The Seattle Rep Offers Us Locals a Little Love

I wrote recently that there are three kinds of playwrights in this town.  Those ardently dedicated to the continuing existence of Seattle’s large regional theatres despite decades of neglect by those Big Houses.  Those, like Louis Broome, who could not care less and would even prefer to see them all go out of business so a healthier model can take their place, (though in fairness, Louis has been tellingly vague on exactly what that model might be.)  And those, like myself, who have at long last decided to make our caring contingent on getting a little love in return.

Well, I have to call ‘em as I see ‘em, and it sure does seem like the Rep has just offered us a little love, announcing a week-long summer residency for two full-length plays (two writers, two directors and ten actors) and a solo work.  Hit this link for the details:

http://mail.tmsmail.us/bin/display_msg?id=B6CCE57E73813BE308C4B50A80B531126161775AB5955202 

The wording is artfully vague, but it certainly sounds as if the Rep has reserved at least one of these slots for a Pacific Northwest playwright. 

My good friend and fellow playwright, Scot Augustson often wonders aloud to me why I even bother tangling with the Big Houses.  “Is the regional theater stage the end-all be-all?” he asks.  “Is it really the best for all plays and playwrights?”

No.  I do not think it is.  Certainly my play The Ten Thousand Things premiered in a perfect place for it, the 40-seat Little Theatre that Washington Ensemble Theatre calls home.  The intimacy and rawness of that space made it feel like you were part of, not just observing, Etta Lilienthal’s simultaneously earthy and ethereal design. 

On the other hand, a play of mine like Louis Slotin Sonata simply could not fit in so small a venue.  And now that I mention it, I recall that the Sonata owes its existence to a new play development program ACT hosted over a decade and half ago, called FirstACT.  A two-week program that matched four local playwrights to local directors and actors and hosted the resulting staged readings for the public.  Not surprisingly, ACT put a bullet in FirstACT long ago: an early sacrifice to the budget woes that they now seem to have finally put behind them.  (Time to bring it back, ACT, and fund it in a less precarious way?)

My response to this news from the Rep is simple and selfish.  I have a farce that needs working on.  I need to get it on its feet and see how the frenzied action flows.  So I will be dropping the script off with Braden, though, after all the recent grief I have given him, I could understand if he is tempted to toss it in the recycle bin unread.  Oh, and the curmudgeonly Mr. Augustson?  He is sending something in too:

Yes yes, I'm going to submit something to Braden's Summer Bellingham. And yes, you can quote me. But, if asked: I am not anti-big guy institutional theater. I just get tired of them being thought of as the only game in town. In other art forms there seems to be more of a respect for a spectrum of scales. And of course, I'm show folk at heart and wouldn't dream of not kissing some serious ass to get at their budgets and their marketing departments.

It is almost certainly too much to hope that both slots would go to local writers, just as it is unlikely that either Scot or I will land one, given how much writing talent exists here, and less abrasive too; but at least now I have a frame to fantasize around: a week in beautiful summer Bellingham, my friend and fellow playwright Scot Augustson is there.  We work hard on already strong local scripts.  We push ourselves.  We push each other.  The directors, the actors, all of us push.  We make each other great.

As the city 90 miles to the South moves a little bit closer to world class.

Comments

[Scot Augustson]

Oh, Paul. You're gone and misquoted me again. What I said was, "Can you keep an eye on my dentures. I get about $5 more per blow job when I'm not wearing my teeth."

[Paul Mullin]

Scot, I only quote that which I put in your mouth. Not what anyone else does.

[Scot Augustson]

Paul. We're both married men. So please, a little discretion about mouth putting.