As the leaves begin to change colors and whither away and the evil spirits of Halloween come out to play, I thought that a blog about annoyances and pet peeves, the little things that make us “die” inside, would be appropriate. This post contains opinions and thoughts from the HonesThespian editor’s mind and doesn’t represent those of past contributors. Grab your favorite Cup, pour some apple Cider and scroll through these Three Deadly C’s of the entertainment industry.
Critics
What makes a good theatre critic? One might say that having some sort of theatrical training or background is important. Others may say that an unbiased opinion counts for something. I absolutely believe critics are essential to the creative process and am in no way questioning their existence in the entertainment world. No, my issue is “To trust or not to trust?” That is the question. How can the mainstream public or artistic community trust a reviewer that still abbreviates microphone as “mike” instead of “mic?” Shouldn’t a reviewer know the current industry standard? What about a reviewer that writes predominantly about community theatre and occasionally about one or two professional companies? Are they well-versed in national or world theatre? It seems odd that these same reviewers praise their circle of local theatre friends, but become hyper-critical when it comes to the professional company they are reviewing. I love receiving praise in a review as we all should, but every company should be treated equal. It is important for a reviewer to provide an honest critique about their friends as well. “Take everything with a grain of salt.” That’s the short answer, right? I am starting to disagree with that concept more and more. A reviewer should be well-read, have a theatrical background, remain objective and unbiased, and discuss all aspects of the production. Maybe the vocal performances weren’t that great, but the lighting was excellent and helped to tell the story. Sloppy, one-track writing is a waste of space on a newspaper page. Strong critiques aid in the creation of better productions.
Communication
Responding to an email, call or text in the age of lighting-speed internet and communication devices at our fingertips is a breeze. If that’s the case, why do many actors, young and old, neglect a simple reply or wait longer than 48-hours to respond? I have written about this before and am back on my soapbox for this post. We all know that you can see when someone has looked at your message on Facebook Messenger, but that doesn’t work for the corporate world regarding emails. I am a firm believer that everyone should recognize the receipt and understanding of a professional email. “If you got it, say ‘got it’ at the least.” Many people expect affirmation at every turn and can effortlessly “like” a plethora of posts on Facebook, but seem to be unable to write a quick “thank you” or “message received” when it comes to email communication. I have witnessed managers move on to a second or third job candidate option because of this simple misstep. I encourage you to respond even if you aren’t interested in the contract. Remember that it’s a small world out there and theatre company reps, artistic directors, and casting agents talk to each other. In a similar vein, say “hello” back if a colleague or acquaintance reaches out to you via social media. Don’t make the excuse that you were “too busy” to type a response in less than thirty seconds. We are all busy. You never know when that person might be on the other side of the casting table. Courtesy and clear communication can go a long way in the entertainment business. Use it to your advantage.
Competitions
Every city has one or two papers that will produce an annual list of city favorites for the general public to consume. Like theatre critic reviews, they influence where and how people spend their time and money. This sounds like a wonderful concept in theory, but take a closer look and you realize that these lists are sometimes generated through popularity contests that unintentionally exclude major players. Let’s start with the nomination process. How are these individuals and businesses being nominated? Not always by an elected committee or team of experts. Often times, you can easily nominate yourself or a friend. How else would a professional company who hires equity actors end up in the same category as a community theatre and arts school? Why isn’t there an equal representation of companies, organizations, and schools in that category? Should there be three or more separate categories? A high school actor is still growing both as a human and artist. They shouldn’t be compared to a company who hires actors from New York that have their BFA or MFA from a major arts university. Now that the nominations are out, it’s time to vote. Make sure to crowd your social media pages with pleas and reminders for your friends and family to vote. People that haven’t even seen your productions or stepped foot in your theater space can vote too. After all that, what does the award or status really mean? Is it an honest survey of the city and its community? At least the individuals who cast ballots for the Tony Awards have some connection to the professional theatre world and do research on the nominated productions and artists. This extends beyond theatre organizations as many of these periodical contests affect restaurants, local merchants, and other businesses. There is definitely a place for this style of local recognition, but I believe better care should be taken in placing individuals and organizations in correct categories and how nominations are collected.
Be sure to check back during the month of October for exciting posts from Expert Panelists, Bridgette and Lindsay. You can catch Lindsay onstage as Suzy in “Winter Wonderettes” at the Winter Park Playhouse, playing November 15-December 16, 2018.
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