It occurs to me that even though the readership of my modest critiques of local theatre productions is small compared to the readers of Charles McNulty of the LA Times: a very eloquent guy! And, my scholarship when it comes to the depths of theatre may pale compared to others who write about the local Los Angeles theatre scene, my ideas may be simple but my need to share them is on me.
The closing of The Mark Taper Forum for the remainder of the 2023 - 2024 season is a travesty. Money is the culprit.
Every person who ever encountered Gordon Davidson, the Real McCoy when it came to the love of theatre, would testify that his love and ability to gather the community together to create productions that were not only entertaining, but educational and socially relevant was considerable. When in a chat with Gordon, you were the only person in the room. He was always laser focused and attentive and responsive to every person he encountered. It’s this quality that defines the vision that Gordon had for Center Theatre Group and especially, The Taper.
This is to stand and applaud .. again.. the work that Gordon championed and produced for the many years he led the charge to share good stuff with our community.
This new CTG guy, Snehal Desai, has a strong connection to ‘community’, right? This is to reach out to him and the powers that be to gather the forces of all of the small theatre energy in Los Angeles, like the company he formerly led, East West Players, who partnered with CTG to put up Sweat Shop Overloard at the Kirk Douglas. It may be an idea to lobby deep pockets Hollywood folks to create an opportunity for work like Antaeus’s The Tempest and The Fountain’s Last Summer at Blue Fish Cove to come to The Taper? Other pocket producers like Martha Demson. Chris Fields and Ron Sossi must be invited to meet and discuss ways, through volunteerism, perhaps? with the cooperation of Actors Equity?? to open the doors to The Taper to bring our Community back to fill the seats and celebrate what Theatre is supposed to do:
Bring us together! Community.
michaelsheehan
onstagelosangeles
July 4, 2023
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