever. But I hope it gives people an idea of what it means to be in theater in Bakersfield (re: a very poor artsy person).
I also thought it was fascinating to see how the wealthiest theater (BMT) and the poorest (Empty Space) both are always one step from going out of business, showing that the problems are universal of theater and general whether you're doing "Aida" or losing all your clothes in "Angels in America."
Anyway, what did you folks think of the article? (I know you thespians are out there reading this blog. You all posted to the "Sin City" thread to brag about your serial killer potential.)
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Comments? Questions?
Or on the Drama Rama blog here.
I wrote about all the drama in Bakersfield theater. You know? The backstage drama. The financial drama. The competitive drama. All that stuff that makes theater people, theater people all around the world. The thing was a bitch to write. It took forever. But I hope it gives people an idea of what it means to be in theater in Bakersfield (re: a very poor artsy person).
I also thought it was fascinating to see how the wealthiest theater (BMT) and the poorest (Empty Space) both are always one step from going out of business, showing that the problems are universal of theater and general whether you're doing "Aida" or losing all your clothes in "Angels in America."
Anyway, what did you folks think of the article? (I know you thespians are out there reading this blog. You all posted to the "Sin City" thread to brag about your serial killer potential.)
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Comments? Questions?
posted by Danielle Belton @ 10:47 AM
4 Comments:
At 2:50 PM,
Anonymous said…
Danielle, the article was very well done. A very interesting read and you certainly touched on some important issues. I'm surprised other theatre people haven't commented to this post yet. Your article is causing quite a stir over at Dramarama. Again, Bravo. I hope it instigates change and growth.
At 4:02 PM,
Danielle Belton said…
Thanks. I love a good fight, but things at my fellow Bako site Drama Rama have gone all nuclear holocaust.
I made one comment (that for an unknown reason, totally double posted), but with all the napalm flying I don't know if anyone will notice it.
At 12:22 PM,
Anonymous said…
When I read your article with the requisite Sunday coffee, I thought what I still think, "Hooray! Theatre in BIG, BOLD TECHNICOLOR! Hooray! Oh, there is that scary picture of Ken Burdick again, oh this is cool! Ink is ink is ink!!"
I enjoyed reading each comment from each of the people I know and from others who I don't know yet. I have also stayed away from posting at Drama-Rama because there is so much stuff flying I am afraid I might accidentally sustain an injury.
Surprisingly enough - no one on the "outside" of the theatre world - the majority of the people I know - have joined in the brouhaha.
I appreciated the entirety of the article - the bit on Forgiveness with the Melodrama folks was especially good. My daughter made her stage debut there in "The Sound of Music" years ago, we still get teary-eyed when we drive past the empty building.
I also enjoyed the wide variety of voices which were heard - from Theatre owners to employees to "free-lance" production folks like Turtleface's David and Sheila.
THANK YOU for keeping Theatre in the minds of the people in Bakersfield.
At 1:27 PM,
Anonymous said…
I like any coverage of theatre and the arts so this was great! Thank you Danielle for mentioning all the theatres. I wish a little emphasis would have been thrown towards the college and university as they both help support the community theatres with both talent and resources. They also face difficulties as budget cuts threaten them more and more. I won't post on this topic on drama rama as it is too angry on that thread and I do not want to get involved. We are a passionate, emotional people, us theatre folk and I can see how things can sometime get out of hand. I am certain no one meant their comments in your article to be taken the way they were. Thanks again for your support of the theatre community as a whole and specifically the free theatre I work at The Empty Space.
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