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“Limitation frees creativity.”

By on April 17, 2012 in Art, Writing

One of my favorite “theater books” is William Ball’s A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing (1984), which is so stuffed with wisdom that on my first read I found myself underlining half or more of every page until I gave up and scribbled inside the cover, “Read every year.” His deeply informed advice includes a section on choosing a central metaphor for a play, usually a painting or photo that in turn affects colors, textures, timing, light, context. I thought about this a lot in my few primitive attempts to direct scenes, including a 10-minute pastiche from The Whistler back in January 2011, in which I relied on a Lucas Cranach oil painting of Adam and Eve. One of Ball’s points is that choosing the right limitations (or having them chosen for you) moves a project forward, gives it flavor, nuance, inventiveness. And that without limitations, whether the mask of a centuries-old painting or a thing so pedestrian as a budget, we artists will dawdle indefinitely.

I thought about his observation that limitation frees creativity last weekend after receiving a call from my Cincinnati co-producer of The Whistler, Carol Brammer of the Clifton Performance Theatre. The actors had convened on a Thursday night for a first full table reading, and had agreed that the script as presented was untenable. Not too surprising for a new, un-workshopped play, but a disagreeable conclusion to hear if you’re the playwright. Once my ego recovered, I was thrilled to realize that I had just heard specific, useable advice: eight people with decades of combined theatrical experience had actually read my play so closely and sympathetically that they could advise me on just where to insert the scalpel. Conveniently, the advice came in notes from a ten-minute phone call so it wasn’t so exhaustive or so specific that the constraints it imposed were irritating. Instead they liberated me: to cut several scenes from a two-hour and fifteen minute juggernaut; to simplify music cues; and to rewrite an ending that has troubled every reader of the piece since its inception. And precisely because I have lived with my six characters and their narrative for three long years, I was able to do it in a single weekend. I sacrificed some of the play’s charm but none of its beauty.

The Whistler goes live!

By on March 27, 2012 in Music, Writing



Here’s the latest and best take on The Whistler yet, as we reveal more secrets about the play and ratchet up interest in attending and contributing.  I’m proud of having edited this video on my USA Artists page, but the acting and moviemaking talent are what make it work.  By the way, donations through USA Artists are tax deductible and we have cool premiums.

Speakeasy on Race

By on March 12, 2012 in Uncategorized, Writing

Did I say The Whistler would be on Court Street, and the tickets $10?  Oh la!  My partners on the ground have found a better space literally around the corner at 815 Race Street. It wasn’t a Prohibition beerhall but you gotta love the name “Speakeasy on Race.” We’ll have less work to do to fix up the space–mostly removing a drop ceiling–and it’s not quite so narrow, which should afford better audience views from anywhere in the house.  Now that we’ve done a real budget, ticket prices, after all, will be set at $15 recognizing that we’ll give discounts for large groups and students.

I do want to talk more about the role played by race in this story.  The Whistler is no by means a civil rights play though the movement certainly forms a backdrop to much of the action and affects what characters decide they must do, and how.
Colored Childrens Library in US
Were the topic whether racism is bad or the South more ignoble than the North, that would be melodrama, and this ain’t that. If anything it’s about how Americans manage, in our better moments, to transcend race in spite of all our efforts to enshrine it. Audiences will notice that the main character, Henry, is a very lukewarm liberal who claims he voted for Kennedy but now wants to let the rule of law wind its slow course along. Similarly, Joe Summers, who complains that Negroes share swimming pools with the daughters and wives of whites, turns out to be a very lukewarm bigot. And that’s exactly the point. We could all boo at Simon Legree and cheer on Uncle Tom (well, many would), but at the end of day there’d be no catharsis.

Hate them both, if you want. I’m also going to try to convince you to care what happens to them–because they’re funny?  Because they both have soft hearts? Because their bark is worse than their bite? Or just because you see yourself in them.

Auditions for The Whistler

By on February 27, 2012 in Uncategorized

Director Tim Waldrip and our colleague Carol Brammer of the Clifton Performance Theatre in Cincinnati begin auditions next week. I’ve been thinking about the delicate chemistry among roles–how the actor you choose for the male lead and the actor you choose for the female lead must play off each other, either amplifying or cancelling each other.  The Whistler has six characters, and I hope to create short videos over the next few weeks introducing them to you.

Heart transplant, $10

By on February 3, 2012 in Writing

THE WHISTLER will open on May 17th in Cincinnati at a newly renovated downtown storefront venue to be called (probably) Court Street Speakeasy Theater.  Wow!  I’m trying to keep my role as playwright distinct from my role as co-producer, but things are moving fast and fun, with a call for auditions having already gone out from director Tim Waldrip and co-producer Carol Brammer of Cincy’s Clifton Performance Theater.

It’s a deep space, and we’ll likely take advantage of it to create a wide stage. The building dates back to before Prohibition; during the long dry spell its warren of basements (below the retail floor where we’re building out the theater) was used to hide beer kegs from the law.

The people involved so far are professional, optimistic, and experienced. I hope this new little theater fills right up — 75 seats, maybe? –and stays that way for a six-week run. Then another city, and another. In two or three years, who knows?  This might be the last time tickets will be as cheap as $10.

But there’s a lot to do: carpentry, electrical, repainting, new lights, a full facelift–and that’s before we do stuff specific to this production! Put the date on your calendar if you’d be so kind: Thursday through Sunday for 4-6 weeks beginning May 17th. We’re beginning to gather production funds now, and it’s a great chance for donors to help us change the world. Heart transplant, did I say?  With no immodesty I say that I think our world needs this play. Please help me make it.

You can read more about the play here.