1776's Sara Porkalob Brutally Honest Vulture Article - Page 7

[felixleiter]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 6:57pm

Both are wrong.  But she/they is in a subordinate position to him.  If departures are going to happen ( I give it less than a  20% chance of happening) it will be both. 

[veronicamae]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:01pm

I haven't read the 6 pages of posts here, but all I can think is that if I went on a large public platform where my boss/C-suite and coworkers would surely see it and said I disagree with leadership's choices and because of that I'm half-a**ng (well three-quarter-a**ing) my job, I would be doing it because I was so fed up with it all that I wouldn't care if I got - and would expect to be - fired. You don't make comments like that without knowing there can and will likely be consequences.

Or maybe they'll be given corrective action and be put on a "growth plan."

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:02pm

Sorry I feel like I’ve been following this thread but somehow missed what SADH means. Can anyone clarify?

 

count me in the camp far more disturbed by a director calling an employee “rotten to the core” publicly than an actor saying some critical and valid things that maybe shouldn’t be sad publicly in an interview.

[SydneyC2]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:17pm

For context, this is the "talent" that we couldn't handle at 100%:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw5j964m-OM&t=588s

Maybe she's a fantastic playwright or director, but her singing is passable Karen from Finance on a drunk karaoke night (pitchyness included) and her acting isn't so much inspired as self-pleasuring. Really hoping that video is her at 15%, because there is WAY too much talent on Broadway that smokes her in every category for this level of ego. Maybe she could have grown into something beyond a mid-level talent, but her lack of professionalism means we won't know unless we catch her midnight show at the local Seattle cabaret (2 drink minimum).

[cleverer]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:26pm

bk said: I hope you're not a lawyer. And it's bad for Mr. Page to say it but it's okay for her to call anyone who disagrees with her BS a hoe? Have I got that right? I thought Mr. Page had every right to post what he did - I mean, if this person in the Vulture article had the right to spew her manure, why is it an issue for Mr. Page to spew his?"

I appreciate the deliberate bad-faith reading of my post, but I did make it clear that I have no opinion worth adding on whether what Sara has said/is saying is "okay." And I would hope you're not a lawyer, either, as there is a very clear difference between someone's comments towards the general Twitter public that do not work with them and a superior telling an employed subordinate to "suck a dick, hoe" (yes, posting this with the knowledge that the mods will edit and censor it, but for those who catch it and have been asking what SADH means).

I do believe we were all taught in kindergarten that two wrongs don't make a right, yes?

Updated On: 10/16/22 at 07:26 PM

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:38pm

musikman said: "I think you’re referring to “molasses to rum” in terms of pointing out the north’s hypocrisy?
 

Yeah, you're right, Molasses to Rum was the song I was the song I was thinking of.  

 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:42pm

Did she have to audition for the role? I'm curious now because if she didn't then it shows she didn't have to work for the job.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 7:53pm

Per the interview she made it sound like Paulus handed her the job and the role of choice.

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 8:22pm

SADH is a pretty acceptable and professional way for a director to address a cast member. 

I think Mike Nichols may have originally said it to George C. Scott when they were doing Uncle Vanya.  

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 8:31pm

The “S” stands for “suck”. The rest of it should fall into place.

That YouTube clip is completely talent-free. Talk about ‘who stinketh the most’… Broadway stages can rest easy that she won’t be landing on any of them ever again. She’ll be on bygonebroadway by lunchtime after closing. 

Updated On: 10/16/22 at 08:31 PM

[verywellthensigh]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 8:34pm

Team no one.  Everyone in this production seems to have been sucking on the Robin D'Angelo/Ibrahim Kendi giggle gas a little too deeply and a little too long. 

The fact that Page thinks his FB response is a good indicator that the rehearsals for this mess were non-toxic is hilarious.  

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 8:54pm

RippedMan said: "Per the interview she made it sound like Paulus handed her the job and the role of choice."

All the more reason why she feels entitled to say what she said. If she actually had to audition for this and go through numerous callbacks, she might respect her job more.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 9:19pm

RippedMan said: "Per the interview she made it sound like Paulus handed her the job and the role of choice."

My GUESS is that it was more a conversation of "I want you to audition for my show, here's the concept, who would you be most interested in playing?" But that's nit-picking and it really doesn't matter at the end of the day.

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 9:38pm

The only reason this production even exists is to ride the coattails of Hamilton

the fact Crystal is bailing out should be telling, and this just makes it even clearer what a debacle it has all been

if I was a producer I absolutely wouldnt hire Sara for one of my projects

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 9:49pm

Crystal isn’t bailing per se — she is leaving to co-star in Ain’t No Mo’ on Broadway. She originated her role in the Off-Broadway production (winning a Lortel Award for best featured actress), and understandably doesn’t want someone else playing the role she created.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 10:21pm

Also a better paycheck than a non-profit Broadway paycheck. 

[hmph]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 10:39pm

Twitter algorithm is working overtime for me today

[BroadwayBen]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 11:21pm

For those not on twitter, Joanna Glushak tweeted this in response to someone praising Porkalob:

I wish people knew the whole story before supporting this. So many community aggrements Btween our cast and creatives were broken things that were supposed to stay only among us were shared publicly. Horrible to say the least

WOW

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 11:37pm

I actually think my main takeaway form this is that Jason P. Frank seems to be a great interviewer.  I appreciated the kinds of questions/clarifications he asked and how he pushed her to elaborate on her answers.

Though I found the tone to overall be in bad taste (while appreciating some of the content shared), I'll admit I'd be curious to see one of Sara Porkalob's own works (where she is supposedly giving 100%).  The expectation being that it had better be f***ing amazing after how much she's hyped herself up.  Outside of outing the systemic/racial issues she saw in the developmental process, I'm still baffled at what she hoped to achieve out of this except for more Instagram followers.  I know she isn't really looking to get hired by other directors anymore, but she'd still need a team to work with to produce pretty much anything, and this just makes it seem like she'll be arrogant and difficult to work with.

[akhoya87]

Posted: 10/16/22 at 11:43pm

No sarcasm intended:  I am all for Joanna Glushak replying to random tweets about the situation.  She clearly is not a fan.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 10/17/22 at 12:25am

Glushak gets to the core of this issue. It breaks the covenant of a safe space and creates factions between everyone working in the building (which may or may not have existed already). Now, Sara P may feel that the safe space was already broken in rehearsal for the prior ART production, but that doesn't give them the right to wreak havoc on everyone else.

I'm sure it's been a miserable weekend in that theatre. Sara's belief that feeling uncomfortable is necessary is not something shared by producers and GM teams and MDs and SMs and others who have to maintain a running show night to night...not to mention actors.

The other issue I have with both this and JAGGED is the scrutiny (lionization?) of developmental work, which is developmental for a reason. Theatre is an evolving thing, and trial and error is a huge part of that. And that all comes back to having a safe space in which to work, without people blabbing to the press about specifics of the work process. I don't know what the solution is, but everyone needs to get on the same page about the function of this work or risktaking is going to be sanded down to the extreme. No show is a perfect or easy space for everyone at all times.

If I were Todd Haimes, I'd offer Sara the opportunity to resign with 2 weeks notice since it's evident that the show makes them miserable and is taking a toll on their mental health. (Ok, if I were Todd Haimes I wouldn't have produced this revival of 1776........... but that's beside the point)

Updated On: 10/17/22 at 12:25 AM

[ABitOnTheSide]

Posted: 10/17/22 at 12:56am

Here's the thing. In July, I was fired from my job of 5 years that I loved because I stupidly posted something inflammatory about my workplace on Facebook. I removed the post, but the damage was already done. I live in an at-will employment state. My free speech wasn't violated by being fired; as a matter of fact, nothing could be more American than a company releasing you for badmouthing it or other offenses. God bless America, indeed. 

Sara is a mess and I'm currently in a Twitter back-and-forth with her. 

Who stinketh the most? The answer's clear.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/17/22 at 2:01am

ABitOnTheSide said: "Here's the thing. In July, I was fired from my job of 5 years that I loved because I stupidly posted something inflammatory about my workplace on Facebook. I removed the post, but the damage was already done. I live in an at-will employment state. My free speech wasn't violated by being fired; as a matter of fact, nothing could be more American than a company releasing you for badmouthing it or other offenses. God bless America, indeed.

Sara is a mess and I'm currently in a Twitter back-and-forth with her.

Who stinketh the most? The answer's clear."

''

If you're the account I think you are, you might need to take a whiff of yourself. You're not in a "back-and-forth" with her. You're bombarding her with hatred and trying to get reactions and she's playing with you because she finds you amusing. 

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 10/17/22 at 2:11am

She just posted a very interesting Twitter thread that seems to take a much milder approach than a lot of what she's said. She stands by what she has said but apologizes to her cast in part 2, compliments the directors and the way they handled some of the situations she mentioned in part 3, directly seems to be countering Jeffery going low by trying to go high in part 5, and just generally seems more self-aware and less egotistical than she's let on all weekend. Not sure if she's just been reflecting this evening or someone gave her a talking to or she had conversations with people today, but it's definitely a change of tone. 

Here's the link: https://twitter.com/sporkalob/status/1581867225031462913

Here is the full text:

1. To the White folks & BIPOC folks w/internalized racism upset w/ me not adhering to respectability politics & for naming the unsustainable aspects of our industry; I hope you eventually join the cause bc this business hurts you too. We're in this together.

2. To the folks saying I threw my cast under the bus; while I didn't name any of them explicitly, I see now sharing bts information implicates them. I tried to only speak for myself but there has been an impact on my cast regardless of my intentions. For that I am sorry.

3. I shared the bts details bc I was very proud of how we handled some of those moments namely the Molasses to Rum convo: when was harm was caused we named it & Jeffrey/Diane addressed it w/restorative justice.

4. I shared all of the details candidly/ confidently -not for self gain- bc I believe that illumination and naming what is actually happening in the room, onstage and off, creates change. I'm lucky that this is my JOB but bby, it's a job. And that's ok.

5. Please stop vilifying Jeffrey and Diane. I never once said the rehearsal room or process was toxic. I named specific decisions I didn't agree w/ & those decisions were made by them, yes, but that's part of the work; we don't always agree.

6. I shared these details not for self gain but to illuminate and name the industry culture that needs to change. I get how y'all read the article & see me as an ego-driven diva.

7. I'm a very confident person, yes. But! I hope you ALSO read the nuanced and frank, very real critique of our industry culture. I hope you all can hold those many things in the same hand.

8. Here's one last nuance: One article doesn't represent all that I am/how I show up in the room as an artist, activist, and person. AND I'm proud of my voice in the Vulture article & I stand by what I said.

9. I'm not afraid of the great White Way. I'd be sad to lose the job but my termination would only be further proof of this industry's inability to adapt & change for the better. The work I care about can be done on Broadway or off.

10. In summation: wow, the response has been wild & I'm learning a lot. I stand by what I said & I'm sorry for the pain I've caused my team. I hope EVERYONE is self reflecting rather than being hypocrites & upholding double standards. Thank you for all the messages of support 💖

[binau]

Posted: 10/17/22 at 4:57am

"I don't know if you're familiar with the Seattle fringe theater scene (I know impassioned theater fans who still mourn the loss of the Fringe Festival), but there is a whole genuinely rich theater community of playwrights and actors and technicians in that city who has no interest in a career or reputation beyond Seattle, or even in what would normally be called "professional" theater. I think, even though she's obviously eager to develop a New York-based career and win awards, she still basically operating out of that mentality. There may even be a struggle going on in her mind about whether, in doing this show and trying to cultivate a New York career, she's selling out. This may be intentional self-sabotage. "

I'm not familiar at all, so appreciate the background. Maybe she is is rich and not looking for professional gigs, in which case I guess it makes sense. To me it reads "oh I could easily have a career in Broadway theatre and the money is good, but I don't want that"....yet it is a blessing and privilege for her to be on that stage right now and it could easily never happen again (I mean even without this article of course). So I find it a really bizarre attitude to have.